Disclaimer: The information on this page is for your information only and is based on generally accepted information provided by the Centers For Disease Control and the American Heart Association. If you feel you are experiencing any problems that are impacting your health, do not use this information to diagnose your symptoms, or take them as recommendations but you should reach out to your physician or a qualified healthcare provider for advice.
Your resting heart rate is the heart pumping the lowest amount of blood you need when not exercising of moving actively. If you’re sitting or lying and you’re calm, relaxed and aren’t ill, your heart rate is normally between 60 (beats per minute) and 100 (beats per minute). Generally, a lower heart rate at rest implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. For example, a well-trained athlete might have a normal resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute.
There are many things that could impact your resting heart rate and a low heart rate is called bradycardia and an elevated heart rate is called tachycardia. If you feel you feel your heart rate is abnormally low or high, you may want to reach out to your physician for advice. There are several ways to take your resting heart rate. You can use an oximeter, a fitness device or manually.
Your Maximum Heart Rate is generally determined by your age (220 minus your age). This is not a random number based on your fitness as you get older, but is based on the heart’s ability to contract due to its aging muscle fibers (among other things). I used to think that if I tried hard enough, I could achieve the same Maximum Heart Rate as I did when I was 20. This is not possible! Unfortunately, as we age our hearts do have maximum upper limits.
What do we use the Maximum Heart Rate for? Using your age, you can determine your Maximum Heart Rate and then your Target Heart Rate based on your conditioning goals. Target heart rate during moderate intensity activities is about 50-70% of maximum heart rate, while during vigorous physical activity it’s about 70-85% of maximum. As an example, if you are walking for fitness (as compared to a leisurely walk), you should try to get your heart rate up to the 50-70% range. But if you are jogging or running, you should target 70-85% of your Maximum Heart Rate
This table shows both the maximum and target heart rate zones for different ages. In the age category closest to yours, read across to find your target heart rates. The figures are averages, so use them as a general guide.
