How to use the Karvonen Formula (Target Heart Rate Calculation) for NSCA CSCS Exam

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Karvonen Formula:

The Karvonen Formula helps determine a target heart rate based on the athlete’s resting heart rate and heart rate reserve.

This is commonly used by exercise physiologists, strength coaches, and exercise science professionals.

This is an important concept for the NSCA CSCS Exam and often included on CSCS Study Guides and NSCA CSCS Practice Tests.

Here's the NSCA CSCS Practice Test that I recommend:

CSCS Study Guide:

Comment below if you have any questions!

00:00- start
00:30 - Strict percentage Target Heart Rate Calculation
00:38 - Karvonen Formula Overview
00:55 - Resting Heart Rate
01:06 - Heart Rate Reserve01:36 - Karvonen Formula Equation
01:46 - Karvonen Formula Calculation
02:10 - Comparison Karvonen to Strict Percentage
02:25- Target Heart Rate
02:56 - Heart Rate Zones
03:30 - NSCA CSCS Prep Study Group

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[anaisgilles]

Almost graduating exercise science. Sure wish I had your channel in the first years! Very clear explanations keep it up!🙌🏾👏🏾

[graehartmann]

Thank you so much for your content! So concise, and easy to follow. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel :)

[aeiou]

This makes sense. Thanks. I'm a 67 year old athlete with a resting HR in the 50s, and the traditional formula doesn't work well for me. This explains why.

[lifewelldunn]

Good stuff, as always, Matt! Would you be willing to go more in depth with the Cunningham equation (with an example) to get RMR and use it with an athlete that needs to lose x amount of pounds?

Thanks again! Your content is awesome!

[MichaelBravine]

There’s a large gap in my numbers. I’m 48yrs old, been running for years without much knowledge - recently used the Garmin LT test and got 185 MHR- so now my Zone 2 using MHR at 60-70% is 110-129, for HRR at 60-70% is 127-141, LT at 80-89% is 133-148. Why is LT at 80-89%?? And what should I use??? I’ve been running for years but just ran my first marathon at 4:05 in Knoxville. Should I run the lowest and increa There’s a large gap in my numbers. I’m 48yrs old, been running for years without much knowledge - recently used the Garmin LT test and got 185 MHR- so now my Zone 2 using MHR at 60-70% is 110-129, for HRR at 60-70% is 127-141, LT at 80-89% is 133-148. Why is LT at 80-89%?? And what should I use??? I’ve been running for years but just ran my first marathon at 4:05 in Knoxville. Should I run the lowest and increase weekly volume or will I be running too slow for my fitness level?

[小笼包-mo]

Hello Matt, Could I ask you a question please
Where do you get the intensity percentage?

if it's the HRR intensity markers then we have 40-59% 60- 89% and 90% and above, can we calculate let's say the for the lower end of vigorous intensity ( based on 60% ) and for the higher end ( based on 89%)?

it's all clear, I"m just a little bit confused about the intensity 😅

[Becoolyolanda]

Seems that the karvonen method is more accurate to utilise zone training. Calculate your zones.

[giovanbattistafichera]

I'm a bit confused: if I use Karvonen, my Z2 is between 146-157, if I use max HR, it's 131-141. Needless to say, the first one wouldn't feel "easy" at all, so which should I use to actually do an 80/20 distribution? I feel like Karvonen would put me in a "yellow" zone, neither easy, nor hard.

[briansheeran]

During the recovery phases of interval training, my HR sometimes explodes.

I'm still recovering, my breathing is still getting easier, but my HR suddenly increases higher than it did in the work phase.

It doesn't happen all the time, doesn't hurt and, usually, it comes back down to where it should be quite quickly.

Have you seen this before?

[CoachZATH]

On the CSCS exam will we be given the Target heart rate and resting heart rate or will we need to find that?

[henryg]

Is the Karvonen formula and Mean arterial pressure part of practical applied?

Cual seria la zona ideal para quemar grasa, según esta formula. Gracias

[BillyG]

Where do you come up with “Max Heart Rate”

[abdulmuhaimin]

may i know what 220 is really means? with references if possible

[selamatgunawan]

My calculation Karnoven Formula = MAF formula + 11

[BobBob-uvfq]

I’m showing age group 40 to 45 I’m 55. But who’s in the age group

[rw]

DO NOT USE THIS.
THE MAX HEART RATE IS 220, NOT 200!
You will fail any part of the exam that uses this erroneous information.

Please remove and redo this video!