Table 3.

Four Examples Calculating Target Heart Rate for ACSM Moderate Intensity for a Theoretical 30 Year Old Woman using the Fox and Tanaka Formulas with and without Accounting for Resting Heart Rate.

	Moderate intensity ACSM Age 30 not accounting for resting heart rate	Moderate intensity ACSM Age 30 accounting for resting heart rate 70 bpm
Fox formula
Target heart rate with potential error of 12 bpm	122 (110 to 134) to 144 (132 to 156) bpm	118 (106 to 130) to 141 (129 to 153) bpm
Calculation using % heart rate maximal	Maximal heart rate of 190 bpm using the Fox formula (220-30) Target heart rate range from 122 (64%*190) to 144 (76%*190) bpm	Maximal heart rate of 190 bpm using the Fox formula (220-30) Heart rate reserve of 120 bpm (190-70) Target heart rate range from 118 (40%*120 + 70) to 141 (59%*120 + 70) bpm
Tanaka formula
Target heart rate with potential error of 11 bpm	120 (109 to 131) to 142 (131 to 153) bpm	117 (106 to 128) to 140 (129 to 151) bpm
Calculation using % heart rate maximal	Maximal heart rate of 187 bpm using the Tanaka formula ([208 – .7*30]) Target heart rate in moderate intensity would range from 120 (64%*187) to 142 (76%*187) bpm	Maximal heart rate of 187 bpm using the Tanaka formula (208 – [.7*30]) Heart rate reserve of 117 bpm (187-70) Target heart rate range from 117 (40%*118 + 70) to 140 (59%*118 + 70) bpm

Abbreviations: ACSM, American College of Sports Medicine; bpm, beats per minute.

Note. Using the Karvonen method, heart rate reserve is calculated as maximal heart rate minus resting heart rate. Then heart rate reserve is multiplied by intensity values before resting heart rate is added back into the equation.

Target heart rate = ([heart rate maximum – heart rate rest] × [% heart rate maximum]) + heart rate rest.