Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Max heart rate and five training zones in beats per minute, using your resting pulse.
| Max heart rate | 187 bpm Tanaka: 208 - 0.7 x age |
|---|---|
| Max heart rate (220 - age) | 190 bpm older estimate, drifts high after 40 |
| Resting heart rate | 60 bpm the Karvonen zones below use this figure |
| Zone 1 - recovery | 124 to 136 bpm easy breathing, warm-up and cool-down |
| Zone 2 - aerobic base | 136 to 149 bpm conversational pace, most endurance volume |
| Zone 3 - tempo | 149 to 162 bpm comfortably hard, 20 to 60 minute efforts |
| Zone 4 - threshold | 162 to 174 bpm hard but repeatable, intervals of 3 to 8 minutes |
| Zone 5 - VO2 max | 174 to 187 bpm very hard, short repeats, not for daily training |
| Heart rate reserve | 127 bpm max minus resting, the Karvonen range |
Zones are reference ranges for the inputs above; the table prints the boundaries for your own numbers.
What heart rate zones are
Heart rate zones are ranges of beats per minute that correspond to how hard your body is working and which energy system is dominant. They give you a way to control intensity without a laboratory: a pace that feels easy should keep you in zone 2, and a session that leaves you unable to speak in sentences should be zone 4 or 5.
The boundaries are percentages of your maximum heart rate, or more usefully of your heart rate reserve - the gap between resting and maximum. Zones are most useful for endurance training, where the difference between a genuinely easy week and a moderately hard one is hard to judge from feel, and least useful for short strength work where heart rate lags behind effort.
| Zone | Intensity | Feels like | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - recovery | 50% to 60% | very easy, could sing | warm-up, cool-down, recovery days |
| 2 - aerobic base | 60% to 70% | conversation possible | most endurance volume |
| 3 - tempo | 70% to 80% | comfortably hard | 20 to 60 minute efforts |
| 4 - threshold | 80% to 90% | hard, few words | 3 to 8 minute intervals |
| 5 - VO2 max | 90% to 100% | very hard, no talking | short repeats, sparingly |
How maximum heart rate is estimated
This calculator uses the Tanaka formula, 208 minus 0.7 times age, and shows the older 220 minus age estimate beside it for comparison. Tanaka was derived from a large pooled dataset and holds up better across ages, particularly above 40, where 220 minus age drifts increasingly high.
Both are predictions from age alone, and individual maximums vary by 10 to 15 beats per minute either way. If you have ever seen a higher figure on a chest strap during an all-out effort, that measured number beats any formula: enter it directly if your device allows, or treat the calculator output as a band rather than an exact ceiling.
Karvonen versus percentage of maximum
The simplest method multiplies maximum heart rate by a percentage, so 70% of a 187 bpm maximum is 131 bpm. The Karvonen method instead works from heart rate reserve: target = resting + (maximum - resting) x intensity. With a resting pulse of 60, 70% of reserve gives 60 + 0.7 x 127, which is 149 bpm.
The two answers differ by nearly 20 beats, and Karvonen is usually the better one because it accounts for your fitness: a well-trained person with a resting pulse of 45 has a much larger reserve than an untrained person at 75, and the same percentage of maximum does not represent the same physiological effort for both. This page uses Karvonen.
Reading your zones
The output prints your estimated maximum, the older 220-minus-age figure, your resting pulse, then the five zones as beats-per-minute ranges, and finally your heart rate reserve. Every zone boundary is computed from your own numbers rather than read from a generic chart.
A worked example: a 30-year-old with a resting pulse of 60 has a Tanaka maximum of 187 and a reserve of 127. Zone 1 runs from 124 to 136 bpm, zone 2 from 136 to 149, zone 3 from 149 to 162, zone 4 from 162 to 174, and zone 5 from 174 to 187. Adjust the age and resting pulse above and every boundary moves.
How to use the zones in training
The most common mistake in endurance training is doing easy sessions too hard and hard sessions too easy. Zones give you a cheap guard against both. Aim to spend roughly 70% to 80% of weekly endurance time in zones 1 and 2, with the remainder split between zone 3 and short doses of zones 4 and 5.
For strength training the zones are less relevant, because heart rate rises late and falls quickly between sets. For interval work, use them as a check that you are genuinely reaching the intended intensity, not as a target to chase within a set.
| If your goal is | Spend most time in | Add |
|---|---|---|
| General health | zone 2 | one short zone 4 session a week |
| Fat loss | zones 1-2 | two zone 4 sessions, plus steps |
| 5k to 10k speed | zones 2-3 | weekly zone 4 to 5 intervals |
| Half marathon or longer | zone 2 | one tempo and one interval session |
Accuracy and caveats
Wrist-based heart rate is good at rest and mediocre during hard intervals, where movement and arm position cause errors of 5 to 15 bpm. A chest strap is considerably more accurate for training zones. Medication matters too: beta blockers lower both resting and maximum heart rate substantially, so percentage-based zones will not apply as printed.
Heat, dehydration, caffeine and fatigue all shift heart rate at a given effort. If you are noticeably above your usual zone for an easy pace, check the conditions before assuming you have lost fitness.
- Use a chest strap for intervals; wrist optical sensors lag and drift.
- Beta blockers and some other medications invalidate percentage-based zones.
- Heart rate drifts upward during long sessions at the same pace - this is normal.
- Use rate of perceived exertion alongside zones, not instead of them.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good resting heart rate?
For most adults 60 to 100 bpm at rest is normal, and trained endurance athletes often sit at 40 to 55. A resting pulse that rises noticeably over a few days can be an early sign of illness, dehydration or overtraining.
Is 220 minus age accurate?
It is the most quoted estimate and the least accurate, with a standard deviation of about 10 to 12 bpm and a tendency to overestimate maximum in older adults. Tanaka, 208 minus 0.7 x age, is a better default.
How do I find my true maximum heart rate?
With a supervised field test: a progressive warm-up followed by hard efforts of increasing intensity, typically on a hill or track, using a chest strap. It is uncomfortable and not appropriate for everyone, so many people simply use the highest number they have seen in a hard race or session.
Which zone burns the most fat?
The 'fat-burning zone' idea is misleading. Lower intensities use a higher proportion of fat for fuel, but higher intensities burn more total calories. For fat loss, total energy expenditure and diet matter more than which zone you train in.
Do zones work for cycling and rowing?
Yes, with different numbers. Maximum heart rate is similar, but the sustainable intensity differs by sport because the amount of muscle involved changes - most people can hold a higher heart rate running than cycling.
Should I train in zone 5 often?
No. Zone 5 work is effective but costly, and one or two short sessions a week is plenty for most people. Most training benefit comes from the large volume of easy work in zones 1 and 2.
Sources
- Tanaka H et al., Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited
- Karvonen MJ, The effects of training on heart rate
- WHO: Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Formulas and thresholds are taken from the sources above. They are a starting point for adults, not a diagnosis.
Last reviewed September 12, 2026. How we calculate · Editorial policy