Heart Rate Zones Calculator
Max heart rate and all five training zones from age and resting pulse.
What it does
Training zones slice the span between resting and maximum pulse into five bands. Easy base work lives low, tempo sits mid, and intervals touch the top. The Karvonen method personalizes the bands by adding your resting pulse to a share of your reserve, which is max minus rest.
The tool above estimates max from age with your choice of the classic 220 minus age or the newer Tanaka line, then prints all five zones. Resting pulse comes from quiet mornings, since coffee and stress inflate it.
Formulas guess within about 10 beats for most people and miss more for trained athletes and some medicines. A field test or lab measurement beats any equation when zones guide serious training.
How to use
- Enter age and pick the Tanaka formula unless your plan says classic.
- Measure resting pulse three mornings and enter the average.
- Read Zone 2 for base endurance and Zone 4 for hard intervals.
- Recheck after a few months of training as resting pulse falls.
Formula
- max
- Age predicted ceiling. Tanaka 208 - 0.7A, classic 220 - A.
- reserve
- Working span: max minus resting pulse.
- 50-100%
- Zone shares of reserve from recovery to peak.
Zone percents of reserve: recovery 50 to 60, fat burn 60 to 70, aerobic 70 to 80, hard 80 to 90, peak 90 to 100. Beta blockers and some conditions cap real max below formula values, so treat zones as estimates.
Worked example
Example: age 30, resting 60, Tanaka
Age 30, resting pulse 60, Tanaka max formula.
- Max: 208 - 0.7 x 30 = 208 - 21 = 187 bpm.
- Reserve: 187 - 60 = 127.
- Zone 2: 60 + 0.6x127 = 136 to 60 + 0.7x127 = 149 bpm.
- Zone 4: 60 + 0.8x127 = 162 to 60 + 0.9x127 = 174 bpm.
Reference table
| Zone | Share of reserve | Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Recovery | 50 to 60% | 124 - 136 bpm |
| 2 Fat burn | 60 to 70% | 136 - 149 bpm |
| 3 Aerobic | 70 to 80% | 149 - 162 bpm |
| 4 Hard | 80 to 90% | 162 - 174 bpm |
| 5 Peak | 90 to 100% | 174 - 187 bpm |
Limits
- Formula guess within about 10 beats for most.
- Athletes and medicines deviate more.
- Heat, altitude, and fatigue shift daily zones.
- Heart conditions need doctor set limits.
Common mistakes
- Using one coffee morning pulse as the resting value.
- Mixing classic max with a plan written for Tanaka zones.
- Chasing Zone 2 by pace instead of pulse on hot or hilly days.
- Ignoring medication effects that cap heart rate.
- Living in Zone 4. Most fitness comes from easy volume, not daily hard efforts.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Age 40, resting 65, classic max. Zone 2?
Max 180, reserve 115. Zone 2 is 134 to 146 bpm.
Tanaka max at 40?
208 - 28 = 180 bpm.
Questions
What is the fat burning zone?
Zone 2, 60 to 70% of reserve. It burns the highest share of fat per minute, though harder zones burn more total calories.
Classic or Tanaka max?
Tanaka fits measured data better across ages. The classic line reads high for young people and low for older ones.
How do I find resting pulse?
Sit quiet five minutes after waking, before coffee, and count for a full minute. Average three days.
Why is my watch zone different?
Watches mix methods and use their own max guesses. Enter the same max and rest on both sides to compare fairly.
Are zones safe with heart conditions?
Ask your doctor for personal limits first. Formulas never replace medical guidance.