Heart Rate Zone Calculator - Training HR Zones

Your Information

Age

years

Resting Heart Rate (optional)

bpm

Formula

Your Heart Rate Zones

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Maximum Heart Rate (bpm)

What is Max Heart Rate?

Maximum heart rate (MHR) is the highest number of beats per minute your heart can achieve during maximum physical exertion. It’s used as a baseline to calculate training zones.

The most common formula is 220 minus your age, but the Tanaka formula (208 – 0.7 × age) is considered more accurate for adults based on research.

Understanding the 5 Zones

Zone 1 (50-60%): Recovery zone. Very light effort. Good for warm-up, cool-down, and active recovery days.
Zone 2 (60-70%): Fat-burning zone. Light effort. Builds aerobic base and endurance. You can hold a conversation easily.
Zone 3 (70-80%): Aerobic zone. Moderate effort. Improves cardiovascular fitness. Breathing becomes harder.
Zone 4 (80-90%): Threshold zone. Hard effort. Increases speed and lactate threshold. Sustainable for 20-60 minutes.
Zone 5 (90-100%): Maximum zone. All-out effort. Improves sprint power. Only sustainable for short bursts.

Training Tips by Goal

Weight loss: Spend most time in Zone 2-3. Higher zones burn more calories per minute but are harder to sustain.
Endurance: 80% of training should be in Zone 2 (easy pace). This builds aerobic base without overtraining.
Speed/Performance: Include Zone 4-5 intervals 1-2x per week. Always follow with recovery days.
General fitness: Mix zones throughout the week. Variety prevents plateaus and keeps workouts interesting.

Important Considerations

Individual variation: These formulas provide estimates. Your actual max HR may be higher or lower by 10-15 bpm.
Medications: Beta blockers and some medications affect heart rate. Consult your doctor if taking any.
Fitness level: Well-trained athletes often have lower resting HR and may have different zone responses.
Listen to your body: Heart rate is just one metric. Pay attention to perceived exertion and how you feel.