Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Use this heart rate zone calculator to turn your age, or a maximum heart rate you have actually measured, into five training zones in beats per minute (bpm). Choose the Tanaka formula, which is the default, or the classic 220 − age. Add your resting heart rate if you know it and the calculator switches to the Karvonen method, which personalizes every zone. The zones are planning estimates for workouts, not medical targets.
Updated
Results
- Method
- Heart rate reserve (bpm)Shown when you enter a resting heart rate
- Zone 2 from (bpm)60%
- Zone 2 to (bpm)70%
- Zone 4 from (bpm)80%
- Zone 4 to (bpm)90%
| Zone | From (%) | To (%) | From (bpm) | To (bpm) |
|---|
Results are estimates. See the methodology below.
How to use the heart rate zone calculator
- Enter your age in years.
- Choose how to estimate your maximum heart rate: Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age), Fox (220 − age) or Measured, if you know your real maximum from a supervised exercise test. Age is still required but is not used with a measured maximum.
- Optional: enter your resting heart rate, taken while sitting still, not right after coffee, stress or moving around. It must be more than 20 bpm below your maximum.
- Read your maximum heart rate, the method used, your heart rate reserve (shown only when you enter a resting rate) and the zone 2 and 4 ranges; the table lists all five zones.
How the zones are calculated
Maximum heart rate
- Tanaka: 208 − 0.7 × age. Tanaka, Monahan and Seals (2001) derived it from a meta-analysis of 351 studies with 18,712 subjects and checked it in a lab study of 514 healthy adults. The regression line did not differ between men and women and was not influenced by habitual activity level.
- Fox: 220 − age. Tanaka's team found it overestimates maximum heart rate in young adults and underestimates it in older adults; the two formulas cross at age 40.
- Measured: your own value, used as entered.
Zones
Without a resting heart rate, each zone limit is a percentage of your maximum: HR = max × %. With a resting heart rate, the calculator uses the Karvonen method: heart rate reserve = max − resting, and HR = resting + % × reserve. Results are rounded to whole bpm.
| Zone | Range | Typical feel and use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50–60 % | Very light: warm-up, cool-down, recovery |
| 2 | 60–70 % | Light: long, easy endurance work |
| 3 | 70–80 % | Moderate: steady aerobic training |
| 4 | 80–90 % | Hard: tempo and threshold efforts |
| 5 | 90–100 % | Maximal: short intervals only |
Zone names and limits vary between coaches, sports bodies and watch brands, so treat the labels as a general guide.
Heart rate zone examples
Age 40, Tanaka formula
Maximum heart rate is 180 bpm. Zone 2 runs from 108 to 126 bpm and zone 4 from 144 to 162 bpm. The Fox formula gives the same 180 bpm, because 40 is where the two formulas meet.
Age 60, Tanaka vs Fox
Tanaka gives 166 bpm, Fox 160 bpm. Zone 2 is 100–116 bpm with Tanaka and 96–112 bpm with Fox.
Age 45, resting heart rate 62 bpm (Karvonen)
Maximum heart rate is 177 bpm and heart rate reserve 115 bpm. The five zones are 119–131, 131–142, 142–154, 154–165 and 165–177 bpm. Without the resting rate, zone 2 would be 106–124 bpm. Karvonen lifts the easy zones the most, because every zone starts from your resting rate instead of from zero.
Using your zones safely
Every formula describes an average person of your age; your own maximum can be higher or lower. For general fitness, the American Heart Association puts moderate-intensity activity at about 50–70% of maximum heart rate and vigorous activity at about 70–85%. Those figures are percentages of maximum, not of heart rate reserve.
- Heart conditions and medication: the AHA notes that some medications lower your maximum heart rate and target zone. Beta blockers slow the heartbeat, and your healthcare professional may use a brief exercise stress test to set a new target. If you have a heart condition or take such medication, do not use these zones; ask your doctor what your heart rate should be.
- Before intense training: if you are new to exercise or have any health concerns, talk to your doctor before zone 4 and 5 workouts. Stop and get medical help if you feel chest pain, unusual breathlessness or dizziness.
- Effort check: at moderate intensity you should still be able to talk.
Frequently asked questions
What is zone 2 heart rate?
Zone 2 is 60–70% of maximum heart rate here. For a 35-year-old using the Tanaka formula (maximum 184 bpm), that is 110–128 bpm; with a resting rate of 60 bpm, Karvonen puts it at 134–146 bpm.
Which maximum heart rate formula is most accurate?
Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) comes from a much larger data set than 220 − age and corrects its bias at younger and older ages. Both are averages, though. A maximum measured in a supervised exercise test is the most reliable number.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
According to the American Heart Association, a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 bpm is normal for most adults. If yours is often outside that range, mention it to your doctor.
Should I use Karvonen or percentage of maximum?
Karvonen accounts for your resting heart rate, so two people of the same age with different fitness get different zones. Percentage of maximum is simpler and is what most public health guidance uses. Pick one and stay consistent.
Do beta blockers change my heart rate zones?
Yes. They slow your heart rate, so age-based zones can be far too high. Ask your healthcare professional for a personal target and use perceived effort in the meantime.
Sources
This calculator gives general estimates for healthy adults and is not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, take heart rate medication or have symptoms during exercise, talk to your doctor before training.