UKC

My resting heart rate is 50. When I google for a training rate it says 133. 165% over my resting rate. Maximum is 154.

If I put in 90 (my overweight friend) it says 140. 55% over. Maximum also 154.

Why are the numbers so insensitive to your actual heart rate?

In reply to MikeTS: What is it you are hoping to achieve?

Your resting heart rate will drop as you become fitter, but you don't wan't to be dropping your training heart rate as you improve. For this reason I'd use the maximum heart rate and work back from that. Depending what you want to achieve will depend on the % of HRM you will be aiming for.

Try googling training zone max heart rate % and have a read.

In reply to MikeTS: I'd ignore it all. Heart rates are so variable, maximums especially..

220-age thing is a very very rough guide.

In reply to Martin1978:
Depending what you want to achieve will depend on the % of HRM you will be aiming for.

Primarily lose weight. Secondarily increase endurance and life-span.

In reply to MikeTS:

What I think I'm looking for is the evidence and argument behind these calculations. Is there any?

In reply to MikeTS:

I don't train by heart rate anymore, but when I did I realized fairly quickly that I actually needed to do a proper test, as none of the formulas seemed to work for me. At the time I had a coach who asked me do a Cooper test with a heart rate monitor and from that he calculated my zones.
However, after a few weeks I figured out that the four zones corresponded precisely to my "very easy", "cruising speed", "making an effort" and "race speed" classification and that I could dial in without the monitor.

In reply to MikeTS: You want to be aiming between 65-75% of your HRM as a ballpark figure.

Disclaimer: It also epends on other factors such as current weight and health conditions etc. but presuming that you are reasonably healthy and just carrying a few extra lbs, then that's a good target zone to aim for for both weigh loss and endurance as a start.

In reply to StefanB: I agree, over time you get to know what it feels like at various HR's. I don't take mine out that often anymore.

It is all a guide and will vary, but it's a starting point and suits most people in the early days of their training/weight loss.