Target Heart Rate

What is "Target Heart Rate"?

Target heart rate is a way to measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program. This approach requires measuring your pulse periodically as you exercise and staying within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. This range is called your target heart rate.

Is “Brisk walking” enough for achieving Target Heart rate?

Some people can't or don’t measure their pulse exercising. If this is true for you, try using a "conversational pace" to monitor your efforts during moderate activities like walking.




If you can “walk and talk” at the same time, you aren't walking too hard. The concept of “saer” ( Routine early morning walk – popular in India – where you meet your friends to talk more and walk less, a “walk – talk –social catch up session”) is probably just an eye-wash.

Use the “Target Heart Rate” calculator below, to get an estimated Target Heart Zone.


Age Target HR Zone Average Maximum Heart Rate 100%
50–85 % 50–85 %


20 years 100–170 beats per minute 200 beats per minute
25 years 98–166 beats per minute 195 beats per minute
30 years 95–162 beats per minute 190 beats per minute
35 years 93–157 beats per minute 185 beats per minute
40 years 90–153 beats per minute 180 beats per minute
45 years 88–149 beats per minute 175 beats per minute
50 years 85–145 beats per minute 170 beats per minute
55 years 83–140 beats per minute 165 beats per minute
60 years 80–136 beats per minute 160 beats per minute
65 years 78–132 beats per minute 155 beats per minute
70 years 75–128 beats per minute 150 beats per minute



Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. The figures above are averages, so use them as general guidelines.

Note of Caution: A few high blood pressure medications lower the maximum heart rate and thus the target zone rate. If you're taking such medicine, call your physician to find out if you need to use a lower target heart rate.