General Exercise Tips

What is my target heart rate?

In order to improve heart health, a person must exercise hard enough to get the pulse faster than at rest. The rate depends on age and physical condition. Check your pulse or heart rate by holding your fingers over the heart beat in your wrist (on the thumb side) or over the pulse in your neck (beside your wind pipe). Count for one minute.

To benefit from exercise, a person must exercise hard enough to raise their heart rate between 65% and 85% of their maximum heart rate. This range is known as their target heart rate.

For example, if you are a man of 40:

220 – age 40 = 180 (maximum heart rate)

180 x .65 =117 (low end of Target Heart Rate)
180 x .85 = 153(high end of Target Heart Rate)

Your working target heart rate zoneis
117-153 beats per minute

Age	Heart rate during exercise
20	130 - 170 beats per minute
30	124 - 161 beats per minute
40	117 - 153 beats per minute
50	110 - 145 beats per minute
60	104 - 136 beats per minute
70	97 - 128 beats per minute

Be sure to ask you doctor if there are reasons not to exercise to your target heart rate.

Some medications are intended to slow down your heart beat so you may not be able to get to the target heart rate.