Heart Rate Zones Calculator
Estimate your max heart rate and five training zones from your age.
- Zone 1 · Recovery (50–60%)—
- Zone 2 · Easy (60–70%)—
- Zone 3 · Aerobic (70–80%)—
- Zone 4 · Threshold (80–90%)—
- Zone 5 · Maximum (90–100%)—
A general estimate — not medical advice. The 220-minus-age formula varies a lot between individuals. Build up gradually, stop if you feel unwell, and check with a doctor before starting intense exercise, especially if you have any health conditions.
What the zones mean
Training zones are bands of heart rate that correspond to different intensities of effort, from gentle recovery up to all-out. Knowing them helps you train at the intensity that suits a session rather than guessing.
max ≈ 220 − age · target = resting + intensity × (max − resting)
This calculator uses the Karvonen method, which anchors each zone to your heart-rate reserve — the room between your resting and maximum rates. That makes the zones a little more personal than taking a flat percentage of the maximum alone.
At age 30 with a resting heart rate of 60, estimated max heart rate is about 190 bpm and the heart-rate reserve is 130. The aerobic zone (70–80%) then works out to roughly 151–164 bpm.
Using zones sensibly
Zones are a guide, not a rulebook. The 220-minus-age estimate can be off by 10 to 20 beats for an individual, and how you feel — your perceived effort — is a valuable companion to any number on a watch.
Good to keep in mind
- It's an estimate. A lab test or a coached field test gives a truer maximum.
- Easy should feel easy. Most endurance benefit comes from time in the lower zones.
- Listen to your body. Heat, illness, caffeine and stress all shift heart rate.
This is general information, not medical advice.