Exercise Heart Rate Calculations

Maximum Heart Rate

WARNING: This heart rate is your absolute MAXIMUM and could cause damage.

It may also be EVEN LOWER for you than the calculations, it's just an AVERAGE, so DON'T reach this heart rate.

But reaching your MAXIMUM HEART RATE—the greatest number of beats per minute your heart can possibly achieve during exercise—requires an all-out effort that is extremely uncomfortable and impossible to maintain; even the most highly trained athletes can only maintain this intensity for a few minutes at a time. In addition, exercising at or near your maximum heart rate has not been shown to have significant benefits. In fact, it can actually be risky because of the stress it puts on your heart. (1)

Reserve Heart Rate

You can get a more accurate picture by using the 'reserve heart rate' method from The Mayo Clinic.

Your reserve heart rate is: Maximum Heart Rate - Resting Heart Rate

Get your resting heart rate

1. Get a stopwatch (try on your phone)
2. "Rest" for a few moments.
3. Put your finger on your pulse (I use my neck)
4. Start the timer on a beat, and count beats for 60 seconds.
   • The number of beats per 60 seconds is your resting heart rate.
5. "The American Heart Association recommends checking your resting heart rate first thing in the morning (but before you get out of bed." 1

Target Heart Rate Range

Your Target Heart Rate (THR) Range is generally 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, although it is based on you individually and there are a few ways to calculate it.

IMPORTANT: There's no evidence that being at the high or low range of your Target Heart Rate is better...

By knowing your TARGET HEART RATE you assure yourself that you optimize fitness improvement, calorie- and fat-burning, and you prevent overdoing it and not having fun during exercise. (1)

How to improve at cardio

There is no reason to push your heart rate beyond the target range during non-competitive exercise. It is bad to go too close to the max at any time.

Going above your Target Heart Rate Range increases risk of damage.

If you want to push yourself then: increase the TIME you are at your target heart rate.

Calculate Target Heart Rate Range: Reserve Heart Rate Method

This method takes into account age and base heart rate. The method is from the Mayo Clinic.

Lets check target at some regular ages assuming 65 BPM Resting Heart Rate (RHR).

• 20 YRS : (220-20-65)*.7+65 to (220-20-65)*.85+65 = 160-180
• 30 YRS : (220-30-65)*.7+65 to (220-30-65)*.85+65 = 153-171
• 40 YRS : (220-40-65)*.7+65 to (220-40-65)*.85+65 = 146-163
• 50 YRS : (220-50-65)*.7+65 to (220-50-65)*.85+65 = 139-154
• 60 YRS : (220-60-65)*.7+65 to (220-60-65)*.85+65 = 132-146
• 70 YRS : (220-70-65)*.7+65 to (220-70-65)*.85+65 = 125-137
• 80 YRS : (220-80-65)*.7+65 to (220-80-65)*.85+65 = 118-129

Lets also check with a heart rate of 80 BPM. Note that a high heart rate increases all cause mortality, and you should seek to have a heart rate between 60-75 through physical fitness

I don't love this one because it recommends people with higher resting heart rates need to reach a higher Target Heart Rate. I think this comes from lack of fitness, so it's sort of crummy advice to tell someone out of shape they need to work harder.

But the range is pretty close between both. My heart rate is very stable at my level of exertion at the gym, so each individual can figure out their comfortable level on a per-machine basis.

• 20 YRS : (220-20-80)*.7+80 to (220-20-80)*.85+80 = 164-182
• 30 YRS : (220-30-80)*.7+80 to (220-30-80)*.85+80 = 157-174
• 40 YRS : (220-40-80)*.7+80 to (220-40-80)*.85+80 = 150-165
• 50 YRS : (220-50-80)*.7+80 to (220-50-80)*.85+80 = 143-157
• 60 YRS : (220-60-80)*.7+80 to (220-60-80)*.85+80 = 136-148
• 70 YRS : (220-70-80)*.7+80 to (220-70-80)*.85+80 = 129-140

• 80 YRS : (220-80-80)*.7+80 to (220-80-80)*.85+80 = 122-131

• Max Heart Rate @ 34 Years: 220 - 34 = 186 BPM - WARNING - DO NOT GET NEAR THIS HEART RATE

  • WARNING: This heart rate is your absolute MAXIMUM and could cause damage.
  • It may also be EVEN LOWER for you, it's just an AVERAGE.
• Reserve Heart Rate (HRR) @ 34 years (MHR-HRR): 186 - 66 = 120 BPM
  • This is how much you have "left over" between your resting and your max.

• Target Heart rate is approximately 70%-85% of Max Heart Rate, based on HRR: (186-66) * (70% to 85%) + 66 = 150 - 168 BPM

  • The exact calculation is HRR * (70% to 85%) + RHR = THR Range
    • Think of it as using 70-85% of your reserve
  • This is the range for an intense workout
  • I currently like to switch between 70% to 85% every 5 min for 25 min, this gives me some recovery.
  • I tend to stick closer to 146 right now, I consider 154 to be a really heavy workout.
  • I hit this something like 8 minutes into the workout? I measure what is a comfortable and natural ramp.

• Minimum Exercise Heart Rate is 60% of Max Heart Rate: 186 * 60% = 112 bpm

  • I easily hit this and warm up quite comfortably to 120 BPM within a few minutes
  • I think this is too low, but it is for mild exercise at 150 minutes per week
  • If I did moderate exercise I would do 150 mins per week, or 50 minutes per session at 120 BPM.

Calculate Target Heart Rate Range: with General Method

This method takes into account age only and NOT resting heart rate. Lets check target against the resting method at some regular ages. These ranges are a lot broader and don't go nearly as high.

• 20 YRS : (220-20)*.7 to (220-20)*.85 = 140-170
• 30 YRS : (220-20)*.7 to (220-20)*.85 = 133-162
• 40 YRS : (220-20)*.7 to (220-20)*.85 = 126-153
• 50 YRS : (220-20)*.7 to (220-20)*.85 = 119-145
• 60 YRS : (220-20)*.7 to (220-20)*.85 = 112-136
• 70 YRS : (220-20)*.7 to (220-20)*.85 = 105-128

• 80 YRS : (220-20)*.7 to (220-20)*.85 = 98-119

• Max Heart Rate @ 34 Years: 220 - 34 = 186 BPM - WARNING - DO NOT GET NEAR THIS HEART RATE

  • WARNING: This heart rate is your absolute MAXIMUM and could cause damage.
  • It may also be EVEN LOWER for you, it's just an AVERAGE.

• Target Heart rate is 70%-85% of Max Heart Rate: 186 * (70% to 85%) = 130 - 158 BPM

  • You want to spend your workout in this range... but how much time at each part of the range? I like to alternate every 5 min for 25 min.
  • I hit this something like 8 minutes into the workout? Measure what is a comfortable and natural ramp.

• Minimum Exercise Heart Rate is 60% of Max Heart Rate: 186 * 60% = 112 bpm

  • I easily hit this and warm out quite comfortably to 120 BPM within a few minutes

Intensity and Time Span

Summary: 150 min moderate exercise or 75 min vigorous exercise per week. Use the Rating of Perceived Exertion or 'borg' scale.

Intensity

You can use relative intensity to measure your workout. You are the judge of the intensity in this system. You probably need some experience to make this accurate.

The primary scale has two names: Borg Scale and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale.

• Wikipedia: Borg Scale

• CDC: Measuring Exertion

• A rating of 12-13 probably is a moderate physical exercise??

• A rating of 15-17 probably is a vigorous physical exercise??

Studies show that your perceived exertion compares well with your heart rate. So if you think you're working hard, your heart rate is probably higher than usual. (1)

Time Span

The Mayo Clinic recommends every week do one of the following:

1. 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or
2. 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity

You may need to work up to vigorous aerobic activity. I certainly did in 2018.

You should also do:

1. 2 strength training sessions - per week
   • (including rock climbing, "heavy gardening")
   • Free weights are ideal
   • Weight machines

References

1. CALCULATING YOUR TARGET HEART RATE
   • This is the reference for some of these facts, and it has no citations.
   • Please verify ALL data with the AHA or other entity and remove this reference. I have read similar things elsewhere, but that's not a substitute for real citations.
2. CDC Exercise Guide
3. CDC Activity Intensity
4. CDC Heart Rate Method