Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Find your maximum heart rate and your five training zones in beats per minute, using your age or, for more personal zones, your resting heart rate.
These are estimates for healthy adults. Some medicines, such as beta blockers, change your heart rate. If you have a heart condition or are new to exercise, ask your doctor before training hard.
How your zones are calculated
First the calculator estimates your maximum heart rate, the fastest your heart can beat during all-out effort. It uses the Tanaka formula, 208 − 0.7 × age, which research has found more accurate than the classic 220 − age, especially for people over 40. You can switch formulas, or enter your real maximum if you have measured it in a fitness test.
Without a resting heart rate, each zone is a percentage of your maximum. If you add your resting heart rate, the calculator uses the Karvonen method: zones are a percentage of your heart rate reserve (maximum minus resting) added to your resting rate. This gives more personal zones, because a fitter person with a low resting heart rate gets higher training targets.
The five heart rate zones
- Zone 1 (50–60%): very light. Warming up, cooling down and recovery days.
- Zone 2 (60–70%): light. Builds endurance and trains your body to burn fat. Most of your weekly training should be here.
- Zone 3 (70–80%): moderate. Improves aerobic fitness and efficiency.
- Zone 4 (80–90%): hard. Raises the pace you can hold for longer races.
- Zone 5 (90–100%): maximum. Short sprints and intervals only.
How to measure your resting heart rate
Check your pulse first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed. Count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply by two, or use a fitness watch. Take the average of three mornings. A normal resting rate for adults is 60 to 100 bpm; regular exercisers are often lower.
Heart rate formulas are estimates, and real maximum heart rates can differ by 10 to 15 beats. If your zones feel too easy or too hard, trust how you feel. Speak to a doctor before hard exercise if you have a heart condition or take medicine that affects your heart rate.
Heart Rate Zone FAQs
Answers about maximum heart rate and training zones.
What is my maximum heart rate?+
A common estimate is 208 minus 0.7 times your age. For a 40-year-old that is about 180 bpm. A supervised exercise test gives the most accurate number.
Which zone burns the most fat?+
Zone 2 uses the highest share of fat for fuel, but harder zones burn more calories in total. A mix of easy Zone 2 sessions and some harder work is best for most people.
What is the Karvonen method?+
It works out zones from your heart rate reserve, which is your maximum minus your resting heart rate, then adds your resting rate back. It gives more personal targets than a simple percentage of maximum.
Why do 220 − age and 208 − 0.7 × age give different answers?+
They are two different research formulas. The newer Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age) fits data from older adults better; the two agree at age 40.
Is it dangerous to train in Zone 5?+
For healthy, fit adults, short Zone 5 intervals are safe. If you have a heart condition, are new to exercise or take heart medicine, check with your doctor first.
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