The fastest and hardest your heart can beat during activity is called your maximum heart rate (MHR). A common way to estimate it is by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you are 30 years old, your estimated maximum heart rate would be 190 beats per minute (bpm). This maximum heart rate represents the highest rate your heart can safely reach while doing intense physical activity without going into irregular rhythms. During exercise, your target heart rate zone, where you gain cardiovascular benefits, typically ranges between 50% and 85% of your maximum heart rate. For very intense training such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), the heart rate can reach about 85% to 95% of your maximum. So, in summary:

• Maximum heart rate ≈ 220 minus your age (bpm)
• Target heart rate for moderate to vigorous exercise: 50% to 85% of maximum heart rate
• For very intense efforts: up to 95% of maximum heart rate

The exact maximum heart rate varies by person and age, with younger people having higher potential maximums. Here is an example for different ages:

Age| Approximate Max Heart Rate (bpm)
---|---
20| 200
30| 190
40| 180
50| 170
60| 160

Your heart can beat as fast as this maximum during peak intensity activity, but exercising safely usually means staying in the target zones below that maximum.