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Heart Rate Zone Calculator

Training Zones 1 to 5, Max HR and Karvonen

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How the Heart Rate Zone Calculator works

This heart rate zone calculator estimates your maximum heart rate from your age, or takes one you have measured, and splits it into five training zones in beats per minute. Add your resting heart rate and it switches to the Karvonen method, which fits fitter people better.

How the heart rate zone calculator works

The usual formula for maximum heart rate is 220 − age. Tanaka's 2001 study of over 18,000 people gave 208 − 0.7 × age, which is closer for adults over 40. Each zone is then a band of 10% of maximum, from Zone 1 at 50–60% to Zone 5 at 90–100%.

First example. At 40, 220 − 40 = 180 bpm. Zone 2 is 60–70%: 108 to 126 bpm.

Second example. The same 40 year old with a resting rate of 60 bpm has a heart-rate reserve of 120. Karvonen puts Zone 2 at 60 + 0.6 × 120 to 60 + 0.7 × 120, so 132 to 144 bpm.

How many beats per minute is Zone 2? About 60–70% of maximum, which for most adults lands between 105 and 140 bpm. It is easy, conversational effort that builds endurance.

Age formulas are averages with a spread of 10 bpm or more either way. A measured maximum from a hard hill or field test, entered above, gives zones that fit you instead of the average.

Maximum heart rate and training zones by age (220 − age, percentage of maximum)

Age Max (220 − age) Max (Tanaka) Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5
20 200 bpm 194 bpm 120–140 bpm 140–160 bpm 160–180 bpm 180–200 bpm
22 198 bpm 193 bpm 119–139 bpm 139–158 bpm 158–178 bpm 178–198 bpm
24 196 bpm 191 bpm 118–137 bpm 137–157 bpm 157–176 bpm 176–196 bpm
26 194 bpm 190 bpm 116–136 bpm 136–155 bpm 155–175 bpm 175–194 bpm
28 192 bpm 188 bpm 115–134 bpm 134–154 bpm 154–173 bpm 173–192 bpm
30 190 bpm 187 bpm 114–133 bpm 133–152 bpm 152–171 bpm 171–190 bpm
32 188 bpm 186 bpm 113–132 bpm 132–150 bpm 150–169 bpm 169–188 bpm
34 186 bpm 184 bpm 112–130 bpm 130–149 bpm 149–167 bpm 167–186 bpm
36 184 bpm 183 bpm 110–129 bpm 129–147 bpm 147–166 bpm 166–184 bpm
38 182 bpm 181 bpm 109–127 bpm 127–146 bpm 146–164 bpm 164–182 bpm
40 180 bpm 180 bpm 108–126 bpm 126–144 bpm 144–162 bpm 162–180 bpm
42 178 bpm 179 bpm 107–125 bpm 125–142 bpm 142–160 bpm 160–178 bpm
44 176 bpm 177 bpm 106–123 bpm 123–141 bpm 141–158 bpm 158–176 bpm
46 174 bpm 176 bpm 104–122 bpm 122–139 bpm 139–157 bpm 157–174 bpm
48 172 bpm 174 bpm 103–120 bpm 120–138 bpm 138–155 bpm 155–172 bpm
50 170 bpm 173 bpm 102–119 bpm 119–136 bpm 136–153 bpm 153–170 bpm
52 168 bpm 172 bpm 101–118 bpm 118–134 bpm 134–151 bpm 151–168 bpm
54 166 bpm 170 bpm 100–116 bpm 116–133 bpm 133–149 bpm 149–166 bpm
56 164 bpm 169 bpm 98–115 bpm 115–131 bpm 131–148 bpm 148–164 bpm
58 162 bpm 167 bpm 97–113 bpm 113–130 bpm 130–146 bpm 146–162 bpm
60 160 bpm 166 bpm 96–112 bpm 112–128 bpm 128–144 bpm 144–160 bpm
62 158 bpm 165 bpm 95–111 bpm 111–126 bpm 126–142 bpm 142–158 bpm
64 156 bpm 163 bpm 94–109 bpm 109–125 bpm 125–140 bpm 140–156 bpm
66 154 bpm 162 bpm 92–108 bpm 108–123 bpm 123–139 bpm 139–154 bpm
68 152 bpm 160 bpm 91–106 bpm 106–122 bpm 122–137 bpm 137–152 bpm
70 150 bpm 159 bpm 90–105 bpm 105–120 bpm 120–135 bpm 135–150 bpm

FAQ

What is my maximum heart rate?

220 minus your age is the common estimate, so 180 bpm at 40. Tanaka's formula, 208 − 0.7 × age, gives 180 at 40 too but runs higher for older people. Only a supervised maximal test gives your actual figure.

What is Zone 2 training?

Steady, easy exercise at 60–70% of maximum heart rate, where you can still hold a conversation. It builds aerobic fitness and fat use, and endurance athletes do most of their training in it.

What is the Karvonen formula?

Target = resting HR + intensity × (max HR − resting HR). It works from your heart-rate reserve rather than the maximum alone, so a fit person with a low resting rate gets higher, more realistic zones.

How do I measure resting heart rate?

Count your pulse for 60 seconds just after waking, before getting up, on three mornings, and take the average. Most adults sit between 60 and 100 bpm; trained endurance athletes can be under 50.

Is it dangerous to exercise in Zone 5?

For healthy people short efforts at 90–100% are normal in interval training. Anyone with a heart condition, on heart-rate medication such as beta blockers, or new to exercise should check with a doctor before training near maximum.

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