Karvonen Heart Rate Calculator

The Karvonen method of calculating your exercise heart rate is considered the gold standard, benefiting athletes, or people who are looking for weight loss and fitness improvement.

As a person becomes more fit, their heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood to the rest of the body. When resting, the number of beats per minute slows down. The Karvonen calculation, devised by a Scandinavian physiologist, takes this into consideration by introducing a number called the heart rate reserveinto the equation — the difference between your maximal heart rate and your resting heart rate.

To find out what your more accurate target heart rate should be while exercising, you will need to determine your resting heart rate. The best time to check your resting rate is just before you get up in the morning after a good night’s sleep. Take the average of two or three mornings’ readings for greater accuracy.

Exercise Heart Rate Calculator

Step 1. Enter your age:

Step 2. Enter your resting heart rate:

Step 3. Click here...

Estimated maximum heart rate:

Target Heart Rate Zone Limits (Old Method)

50% =	75% =
55% =	80% =
60% =	85% =
65% =	90% =
70% =	95% =

Karvonen Formula
(Heart Rate Reserve Method - The Gold Standard)

50% =	75% =
55% =	80% =
60% =	85% =
65% =	90% =
70% =	95% =