Target Heart Rate Calculator
Enter your age and resting heart rate to calculate your target heart rate zones for different exercise intensities — fat burn, cardio and peak.
Not medical advice General estimate only. Consult a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program, especially with heart conditions.
Target Heart Rate Calculator
Fat burn, cardio and peak training zones
Max HR = 220 − age. Target zone = ((max HR − resting HR) × intensity %) + resting HR. Fat burn: 50–70%, cardio: 70–85%, peak: 85–100%.
⚠️ Double-check important results. This is an educational estimate, not professional advice — and where it uses a rate, bracket or fee, those change over time. Verify anything you'll rely on, especially in legal, financial, tax or medical matters, and read our full disclaimer. Think a result is wrong? Tell us so we can fix it.
Target Heart Rate Zones
Target heart rate is calculated as a percentage of your maximum heart rate:
Max HR = 220 − age Target HR = ((max HR − resting HR) × intensity %) + resting HR
**Three zones**: - **Fat burn (50–70% of max)**: Lower intensity, good for longer workouts and beginners - **Cardio (70–85% of max)**: Aerobic conditioning, improves cardiovascular fitness - **Peak (85–100% of max)**: High intensity, interval training, short durations only
Exercising within these zones helps you train effectively without over-exerting. The fat-burn zone uses a higher percentage of fat for fuel, while cardio and peak zones burn more total calories.
- Max HR = 220 − age
- Fat burn: 50–70%, cardio: 70–85%, peak: 85–100%
- Karvonen formula uses resting HR
- Consult a doctor before intense exercise
Worked Example
Example: Age 35, resting HR 65 bpm.
- Max HR = 220 − 35 = 185 bpm - HR reserve = 185 − 65 = 120 bpm - Fat burn (50–70%): (120×0.50+65) to (120×0.70+65) = 125 to 149 bpm - Cardio (70–85%): (120×0.70+65) to (120×0.85+65) = 149 to 167 bpm - Peak (85–100%): (120×0.85+65) to (120×1.0+65) = 167 to 185 bpm
Related Calculators
Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator
Calculate WHR and assess health risk from waist and hip measurements.
Open calculator →Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate calories burned during exercise from activity, weight and duration.
Open calculator →BMR Calculator
Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate — calories your body burns at rest.
Open calculator →Body Fat Calculator
Estimate body fat percentage from body measurements using the US Navy method.
Open calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Is 220 − age accurate for everyone?
It's a population average. Your actual max HR may vary by ±10–15 bpm. For precise training, consider a field test or consult a trainer.
Which zone for weight loss?
Fat burn zone uses more fat as fuel, but cardio and peak zones burn more total calories. Consistency and total calorie deficit matter most for weight loss.
Looking for a different calculator?
CalculatorPlus has free tools across finance, construction, math, health and more — each one showing the formula and a worked example.