CALCULATOR 12
Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Your maximum heart rate and five training zones in beats per minute, for easier and harder sessions.
Max heart rate
Enter your age in years.
For general information only; not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before making health decisions.
How this is calculated
Maximum heart rate
Tanaka (default) 208 − 0.7 × age Fox 220 − age
Zones
% of max: max × % Karvonen: resting + % × (max − resting) (with a resting heart rate)
Five zones
1 Recovery 50–60% · 2 Endurance 60–70% · 3 Tempo 70–80% 4 Threshold 80–90% · 5 Maximum 90–100%
Age formulas are averages: real maximum heart rates vary by about 10 bpm either way. A measured max from a hard race or a supervised test replaces the estimate.
Some medicines, such as beta-blockers, lower your heart rate. If you take them, ask your doctor for target ranges.
Sources
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR (2001), Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol 37:153–156.
- Karvonen MJ, Kentala E, Mustala O (1957), The effects of training on heart rate: a longitudinal study. Ann Med Exp Biol Fenn 35:307–315.
- American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.
About the heart rate zone calculator
Why train by zones
Different intensities train different things. Easy zone 2 work builds your aerobic base and recovers well, so it can make up most of your weekly volume. Zones 4 and 5 raise your threshold and top speed but need recovery. Zones keep easy days easy and hard days hard—the most common mistake is running everything in the middle.
Read more about the Heart Rate Zones calculator
Tanaka vs 220 − age
220 − age is the best-known formula, but it underestimates max heart rate in older adults. Tanaka's 208 − 0.7 × age, from a review of 351 studies, fits better across ages, so it's the default. Both are averages for a population, not a measurement of you.
Resting heart rate and Karvonen
Add your resting heart rate—measured in bed just after waking, over a few mornings—and the calculator uses the Karvonen method, which sets zones as a share of your heart rate reserve (max minus resting). Fitter people with low resting heart rates get zones that better match their effort.
Frequently asked questions
What is my maximum heart rate?
A common estimate is 208 − 0.7 × your age (Tanaka). At 30 that's 187 bpm. Real values vary by about 10 bpm either way; a hard race or supervised test gives your true max.
What is zone 2 heart rate?
Zone 2 is 60–70% of your maximum heart rate—an easy, conversational effort. At 30 years old with a 187 bpm max, that's about 112–131 bpm.
What is the Karvonen formula?
It sets training zones from your heart rate reserve: resting + % × (max − resting). Including your resting heart rate makes zones fit fitter people better.
How do I measure my resting heart rate?
Count your pulse for 60 seconds in bed just after waking, before coffee, and average a few mornings. Most adults are between 60 and 100 bpm; trained endurance athletes are often lower.