Maximum Heart Rate
- Athletes who use a heart rate monitor as a training aid need to identify their maximum heart rate in order to determine their appropriate training zones.
- Please remember that any formula used to determine your maximum heart rate (MHR) is only a best guess (based on research) and not a guarantee of your MHR value.
Calculation of Maximum Heart Rate
The easiest and best known method to calculate your maximum heart rate (MHR) is to use the formula MHR=220 – Age
Heart Rate Training Zones
Heart rate zones are usually split into the below four zones and your fitness goal will determine which zone you need to train in.
Recovery/Weight Loss |
60-70% |
Aerobic |
70-80% |
Anaerobic |
80-90% |
Maximum |
90-100% |
Target Heart Rate Chart for Men
The below target heart rate chart shows the target heart rate zones for men, by age
| Age | Max Heart Rate |
Recovery/ Weight Loss |
Aerobic | Anaerobic | Maximum | ||||
| 60% - 70% | 70% - 80% | 80% - 90% | 90% - 100% | ||||||
| 18 | 202 | 121 | 141 | 141 | 162 | 162 | 182 | 182 | 202 |
| 19 | 201 | 121 | 141 | 141 | 161 | 161 | 181 | 181 | 201 |
| 20 | 200 | 120 | 140 | 140 | 160 | 160 | 180 | 180 | 200 |
| 21 | 199 | 119 | 139 | 139 | 159 | 159 | 179 | 179 | 199 |
| 22 | 198 | 119 | 139 | 139 | 158 | 158 | 178 | 178 | 198 |
| 23 | 197 | 118 | 138 | 138 | 158 | 158 | 177 | 177 | 197 |
| 24 | 196 | 118 | 137 | 137 | 157 | 157 | 176 | 176 | 196 |
| 25 | 195 | 117 | 137 | 137 | 156 | 156 | 176 | 176 | 195 |
| 26 | 194 | 116 | 136 | 136 | 155 | 155 | 175 | 175 | 194 |
| 27 | 193 | 116 | 135 | 135 | 154 | 154 | 174 | 174 | 193 |
| 28 | 192 | 115 | 134 | 134 | 154 | 154 | 173 | 173 | 192 |
| 29 | 191 | 115 | 134 | 134 | 153 | 153 | 172 | 172 | 191 |
| 30 | 190 | 114 | 133 | 133 | 152 | 152 | 171 | 171 | 190 |
Taking a pulse (heart rate)
Your pulse is the rate at which your heart beats. As your heart pumps blood through your body, you can feel a pulsing in some of the blood vessels close to the skin's surface.
You can easily check your pulse on the inside of your wrist, below your thumb.
- Gently place 2 fingers of your other hand on this artery.
- Do not use your thumb because it has its own pulse that you may feel.
- Count the beats for 30 seconds; then double the result to get the number of beats per minute.
You can also check your pulse in the carotid artery. This is located in your neck, on either side of your windpipe. Be careful when checking your pulse in this location
