Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Training heart rate zones from maximum or reserve heart rate, with what each zone is for.
Formula
Tanaka: HRmax = 208 − 0.7 × age · Karvonen uses heart rate reserve
Tips
- Age-based maximum heart rate is a population average with a standard deviation of about 10–12 bpm. Your true maximum could reasonably be twenty beats either side of this estimate.
- Giving a resting heart rate switches to the Karvonen method, which accounts for fitness and gives more useful zones than a flat percentage of maximum.
- The "fat burning zone" is a persistent misunderstanding. Lower intensities use a higher proportion of fat but fewer total calories; for most goals, total work done matters more.
- Measure resting heart rate first thing in the morning, before getting up, averaged over several days.
- If you have a heart condition, take medication affecting heart rate such as beta blockers, or are returning to exercise after a long break, discuss target zones with a clinician — these formulas will not apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
Why 208 − 0.7 × age rather than 220 − age?
The 220 − age rule was never derived from careful research and systematically underestimates maximum heart rate in older adults. The Tanaka equation comes from a meta-analysis and fits observed data better across the age range.