Using heart rate reserve, how is target heart rate calculated?

Using heart rate reserve, how is target heart rate calculated?

• A. THR = [(HRmax − HRrest) × intensity] + HRrest
• B. THR = (HRmax − HRrest) × intensity
• C. THR = HRmax × intensity
• D. THR = HRrest + 20

Answer: (A)

Using heart rate reserve means you tailor exercise intensity from your resting rate up to your maximum. The formula THR = [(HRmax − HRrest) × intensity] + HRrest captures that idea by first finding the range you can work within (HRmax minus HRrest), scaling that range by the desired intensity, and then adding back the resting heart rate to get the actual target in beats per minute. This makes the target personalized, so someone with a higher resting rate or a different max ends up with a realistic effort level. For example, if HRmax is 190 and HRrest is 60, with an intensity of 0.6: THR = [(190 − 60) × 0.6] + 60 = 138 bpm. Other forms miss key parts: one omits adding HRrest, giving a value that isn’t anchored to your actual baseline; another uses a simple percentage of HRmax, ignoring resting heart rate; and a fixed addition to rest doesn’t reflect maximum capacity or the chosen effort level.

Using heart rate reserve means you tailor exercise intensity from your resting rate up to your maximum. The formula THR = [(HRmax − HRrest) × intensity] + HRrest captures that idea by first finding the range you can work within (HRmax minus HRrest), scaling that range by the desired intensity, and then adding back the resting heart rate to get the actual target in beats per minute. This makes the target personalized, so someone with a higher resting rate or a different max ends up with a realistic effort level.

For example, if HRmax is 190 and HRrest is 60, with an intensity of 0.6: THR = [(190 − 60) × 0.6] + 60 = 138 bpm.

Other forms miss key parts: one omits adding HRrest, giving a value that isn’t anchored to your actual baseline; another uses a simple percentage of HRmax, ignoring resting heart rate; and a fixed addition to rest doesn’t reflect maximum capacity or the chosen effort level.