From the Guidelines
Your target heart rate during running should be between 50-85% of your maximum heart rate, which can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220, as this range optimizes cardiovascular benefits while reducing injury risk. For moderate-intensity exercise, aim for 50-70% of your maximum heart rate, while vigorous exercise falls between 70-85% 1. For example, a 40-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of approximately 180 beats per minute (bpm), making their target range 90-153 bpm.
Key Considerations
- Beginners should start at the lower end of this range and gradually increase intensity as fitness improves.
- Certain medications like beta-blockers can lower your heart rate, so consult your doctor if you take these.
- To monitor your heart rate while running, use a heart rate monitor or check your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.
- Exercising below 50% provides minimal cardiovascular benefit, while consistently exceeding 85% can lead to overtraining and increased injury risk.
Estimating Maximum Heart Rate
The American Heart Association provides target heart rate ranges based on age, with the maximum heart rate estimated as 220 minus age in years 1. However, revised formulas for more precise determination of age-predicted maximal HR in healthy adults (208–0.7×age), in women (206–0.88×age), and in patients with CAD (164 –0.72×age) have been proposed 1.
Chronotropic Response to Exercise
An intact heart rate response is vital for matching cardiac output to metabolic demands during exertion, and an impaired chronotropic response is predictive of cardiac events and all-cause death 1. A proportional HR reserve of <80% has been used to define significant chronotropic incompetence, and individualized clinical evaluation is recommended 1.
From the Research
Heart Rate While Running
The ideal heart rate while running can vary depending on several factors, including the individual's fitness level, age, and health status.
- The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends exercising at an intensity that raises the heart rate to 50-85% of the maximum heart rate (MHR) 2.
- For individuals taking beta-blockers, the guidelines for exercise prescription are similar to those used for healthy individuals, with the monitoring of exercise intensity using heart rate and rate perceived exertion (RPE) 3.
- Studies have shown that beta-blocker therapy can affect aerobic hemodynamics and metabolism, and that exercise training can improve aerobic capacity (VO2max) in healthy and hypertensive individuals, although the magnitude of improvement may be attenuated 3, 4.
- When it comes to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), research suggests that both low- and high-volume HIIT can elicit similar improvements in chronotropic responses after myocardial infarction, independent of beta-blocker treatment 5.
Factors Affecting Heart Rate
Several factors can affect heart rate while running, including:
- Fitness level: Fitter individuals tend to have lower resting heart rates and higher maximum heart rates 6.
- Age: Maximum heart rate decreases with age 2.
- Health status: Certain medical conditions, such as hypertension or coronary heart disease, can affect heart rate and exercise tolerance 3, 2.
- Medications: Beta-blockers, in particular, can affect heart rate and exercise response 3, 4, 2, 5.
Monitoring Heart Rate
To monitor heart rate while running, individuals can use various methods, including:
- Heart rate monitors: These devices can provide real-time feedback on heart rate and can be useful for tracking progress and adjusting exercise intensity 3, 2.
- Rate perceived exertion (RPE): This method involves rating the level of exertion based on how hard it feels to exercise, and can be used in conjunction with heart rate monitoring 3.