Search tools

Find a tool by name or what it does.

Heart Rate Zone Calculator

Turn your age or maximum heart rate into five training zones in beats per minute, using percentage of max or the Karvonen heart rate reserve method.

Maximum heart rate

Max heart rate formula

Most widely used.

Calculated in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

Maximum heart rate
190bpm
Estimated from age 30 (220 - 30)

Zone method

Training zones
Zone 1 · Very light
50-60% · Warm up and recovery
95-114
bpm
Zone 2 · Light
60-70% · Fat burn and easy base miles
114-133
bpm
Zone 3 · Moderate
70-80% · Aerobic fitness and stamina
133-152
bpm
Zone 4 · Hard
80-90% · Threshold and faster running
152-171
bpm
Zone 5 · Maximum
90-100% · Peak effort, short intervals
171-190
bpm
Each zone is a straight share of your maximum heart rate. Add a resting heart rate and switch to Karvonen for zones tuned to your fitness.

Heart rate formulas are population averages, so your true maximum can sit several beats above or below any estimate. These zones are a starting point for training, not medical advice.

How to calculate your heart rate zones

  1. Set your maximum heart rate

    Type your age to estimate your maximum heart rate, or switch to entering a maximum heart rate you already know.

  2. Choose a method

    Optionally add your resting heart rate, then pick percent of max or the Karvonen method to shape the five zones.

  3. Read and copy your zones

    Your five training zones appear instantly in beats per minute, and Copy zones saves the full breakdown.

Why use this tool

Five training zones at a glance

See zones one through five in beats per minute, from a very light warm up near 50 percent of your peak rate up to maximum effort at 100 percent.

Age estimate or your own max

Estimate your maximum heart rate from your age, or enter a field tested maximum you already know and skip the formula entirely.

Karvonen and percent of max

Switch between a simple percentage of your maximum heart rate and the Karvonen method, which factors in your resting heart rate for more personal zones.

Several max heart rate formulas

Compare the classic 220 minus age with the Tanaka, Gulati, and Nes equations, which many people find fit their age and sex more closely.

Runs entirely in your browser

Everything happens on your device; nothing is uploaded.

About this tool

A heart rate zone calculator splits the range between rest and maximum effort into five training zones, so you know how fast your heart should beat for warm ups, fat burning, steady aerobic work, threshold efforts, and all out intervals. Enter your age to estimate your maximum heart rate, or type a maximum you already know, and the five zones appear in beats per minute as you type, with no button to press.

Two methods are available. Percentage of maximum heart rate takes simple shares of your peak rate, so zone two sits between 60 and 70 percent. The Karvonen method uses your heart rate reserve, the gap between your resting and maximum rates, which tunes the zones to how fit you are. For the age estimate you can pick the familiar 220 minus age or the Tanaka, Gulati, and Nes equations. If you also track effort by speed, pair this with the running pace calculator, or plan daily fuel with the TDEE calculator.

Everything is worked out on the page as you type, and nothing you enter is uploaded, stored, or logged. Heart rate formulas are population averages, so your true maximum can sit a dozen beats above or below any estimate; a supervised field test or a check with a professional is more accurate. Treat these figures as a helpful starting point for structuring training, not as medical advice.

Frequently asked questions

How are heart rate zones calculated?
First a maximum heart rate is set, either estimated from your age with a formula such as 220 minus age or entered directly. The range up to that maximum is then divided into five zones at 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, and 90 to 100 percent, and each boundary is shown in beats per minute.
What is the difference between percent of max and the Karvonen method?
Percent of max multiplies your maximum heart rate by each zone percentage, so it only needs your maximum. The Karvonen method works from your heart rate reserve, the difference between your resting and maximum rates, then adds your resting rate back on. Karvonen needs a resting heart rate and usually gives higher, more individual zones.
How do I find my maximum heart rate?
You can estimate it from your age using 220 minus age or the Tanaka, Gulati, and Nes equations, all built in here. For a truer figure, a supervised maximum effort test measures it directly. If you already have a tested number from a coach or a chest strap, switch to entering it directly.
How accurate are these heart rate zones?
The age based formulas are averages across large groups, so an individual maximum can be a dozen or more beats higher or lower. The zones are a solid guide for pacing everyday training, but for precise targets, base them on a measured maximum or a lactate or field test rather than an estimate.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser; the age, maximum, and resting heart rate you enter are never uploaded, stored, or logged.

Related tools