Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Calculate your maximum heart rate and all five training zones. Optionally use the Karvonen formula with your resting heart rate for more personalised zones.
How to Use the Heart Rate Calculator
Enter your age to see your estimated maximum heart rate and five training zones using the standard percentage-of-max method. Optionally enter your resting heart rate (measured first thing in the morning) to also see Karvonen training zones, which are more personalised and accurate.
The Extended Calculator below shows a visual HR zones bar chart for running and cycling. The Professional Calculator adds 5 MHR formula comparison, heart rate reserve test, HRV reference values, and race pace zones.
Karvonen Method Zones
| Zone | % MaxHR | Karvonen bpm | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z1 | 50–60% | 125–138 | Active recovery, fat burning |
| Z2 | 60–70% | 138–151 | Endurance base, fat burning |
| Z3 | 70–80% | 151–164 | Cardiovascular fitness, tempo |
| Z4 | 80–90% | 164–177 | Lactate threshold, speed |
| Z5 | 90–100% | 177–190 | Max effort, peak power |
Formulas
Maximum Heart Rate: 220 − Age
Training Zone: Max HR × % (e.g., Zone 2 = MaxHR × 60–70%)
Karvonen (Heart Rate Reserve): HRR = Max HR − Resting HR
Karvonen Zone: (HRR × %) + Resting HR
Training Zone Guide
| Zone | % Max HR | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 50–60% | Warm-up, cool-down, active recovery |
| Zone 2 | 60–70% | Aerobic base building, fat burning |
| Zone 3 | 70–80% | Aerobic fitness, endurance |
| Zone 4 | 80–90% | Lactate threshold, high intensity |
| Zone 5 | 90–100% | Maximum effort, VO2 max intervals |
Max HR Formula Comparison
| Formula | Max HR |
|---|---|
| Tanaka (2001) | 186 bpm |
| Fox (220 − age) | 188 bpm |
| Gellish (2007) | 185 bpm |
| Inbar (1994) | 184 bpm |
| Nes (2013) | 191 bpm |
| Average | 187 bpm |
Heart Rate Recovery (HRR) Test
A drop of ≥25 bpm is considered good cardiovascular fitness. <18 bpm may indicate low aerobic fitness or overtraining.
HRV (Heart Rate Variability) Reference
Typical rMSSD for endurance athletes: 50–100ms. Sedentary adults: 20–50ms. Lower than your personal baseline by 10+ ms suggests fatigue.
Race Pace Zones
| Zone | HR % MaxHR | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| Easy / Z1-2 | 60–70% | 6:15/km |
| Aerobic / Z3 | 70–80% | 5:36/km |
| Tempo / Z4 | 80–87% | 5:15/km |
| Threshold / Z4+ | 87–92% | 5:00/km |
| VO2max / Z5 | 92–97% | 4:42/km |