Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Find your five training heart-rate zones from your age, with an optional resting rate for a personalized result.
Learn how it works: How to Calculate Your Target Heart RateTo find your resting heart rate, count your pulse for a full minute right after waking, before you get up.
Enter your age to see your training heart-rate zones.
How to use the heart rate zone calculator
Age alone gives you a full set of zones. Adding your resting heart rate sharpens them to your own fitness using the Karvonen method.
- Enter your age in years.
- Add your resting heart rate if you know it, or leave it blank for a standard estimate.
- Read your estimated maximum heart rate at the top.
- Use the table to see the beats-per-minute range for each of the five zones and what each one trains.
What the five heart rate zones mean
Coaches split effort into five zones, each a band of your maximum heart rate. Lower zones build the aerobic base that everything else rests on. Higher zones sharpen speed and power but tire you quickly, so you spend less time there.
- Zone 1, very light: warm-ups, cool-downs, and easy recovery.
- Zone 2, light: long, comfortable efforts that build endurance.
- Zone 3, moderate: steady work that lifts aerobic fitness.
- Zone 4, hard: faster efforts near your lactate threshold.
- Zone 5, maximum: short, all-out bursts you can hold only briefly.
Maximum heart rate and the 220 formula
The classic estimate for maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. A 40-year-old lands at 180 beats per minute. It is quick and widely used, which is why this calculator starts there.
The catch is that it is an average drawn from large groups, and individuals scatter widely around it. Two people the same age can sit ten or more beats apart. A lab test or a maximal effort under supervision gives a truer number if you train seriously and want precise zones.
The Karvonen method
When you add a resting heart rate, the calculator switches to the Karvonen method. Instead of taking a flat percentage of your maximum, it works from your heart-rate reserve, the gap between your resting and maximum rates.
Target = resting + intensity × (maximum − resting)
Because a fit person tends to have a lower resting heart rate, this approach tailors the zones to them rather than to an average. It is the method many endurance coaches prefer for setting training intensities.
Frequently asked questions
- How is maximum heart rate calculated?
- This tool uses the common estimate of 220 minus your age. It is an average across many people, so your real maximum may be higher or lower. A supervised maximal test gives a more exact figure.
- What is the difference between the percentage and Karvonen methods?
- The percentage method takes a flat share of your maximum heart rate. Karvonen works from your heart-rate reserve, the span between resting and maximum, so it adjusts to your fitness. Adding a resting rate here switches the tool to Karvonen.
- Which heart rate zone should I train in?
- It depends on your goal. Most endurance training sits in zones 2 and 3 to build a strong aerobic base, with shorter sessions in zones 4 and 5 for speed. A balanced plan spends most time easy and only a little time hard.
- How do I measure my resting heart rate?
- Count your pulse for a full minute right after you wake, before getting out of bed. A wrist or chest monitor works too. Take it on a few mornings and use the average for a steadier number.
- Are these heart rate zones safe for everyone?
- The zones are a training guide, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, take medication that affects your pulse, or are new to hard exercise, check with your doctor before training at high intensity.