Aerobic fitness: Target heart rate zone

The target heart rate zone is a heart rate range that gives your heart and lungs a good workout. This zone ranges from 50% to 85% of the maximum heart rate (MHR) for your age. Aim for 50% to 70% of MHR when you do moderately intense activities and 70% to 85% of MHR when you do vigorous activities.

You can use the target heart rate zone as a guide to see how hard you're exercising. It's okay if you don't reach your target zone. Any activity is good for your health. If you're on the lower end of your target heart rate zone, you can try to increase your effort little by little to get more from your workout.

If you exercise regularly, you can stop briefly to check your heart rate at times during an aerobic workout. If you don't exercise regularly, you can do a simple test by checking your heart rate after a brisk 10-minute walk.