Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Enter your age (and resting heart rate, optionally) to get personalised training zones.
Fill in the form and hit calculate to see your results here.
Your training zones
What each zone is for
Lower zones build an aerobic base and burn a higher percentage of fat, while higher zones improve cardiovascular capacity and speed — most training plans use a mix of both.
Karvonen vs. simple percentage
Adding your resting heart rate (Karvonen method) accounts for your current fitness level, giving more personalised zones than a simple percentage of max heart rate alone.
Finding your resting heart rate
Check your pulse first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, for the most accurate resting heart rate reading.
The formula
# Max heart rate Max HR = 220 - age # Simple zones (% of max HR) Zone target = Max HR × zone% # Karvonen method (if resting HR given) Target = ((Max HR - Resting HR) × zone%) + Resting HR
220 minus age is a widely used estimate; individual max heart rate can vary by 10-15 beats from this formula.
Common questions
No — it's optional. Without it, we calculate zones as a simple percentage of your max heart rate. With it, we use the Karvonen method for a more personalised result.
For general fitness, most training time is usually spent in zones 2-3 (light to moderate), with smaller amounts of time in higher zones for speed and capacity work.
It's a population average, not a measured value — actual max heart rate varies by person. A fitness watch or lab test gives a more precise number if you have access to one.
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