Karvonen Heart Rate Calculator

Target Heart Rate Using Karvonen Method

Input Fields

Gender

MaleFemale

Age

a

years

Enter your age

Resting Heart Rate

r

bpm

Your resting heart rate

Intensity

p

%

Training intensity (e.g. 70%)

CalculateReset

Calculate automaticallyIf enabled, the result will update automatically when you change any value.

Your Results

Target Heart Ratek

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Karvonen Formula for Target Heart Rate

$$\text{MHR} = \begin{cases} 220 – a, & \text{if male} \\ 226 – a, & \text{if female} \end{cases} \\[10pt] h = \text{MHR} – r \\ s = h \cdot p \\ \text{Target Heart Rate} = s + r$$

Where:

• $$a$$ = age
• $$r$$ = resting heart rate
• $$MHR$$ = maximum heart rate
• $$p$$ = training intensity (as a decimal, e.g., 0.6 for 60%)
• $$h$$ = heart rate reserve (HRR)
• $$s$$ = % of HRR
• $$Target HR$$ = calculated training heart rate

The Karvonen method is widely used to calculate target heart rate zones for cardiovascular workouts. Unlike basic formulas that only use age, Karvonen considers your resting heart rate, providing a more accurate and individualized training range. This is particularly useful for athletes and individuals following structured exercise programs, especially those recovering from medical conditions or training at specific intensities.