Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Train at the right intensity. Enter your age (and resting heart rate for a personalized result) to get five heart rate zones from easy recovery to all-out effort.
Estimated max heart rate
| Zone | Intensity | Heart rate (bpm) | Feels like |
|---|
This calculator gives general estimates for information only and is not medical advice.
How to find your heart rate zones
- Enter your age. If you know your true max heart rate from a test or a hard race, enter it; otherwise it is estimated.
- For personalized zones, measure your resting heart rate first thing in the morning before getting up, on a few days, and enter the average.
- Use the table to set your watch or guide workouts.
What the five zones mean
Zone 1 (50–60%) is very easy recovery. Zone 2 (60–70%) is easy aerobic work, the conversational pace that builds endurance and fat-burning capacity; many coaches suggest spending most training time here. Zone 3 (70–80%) is moderate, "comfortably hard". Zone 4 (80–90%) is threshold work you can sustain for 20–60 minutes. Zone 5 (90–100%) is maximal effort for short intervals.
With a resting heart rate entered, the calculator uses the Karvonen method, which applies the percentages to your heart rate reserve (max minus resting) and adds the resting rate back. This adjusts zones for fitness: a fit person with a low resting rate gets different zones than a beginner of the same age. Without it, percentages of max heart rate are used.
Age-based formulas only estimate max heart rate, and individuals can differ by 10 or more beats per minute. The Tanaka formula is generally more accurate than 220 − age, especially for older adults. A supervised exercise test gives the most accurate max.
Need a different tool? Suggest it here — we read every message.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good resting heart rate?
For adults, 60–100 bpm is typical; well-trained athletes are often in the 40s or 50s.
What is zone 2 training?
Easy aerobic exercise at roughly 60–70% of max (or of heart rate reserve), where you can still hold a conversation.
Which max heart rate formula is best?
Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) is generally more accurate than 220 − age, but a measured max beats any formula.
Is this medical advice?
No. If you have a heart condition or take medication that affects heart rate, ask your doctor which zones are right for you.