Which formula estimates Target Heart Rate (THR) for aerobic exercise?

Which formula estimates Target Heart Rate (THR) for aerobic exercise?

• A. 220 minus age
• B. 220 plus age
• C. 200 minus age
• D. 210 minus age

Answer: (A)

Estimating how fast the heart can beat at its peak and using a percentage of that number to guide aerobic effort is how THR is typically set. The most common quick estimate for maximum heart rate is 220 minus age, so subtracting your age from 220 gives that baseline. Target heart rate is then a portion of that maximum, depending on how hard you want to exercise. The other options would misstate how heart rate changes with age (they either add age or use a different constant), so they’re not standard for estimating THR. For example, a 30-year-old would have an estimated max around 190 bpm, and a moderate-intensity THR would fall roughly in the range of 95–133 bpm.

Estimating how fast the heart can beat at its peak and using a percentage of that number to guide aerobic effort is how THR is typically set. The most common quick estimate for maximum heart rate is 220 minus age, so subtracting your age from 220 gives that baseline. Target heart rate is then a portion of that maximum, depending on how hard you want to exercise. The other options would misstate how heart rate changes with age (they either add age or use a different constant), so they’re not standard for estimating THR. For example, a 30-year-old would have an estimated max around 190 bpm, and a moderate-intensity THR would fall roughly in the range of 95–133 bpm.