Interactive Tool: What Is Your Target Heart Rate?: How Does This Tool Measure Your Target Heart Rate

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How does this tool measure your target heart rate?

Target heart rates can be measured in slightly different ways. In this tool, your target heart rate is measured using your maximum heart rate (based on your age), your resting heart rate, and how active you are. The calculation used in this tool is accurate for all activity levels, from inactive to very active.

How can you take your resting heart rate?

You can easily take your own pulse to find your resting heart rate. You can check your resting pulse the first thing in the morning, just after you wake up but before you get out of bed. Or, you can sit or rest quietly for at least 10 minutes and then take your pulse.

What is your activity level?

Your target heart rate depends on how physically fit you are. For example, if you are not active and not physically fit, your target heart rate is a little lower than the target heart rate of someone who exercises every day. This tool gives you a range of what your target heart rate is, based on how much you usually exercise.

To find your target heart rate range, you will choose the category that best matches your level of physical activity. The categories are:

• Not active. You do less than 30 minutes of light activity no more than 2 times a week. Cleaning house, slow walking, and playing golf are examples of light activity.
• Moderately active. You do up to 30 minutes of light to moderate activity 3 to 5 times a week. Brisk walking, jogging, riding a bike, swimming, and playing tennis are examples of moderate activity.
• Very active. You do more than 30 minutes of moderate activity at least 5 times a week.

Last updated:	January 08, 2008
Author:	Robin Parks, MS
Reviewed By:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine, Richard B. Kreider, PhD, MX, DPC, FACSM, FASEP - Exercise Physiology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC