Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Use this free heart rate zone calculator to estimate your five workout zones in beats per minute (bpm). Enter your age, choose a maximum heart rate formula, or add your resting heart rate for personalized Karvonen zones. Your Zone 2 range and all five training zones update instantly.
Calculator inputs and results
Fields start with a labeled age-30 example. Change any value and the zones update without a page reload. This is an educational estimate, not a medical prescription.
Labeled example at age 30 (220 − age, percent of max): max HR 190 bpm, Zone 2 114–133 bpm. Browser-only estimate. Heart-rate values are not uploaded to EverydayTools.
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What Are Heart Rate Zones?
Heart rate zones are BPM ranges that describe how hard a workout is relative to your estimated maximum heart rate or heart-rate reserve. Coaches use them so easy sessions stay easy and hard sessions stay short. A zone is a planning range, not a lab measurement of lactate threshold or VO₂ max.
This page uses a common five-zone model: 50–60%, 60–70%, 70–80%, 80–90%, and 90–100%. Watches and training apps often use different cuts. Compare numbers only when the method and percentages match.
How to Calculate Your Heart Rate Zones
- Estimate maximum heart rate: 220 − age, Tanaka 208 − 0.7 × age, or a measured max you already have.
- For percent-of-max zones, multiply that max by each zone’s percentages and round to the nearest beat.
- For Karvonen, subtract resting HR from max HR to get heart-rate reserve (HRR), then add resting HR + HRR × intensity.
- Read Zone 2 first if you want an aerobic-base range, then the other four bands.
Percentages here refer either to maximum heart rate or to heart-rate reserve. The result panel states which one is active. The same selected max HR source is used for every related output.
Heart Rate Zones 1–5 Explained
| Zone | Percentage range | General effort | Typical training use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 · Recovery | 50–60% | Very light; easy breathing; full sentences | Warm-up, cool-down, easy recovery sessions |
| Zone 2 · Aerobic base | 60–70% | Comfortable; slightly deeper breathing; still conversational | Long easy runs, rides, or cardio that you can sustain |
| Zone 3 · Tempo | 70–80% | Noticeable effort; sentences get shorter | Steady cardio, longer hills, controlled aerobic work |
| Zone 4 · Threshold | 80–90% | Hard; only a few words at a time | Tempo intervals and race-pace practice |
| Zone 5 · VO₂ max / peak | 90–100% | Very hard; sustainable only for short efforts | Short intervals and all-out finishes |
Zone 2 Heart Rate Calculator
Zone 2 on this page is 60–70% of the selected method. With the default age-30 example and 220 − age, max HR is 190 bpm and Zone 2 is 114–133 bpm. At age 40 the same method gives Zone 2 of 108–126 bpm.
That range is a percentage band, not a measured aerobic threshold (sometimes called LT1 or VT1). A field test or lab test can place the true easy/hard boundary higher or lower. Polar and other wearable systems may also use different Zone 2 edges.
People sometimes call easy aerobic work the “fat-burning zone” because a larger share of the calories used at that intensity can come from fat. That is not the same as greater fat loss. Total energy balance, diet, and how much work you can repeat still decide weight change. This calculator does not claim Zone 2 causes weight loss.
Karvonen Formula and Heart Rate Reserve
Heart-rate reserve is max HR minus resting HR. Karvonen target HR is resting HR + HRR × intensity. A lower resting pulse widens reserve, so the same percentage lands at a higher BPM than a flat percent of max.
Worked example: age 30, resting HR 60, 220 − age. Max HR = 190 bpm. HRR = 130 bpm. Zone 2 (60–70% of reserve) = 138–151 bpm. The percent-of-max Zone 2 for the same max is 114–133 bpm. The methods answer slightly different questions; do not mix them in the same week’s log.
Karvonen is useful when you have a reliable morning pulse and want zones that move as resting HR changes. Without a valid resting HR this page explains the missing input instead of silently falling back to percent of max.
Maximum Heart Rate: 220 Minus Age vs Tanaka
220 − age is the familiar Haskell–Fox estimate. The American Heart Association still uses it as a population guide for moderate and vigorous target ranges. It is an average, not your personal ceiling.
Tanaka, Monahan, and Seals (2001, Journal of the American College of Cardiology) proposed 208 − 0.7 × age after a large meta-analysis and a lab cross-check in healthy adults. At age 30 that is 187 bpm instead of 190 bpm, so Zone 2 becomes 112–131 bpm. Neither formula measures an individual’s true physiological maximum.
If you have a supervised test or a well-run field max, enter that measured value. It replaces the age formula in every zone, reserve, and target on this page.
Heart Rate Zones by Age
The table uses 220 − age and percent of maximum HR, the same rounding as the live calculator. These are reference estimates for adults, not universal targets.
| Age | Estimated max HR | Zone 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 200 bpm | 120–140 bpm |
| 25 | 195 bpm | 117–137 bpm |
| 30 | 190 bpm | 114–133 bpm |
| 35 | 185 bpm | 111–130 bpm |
| 40 | 180 bpm | 108–126 bpm |
| 45 | 175 bpm | 105–122 bpm |
| 50 | 170 bpm | 102–119 bpm |
| 55 | 165 bpm | 99–115 bpm |
| 60 | 160 bpm | 96–112 bpm |
| 65 | 155 bpm | 93–109 bpm |
| 70 | 150 bpm | 90–105 bpm |
Heart Rate Zones for Running, Cycling and Cardio
The same BPM math applies to running, cycling, rowing, and most cardio machines. Sport still changes how a given heart rate feels. Heat, hills, cadence, and muscle mass can raise pulse at the same perceived effort. Use the talk test or rating of perceived exertion alongside the number.
For pacing a race or workout, pair these zones with the running pace calculator. Step counts convert to distance on the steps to distance calculator. Daily energy needs are a separate question on the calorie calculator.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter age in whole years. The page opens on a labeled age-30 example so you can see the math immediately.
- Keep percent of max HR, or add resting HR and switch to Karvonen.
- Choose 220 − age, Tanaka, or a measured maximum. The same max feeds every zone.
- Read the highlighted Zone 2 range, then Zones 1–5. Optionally place a current pulse or a custom intensity percent.
- Copy, print, or share a link. Share writes the numbers you chose into the URL; typing is not uploaded and is not saved in local storage.
Worked Heart Rate Zone Examples
- Age 30, 220 − age, percent of max: max HR 190 bpm, Zone 2 114–133 bpm. Load the age-30 example.
- Age 30, resting HR 60, Karvonen: max HR 190 bpm, HRR 130 bpm, Zone 2 138–151 bpm.
- Age 40, 220 − age, percent of max: max HR 180 bpm, Zone 2 108–126 bpm.
- Age 30 with measured max 185 bpm: max HR 185 bpm, Zone 2 111–130 bpm. The age formula is unused.
Different Ways to Estimate Exercise Intensity
- Heart rate zones on this page: five percentage bands of max HR or HRR.
- Talk test (CDC): you can talk but not sing in moderate work; you can say only a few words in vigorous work.
- Rating of perceived exertion: a 0–10 or 6–20 scale of how hard the session feels.
- Wearables: useful for trends; optical sensors can lag on intervals and often use vendor-specific zone maps.
The American Heart Association describes moderate activity as about 50–70% of age-predicted max HR and vigorous activity as about 70–85%. Those two public-health bands are not the same as this five-zone 50/60/70/80/90/100 model. A 70% value can sit in AHA “vigorous” and in Zone 3 here at the same time.
Common Mistakes
- Treating predicted max HR as exact. Individual maximums can sit many beats away from 220 − age or Tanaka.
- Comparing a Karvonen Zone 2 from one app with a percent-of-max Zone 2 from another.
- Assuming a higher fat-fuel percentage in easy work means more fat loss.
- Ignoring beta blockers and other medicines that change heart-rate response.
- Assuming every watch uses 50–60–70–80–90–100%.
- Pushing through when perceived exertion and the estimated zone disagree for weeks — adjust the plan or get a better max.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is my Zone 2 heart rate?
- On this page Zone 2 is 60–70% of the selected method. Age 30 with 220 − age and percent of max is 114–133 bpm. Age 30 with resting HR 60 and Karvonen is 138–151 bpm. Those two ranges are not interchangeable.
- How do I calculate my five heart rate zones?
- Estimate max HR, then apply 50–60%, 60–70%, 70–80%, 80–90%, and 90–100%. For percent of max, multiply max HR by those fractions. For Karvonen, use resting HR + (max − resting) × each fraction. This page rounds each bound to the nearest beat.
- What is my target heart rate by age?
- A common age-only estimate is 220 − age. At 40 that is 180 bpm; Zone 2 at 60–70% of max is 108–126 bpm. The American Heart Association’s moderate/vigorous chart uses 50–85% of that same age-predicted max, which is a different grouping than five training zones.
- Is 220 minus age accurate?
- It is a population average, not a personal measurement. Tanaka, Monahan, and Seals (2001) proposed 208 − 0.7 × age as another estimate. Individual maximums can sit many beats away from either formula. Use a measured max when you have one.
- How is the Karvonen method different?
- Karvonen uses heart-rate reserve: max HR minus resting HR. Target = resting + reserve × intensity. For age 30, resting 60, and max 190, reserve is 130 and Zone 2 is 138–151 bpm, higher than the 114–133 bpm percent-of-max band.
- What should I enter if I do not know my resting heart rate?
- Leave resting HR blank and keep percent of max HR. Karvonen will not invent a result without a valid resting pulse. A morning count before getting out of bed is the usual way to collect one later.
- Is Zone 2 the best zone for fat loss?
- No single zone guarantees fat loss. Easy aerobic work can use a higher share of fat as fuel, but weight change depends on overall energy balance. Higher intensities often burn more total calories per minute.
- What is the difference between Zone 2 and Zone 3?
- Zone 2 is 60–70% and should still feel conversational. Zone 3 is 70–80% and usually shortens sentences. In the age-30 percent-of-max example, Zone 2 is 114–133 bpm and Zone 3 starts at 133 bpm on this page’s assignment rule.
- Can I use my measured maximum HR?
- Yes. Choose measured max HR and enter the test value. It replaces 220 − age and Tanaka in every zone, reserve, and custom target. Age 30 with a measured 185 bpm max has Zone 2 at 111–130 bpm on percent of max.
- Do running and cycling heart rate zones differ?
- The percentage math is the same. Heart rate at a given perceived effort can still differ by sport, heat, hills, and muscle mass. Confirm easy days with the talk test, not only the watch.
- Why does my watch show different zones?
- Vendors use different models: percent of max, Karvonen, lactate-threshold percentages, or three-zone systems. Polar’s five-zone map is one common reference, not a universal standard. Match the method before comparing BPM.
- Can medicines affect my training heart rate?
- Yes. Beta blockers and some other medicines lower heart-rate response. The American Heart Association notes that drugs can change maximum and target values. Ask a clinician for appropriate limits if you take those medicines or have heart disease.
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Sources, Methodology and Safety
EverydayTools maintains this page. It was last reviewed on 13 October 2026. No clinician is listed as a medical reviewer. Estimates are educational guidance for generally healthy adults planning workouts, not a diagnosis or exercise prescription.
- American Heart Association, Target Heart Rates — 220 − age guide; moderate about 50–70% and vigorous about 70–85%; medications can change targets.
- CDC, Measuring Physical Activity Intensity — talk test and perceived exertion alongside heart rate.
- Polar, Heart rate zones — one widely used five-zone percentage model. Other brands differ.
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. “Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited.” JACC. 2001;37(1):153–156. DOI 10.1016/S0735-1097(00)01054-8.
Rounding: every displayed BPM uses Math.round. Shared cutoffs are shown in both neighboring ranges and assigned to the higher zone. Stop and seek medical care for chest pain, unexplained shortness of breath, dizziness, or other warning symptoms. Ask a qualified clinician before vigorous training if you have cardiovascular disease, symptoms, or heart-rate–altering medication.