Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Five training heart rate zones from your age or measured maximum, as a % of maximum or from heart rate reserve.
Your heart rate
Filled in with example values. Replace them with your own.
Classic formula: 220 − age.
Optional
Zones from heart rate reserve (the Karvonen method), which takes your fitness into account. Measure it in the morning before getting up.
Results update as you type.
Result
Maximum heart rate: 180 bpm (220 − age)
Maximum heart rate
180bpm
An estimate, not medical advice. Age formulas give an average; your real maximum can be well above or below it. Some medicines, such as beta blockers, change heart rate, and zones from a formula do not apply. If you have a heart condition, are new to hard exercise or have symptoms such as chest pain or dizziness, ask a doctor before training in the higher zones.
- Zone 1 · Very light 50–60%Easy, relaxed; warm-ups and recovery90–108bpm
- Zone 2 · Light 60–70%Comfortable, can hold a conversation108–126bpm
- Zone 3 · Moderate 70–80%Breathing harder, talking in short sentences126–144bpm
- Zone 4 · Hard 80–90%Hard breathing, only a few words at a time144–162bpm
- Zone 5 · Maximum 90–100%All-out effort, only for short bursts162–180bpm
- 220 − age
- 180 bpm
- Tanaka208 − 0.7 × age
- 180 bpm
How it’s calculated
Maximum
220 − 40 = 180 bpm
Zone 3 starts at
70% × 180 = 126 bpm
Each boundary is rounded to the nearest beat, so neighbouring zones meet at the same number.
Important
This calculator gives a general estimate from a published formula. It is not a diagnosis and not medical advice, and it cannot take your health, medicines or history into account. Maximum heart rate from age is a rough average, and medicines such as beta blockers change heart rate.For advice about your weight, diet or health, talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian. See theDisclaimer.
How the heart rate zone calculator works
First the calculator finds your maximum heart rate: estimated from your age, or the value you measured. It then splits the range into five training zones, from very light to maximum effort.
By default each zone is a percentage of your maximum. If you enter a resting heart rate, the zones are worked out from your heart rate reserve instead (the Karvonen method).
The formulas
Max = 220 − age
Max (Tanaka, 2001) = 208 − 0.7 × age
Zone HR = Max × %
Zone HR (Karvonen) = Resting + % × (Max − Resting)
The five zones
- Zone 1, very light: 50–60%
- Zone 2, light: 60–70%
- Zone 3, moderate: 70–80%
- Zone 4, hard: 80–90%
- Zone 5, maximum: 90–100%
Worked example
Age 40: maximum heart rate 220 − 40 = 180 bpm (Tanaka gives 208 − 28 = 180 too).
- As a % of maximum, zone 3 is 70–80% of 180 = 126–144 bpm.
- With a resting heart rate of 60, the reserve is 120, and zone 3 is 60 + 70% × 120 to 60 + 80% × 120 = 144–156 bpm.
Limitations
- Age formulas describe averages; an individual’s maximum can be well above or below.
- Heat, tiredness, illness, caffeine and medicines all change heart rate on the day.
Frequently asked questions
Which maximum heart rate formula should I use?
Both are averages for people of the same age. 220 − age is the best known; the Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age) was published in 2001 from a large set of studies and gives higher values for older people. If you know your measured maximum from a supervised test, use that instead.
What is the Karvonen method?
It sets zones from your heart rate reserve, the difference between your maximum and resting heart rate, and then adds the resting rate back. Because a lower resting heart rate often comes with fitness, zones from it differ between people of the same age.
How do I measure my resting heart rate?
Count your pulse for a full minute in the morning, after waking and before getting up, on a few days, and use the average.
Do the zone names mean the same everywhere?
No. Sports watches and training plans use different numbers of zones, names and percentages. This calculator uses five zones of 10% each from 50% to 100%.
Is it safe to train in zone 5?
Zone 5 is all-out effort. If you are new to hard exercise, have a heart condition, take medicine that affects heart rate, or notice chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness, talk to a doctor first.