Heart Rate Training Zones Calculator

This calculator determines your five heart rate zones based on your maximum heart rate (HRmax), helping you train at the right intensity for your goals.

Heart rate zones

Zones are calculated as percentages of HRmax (estimated as 220 − age):

• Zone 1 (50-60%): Warm-up and active recovery
• Zone 2 (60-70%): Fat burning and base endurance
• Zone 3 (70-80%): Moderate cardio and aerobic improvement
• Zone 4 (80-90%): Anaerobic threshold and performance
• Zone 5 (90-100%): Maximum effort and sprints

Example 1: 30-year-old person

Problem: Calculate zones for a 30-year-old person.

1. HRmax:
   • HRmax = 220 − 30 = 190 bpm.
2. Zones:
   • Zone 1: 95–114 bpm
   • Zone 2: 114–133 bpm
   • Zone 3: 133–152 bpm
   • Zone 4: 152–171 bpm
   • Zone 5: 171–190 bpm

Answer: HRmax = 190 bpm, zones defined from 95 to 190 bpm.

Example 2: 45-year-old person

Problem: Calculate zones for a 45-year-old person.

1. HRmax:
   • HRmax = 220 − 45 = 175 bpm.
2. Zones:
   • Zone 1: 88–105 bpm
   • Zone 2: 105–123 bpm
   • Zone 3: 123–140 bpm
   • Zone 4: 140–158 bpm
   • Zone 5: 158–175 bpm

Answer: HRmax = 175 bpm, zones defined from 88 to 175 bpm.

Common uses of heart rate zones

• Planning running, cycling and swimming workouts.
• Optimizing fat burning by training in Zone 2.
• Improving cardiovascular performance with Zone 4 intervals.
• Preventing overtraining by monitoring intensity.
• Scheduling active recovery sessions in Zone 1.
• Preparing endurance events with zone-based periodization.

Common mistakes with HR zones

• Blindly trusting the 220 − age formula without considering individual variation.
• Always training in the same zone without periodization.
• Not using a reliable heart rate monitor.
• Ignoring resting heart rate as a fitness indicator.

Pro tip

The 220 − age formula is an estimate. For greater accuracy, consider a stress test with direct HRmax measurement or the Tanaka formula: HRmax = 208 − 0.7 × age.