How Do You Determine Your Target Heart Rate

Many people who are new to exercise wonder how do you determine your target heart rate. A target heart rate helps exercisers determine if they are working out at an appropriate intensity level. Heart rates are important for improving cardiovascular health, and there are several cardio workout benefits for the heart.

The more a healthy person works out at the right intensity level, the stronger and healthier the heart becomes. The heart will eventually beat less often while resting.

Once you determine your target heart rate, you can take your pulse during cardiovascular exercise to see if you are within the range of your target. The following calculations will produce two numbers. Your goal is to try to work out within the numbers, but the numbers are approximate. Always consult a doctor for any questions concerning your cardiovascular health or exercising. Here are some tools needed to get started:

• Stop-watch or a digital clock
• Calculator
• Paper
• Pen or Pencil

You need to first calculate your resting heart rate. After you wake up in the morning, and before you get out of bed, locate your pulse on your neck and under your jaw line. Count the beats for 60 seconds. Take your resting heart rate on days that you are not awakened abruptly. Try to take your resting heart rate for three mornings in a row and get the average. Keep a paper or a notepad and a stop watch or clock to take the pulse. Jot down the numbers every morning. Calculate the average by adding the three days worth of heart rates together and dividing by three.

Find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 220-30=190.

Once you have your maximum heart rate, you need to figure your heart rate reserve. Find your heart rate reserve by subtracting your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate. So, if your resting heart rate is 70, the formula would look like this: 190-70=120.

Next, multiply this number by 50% which is .50. The percentages used here are examples. People plug in different percentage amounts based on exercise goals. In this example, the equation would look like this: 120 x .50=60.

You also need to multiply your maximum heart rate by 85% which is .85. Again, people use different percentages for that number. In the example, that equation would look like this: 120 x .85=102.

Next, add the sums of both results to the resting heart rate. If the resting heart rate was 70, the equations should look like this:

• 60+70=130

• 102+70=172.

The target heart rate for someone who is 30 years old is between 130 and 172 beats per minute.

Now, let's figure out the target heart rate for someone who is 40 years old. Calculate the resting heart rate. Find the maximum heart rate by subtracting the age, 40, from 220. 220-40=180. It's time to figure out the heart rate reserve. If the resting heart rate or the average resting heart rate was 70, the heart rate reserve is 180-70=110. Multiply the result, 110, by 50% or .50. Therefore, 110 X .50=55. Then, multiply the 110 by 85% or .85. The result is 95.5. Add the resting heart rate, 70, to both products. 55+70=125

93.5+70=163.5 or 164. The target heart rate for a person who is 40 years old is between 124 and 164 beats per minute.

The calculations above are only approximates. People who do not have time to manually perform calculations to determine your target heart rate can simply plug in the numbers for the resting heart rate and age. Just get the average heart rate by counting the beats each more for three days, adding the numbers, and dividing by three. Use the average number to plug into a heart rate calculator. Heart rate calculators are available online.

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