The Karvonen Formula helps athletes improve cardiovascular health by using heart rates to calculate target heart rate zones. It involves subtracting age from 220 or 226 to get maximum heart rate, subtracting resting heart rate from maximum heart rate to get heart rate reserve, and multiplying heart rate reserve by 60% and 80% to get the target heart rate zone. Developed by Finnish physician Dr. Martti Karvonen, the formula is not as accurate as a doctor’s test.
The Karvonen Formula is a series of simple equations designed to help athletes safely improve their cardiovascular health. The formula uses the athlete’s heart rates, at rest and while active, and plugs the differences between those numbers into two simple calculations. Karvonen’s formula is a rough guide and is not as accurate as a test by a doctor, who may consider other health factors before recommending an exercise program.
To use the Karvonen formula, subtract your age from the number 220. Some experts recommend that women subtract your age from 226 instead of 220. That sum is considered your maximum heart rate (MHR), the highest number of beats per minute you your heart can theoretically make it before you’re in danger. For example, if you are a 40-year-old man, you would have a maximum heart rate of 180.
To get your resting heart rate (RHR), take your pulse while you are relaxed. Place a finger against an artery in your wrist or neck and count the number of beats for 10 seconds. Multiply that number by six to determine the number of beats per minute. The sum should give you a general idea of your resting heart rate. For the sake of comparison, the average person’s resting heart rate is about 70 beats per minute.
Another number that is required is called the heart rate reserve (HRR). Subtract your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate to get your heart rate reserve. Heart rate reserve is multiplied by two different percentages, 60 percent and 80 percent, to get your target heart rate zone. This zone indicates the ideal number of beats per minute your heart can safely do while you exercise to help you improve your aerobic fitness.
For the sake of simplicity, the equations in the Karvonen formula are listed below:
(220 or 226) – age = maximum heart rate (MHR)
MHR – resting heart rate (RHR) = heart rate reserve (HRR)
HRR x .60 = lower limit of the target heart rate zone
HRR x .80 = upper limit of target heart rate zone
Karvonen’s formula was developed by Dr. Martti Karvonen, a Finnish physician and researcher long associated with the Helsinki Institute of Occupational Health. During his career, Karvonen researched the role nutrition plays in overall health, finding that people in countries with high-calorie diets generally function more efficiently than those in nations with lower caloric intakes. He also explored the links between heart attacks, culture and individual lifestyles, research that ultimately led to the formula that bears his name.
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