Target Heart Rate for Exercise Chart

The ideal heart rate for exercise depends on your goal, and it’s always a percentage of maximum HR. The moderate aerobic range falls between 60 and 80% of maximum — at age 40 (maximum HR 180), that’s about 108 to 144 bpm. Generate your zone chart by age below (and enter your resting HR for more precision).

The 5 training zones and what they’re for

Zone	% of maximum HR	Use
Zone 1	50–60%	Warm-up, active recovery
Zone 2	60–70%	Endurance, fat burning
Zone 3	70–80%	Aerobic conditioning (cardio)
Zone 4	80–90%	Anaerobic threshold, performance
Zone 5	90–100%	Maximum effort, short sprints

Example of a ready-made chart (220 − age formula)

Ranges in bpm by age, using % of maximum HR:

Age	Zone 2 (60–70%)	Zone 3 (70–80%)	Zone 4 (80–90%)
20 years	120–140	140–160	160–180
30 years	114–133	133–152	152–171
40 years	108–126	126–144	144–162
50 years	102–119	119–136	136–153
60 years	96–112	112–128	128–144

To include your resting HR and use Karvonen — which tends to give slightly higher and more personalized ranges — use the calculator at the top of the page.

How to train with the chart

Spread your volume across the week: most of it in zones 1 and 2 (base, less wear), occasional sessions in zones 3 and 4 to build fitness, and zone 5 only for short, well-spaced efforts. A heart rate monitor makes it easier to follow the chart; without one, use the talk test — in zone 3 you can say short sentences, in zone 4 you can barely talk.

This content is informational and does not replace guidance from an exercise physiology professional. See the heart rate by age chart and the child heart rate chart.