Heart rate zone calculator.
Enter your age and resting heart rate to see five training zones in beats per minute, from very light to maximum, and what each one feels like.
These tools are free to use without an account.
Estimated maximum heart rate
184 bpmMaximum from the Tanaka formula, 208 minus 0.7 times your age. Zones are shares of heart rate reserve (184 minus 60 resting = 124), added to your resting rate.
| Zone | Heart rate | How it feels |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1, very light | 122 to 134 bpm | Easy enough to talk in full sentences. Warm-ups and recovery. |
| Zone 2, light | 135 to 147 bpm | Conversation is comfortable. Steady aerobic work. |
| Zone 3, moderate | 148 to 159 bpm | Talking takes a little effort. Tempo-style work. |
| Zone 4, hard | 160 to 172 bpm | Short sentences only. Hard intervals. |
| Zone 5, maximum | 173 to 184 bpm | Very hard. Brief efforts, if at all. |
Zones built from a formula describe averages. Real maximum heart rates differ by ten beats or more between people of the same age. Heart or blood-pressure conditions, pregnancy, heat, caffeine, poor sleep and medicines such as beta blockers change heart rate, so ask a doctor before using zones if any apply. Stop and seek care for chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness.
Fitness estimates for adults 18 and over, not medical or dietary advice. Results are informational and are not reviewed by a certified personal trainer.
Maximum heart rate and heart rate reserve
The tool estimates your maximum heart rate with the Tanaka formula, 208 minus 0.7 times your age, which fits adult data better than the older 220 minus age. If you have a measured maximum from a hard test, enter it instead. Heart rate reserve is the maximum minus your resting rate. The Karvonen method places each zone at a share of that reserve above your resting rate, so it adjusts for fitness; the percent-of-maximum method ignores resting rate.
Using the zones
Zone 1 is easy enough to talk in full sentences, zone 2 is comfortable conversation, zone 3 takes some effort to talk, zone 4 allows only short sentences, and zone 5 is very hard and brief. The talk test is a good check on the numbers. Formula zones are averages for a population, so your own response can sit ten beats or more away. If you have a heart or blood-pressure condition or take medicine that changes heart rate, ask a doctor before training by zones.
Fitness estimates for adults 18 and over, not medical or dietary advice. Results are informational and are not reviewed by a certified personal trainer. Calculations stay in your browser. Typed measurements are not sent or saved.
Common questions.
How do I find my resting heart rate?
Sit quietly for five minutes, or measure on waking before you get up, then count your pulse for a full minute or use a reliable heart rate monitor. Repeat on a few mornings and use the average.
Is 220 minus age more accurate?
Not generally. Both are averages that can be off by ten beats or more for an individual. Tanaka's formula fits adult data better across ages, and a measured maximum from a hard test is better than either.
Do these zones work if I take heart medication?
Not reliably. Medicines such as beta blockers lower heart rate, so formula zones can be wrong. Ask a doctor how to set effort targets, and stop and seek care for chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness.
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