Enter your age and resting heart rate (maximum heart rate is optional), then click Calculate. If you prefer you can calculate these values yourself (click here).
For your resting heart rate, count your pulse for 60 seconds as soon as you wake up in the morning – before you do anything. The algorithm used to determine your MHR is only a best guess and not a guarantee of your true MHR value. To determine your true MHR you should consider conducting a Stress Test. You can take your pulse by feeling for it at your neck (carotid artery) or wrist (radial artery).
Taking pulse from your neck: Place your index & middle fingers on the carotid artery, which is just below the angle of your jaw at the side of you neck. Do NOT feel for both carotid artery pulses at the same time, as this can cause severe slowing of the heart.
Taking pulse from your wrist: Place your index & middle fingers on the radial artery, which is located on the lateral side (side of your thumb) of your wrist.
* Training Zone 5 (90 – 100% of MHR)(VO2 Max). Training in this zone will only be possible for short periods of time. This zone is reserved for interval running and only the very fit are able to train effectively within this zone.
If you want to burn more calories during exercise, think about interval training. According to an Australian study involving a group of 45 overweight women studied over 15 weeks, the women who exercised using interval training lost 3x more weight and lost weight mainly from their legs and buttocks. Although it is unclear how interval training works, it is possibly the most effective way in getting the body to burn fat.
YOUR HEART RATE TRAINING ZONE
The target heart rate is a range that is a percentage of your maximum heart rate. This heart rate range indicates how fast your heart should beat during cardiovascular exercise. Knowing the heart rate range that you should be exercising in, helps you to ensure that you are exercising hard enough for weight loss.To burn as many calories from fat as possible try to perform longer duration exercises at a moderate to high intensity. Basically step the intensity up to as high a level you are able to sustain for 30 – 60 minutes; this is YOUR training zone. Generally, this tends to be 60% (moderate intensity) – 80% (hard) of your maximum heart rate. If you have not exercised for a while, it is a good idea to start with a moderate intensity and increase it, as you get stronger and increasingly more fit. If you are fit, interval training, can be a very effective method of exercising to maximize fat loss.
% of Maximum heart rate (MHR) | Intensity |
60 – 65% | Moderate |
65 – 70% | A little difficult |
70 – 75% | Moderately difficult |
75 – 80% | Hard |
BEGINNERS
Fitness level | % of Maximum heart rate (MHR) |
Beginner/ low | 50 – 60% |
Average | 60 – 70% |
High | 75 – 85% |
