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Health & Fitness

Heart Rate Zone Calculator

Calculate five heart rate training zones from an estimated or measured maximum, using heart-rate reserve (Karvonen) or percent of max.

Your inputs

Results

Maximum heart rate used

187 bpm

Zone 2 range
136–149 bpm

≈Estimate based on the stated model and assumptions

Notes for this result

  • This is a population-level estimate for adults, not a diagnosis. Discuss health decisions with a qualified professional.
  • Age-based maximum heart rate formulas can be off by 10–20 bpm for an individual. If you have a heart condition or take rate-limiting medication, get personalised advice before training by heart rate.
Training zones5 rows
ZoneFrom (bpm)To (bpm)
Zone 1 — very light (recovery)124136
Zone 2 — light (endurance base)136149
Zone 3 — moderate (aerobic)149162
Zone 4 — hard (threshold)162174
Zone 5 — maximum174187

Inputs are never added to links for financial, salary or health calculators.

What this calculator does

Training zones help you target easy endurance work, tempo efforts or high-intensity intervals.

Formula and method

Max HR: 208 − 0.7 × age (Tanaka) or 220 − age, or measured. Karvonen: target = resting + (max − resting) × intensity; % of max: target = max × intensity

Worked example

Calculated by this tool with its default inputs:

Inputs

  • Age: 30
  • Maximum heart rate: Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age)
  • Zone method: Heart-rate reserve (Karvonen)
  • Resting heart rate: 60 bpm

Results

  • Maximum heart rate used: 187 bpm
  • Zone 2 range: 136–149 bpm

How to read the results

Zone 2 (60–70 %) is commonly used for aerobic base training.

Assumptions and limitations

  • Age-based maximum heart rate can be off by 10–20 bpm for an individual.
  • Beta-blockers and some conditions change heart-rate response.
  • An estimate for healthy adults, not a diagnosis or medical advice. Consult a qualified health professional about your personal situation.

Health results are general estimates for adults and do not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Speak to a qualified health professional about your personal situation, especially during pregnancy or if you have a medical condition.

Questions

Why use heart-rate reserve?

It accounts for your resting heart rate, so zones better reflect individual fitness.

Sources

  • Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(1):153–156.

Methodology and verification

Result type
Estimate based on the stated model and assumptions
Formula version
1.0
Automated verification
3 reference and validation test cases, checked against independently computed values. The site cannot be built if any of them fail.
Editorial review
Awaiting human editorial review. The explanation was drafted with AI assistance; the formula and examples are verified by the automated tests above.

Privacy

Everything you enter is calculated in this browser and is not sent to Numerith or anyone else. Because this calculator can involve personal financial or health details, your inputs are never added to share links or saved to history. Privacy policy