Find your five training zones. This free heart rate zone calculator shows Zone 1 to Zone 5 in beats per minute by age, using the Karvonen method when you add your resting heart rate.
Max heart rate is estimated as 220 minus age. Add your resting heart rate to use the more accurate Karvonen (heart-rate reserve) method for every zone.
An estimate – the 220 minus age formula has a wide margin and individual max heart rates vary. Use perceived effort alongside zones, and build intensity gradually.
How the Heart Rate Zone Calculator Works
Instead of a single target range, this calculator maps your age and optional resting heart rate onto all five standard training zones at once, from easy recovery effort up to maximum effort.
Formula: Max heart rate (HRmax) = 220 − Age. Without a resting heart rate, each zone boundary = HRmax × zone%. With a resting heart rate (Karvonen method): Heart-rate reserve (HRR) = HRmax − resting HR, then each zone boundary = (HRR × zone%) + resting HR. The five zones use fixed percentage bands: Zone 1 = 50–60%, Zone 2 = 60–70%, Zone 3 = 70–80%, Zone 4 = 80–90%, Zone 5 = 90–100%.
- Age — your age in years, used to estimate max heart rate as 220 − age.
- Resting heart rate (optional) — your resting bpm; entering it switches every zone from the % of max HR method to the Karvonen (heart-rate reserve) method.
- Zone 1–5 percentage bands — five fixed ranges (50–60%, 60–70%, 70–80%, 80–90%, 90–100%) applied to either max heart rate or heart-rate reserve to produce each zone’s bpm range.
Example Scenarios
| Age (yrs) | Resting HR (bpm) | Zone | BPM Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | — | Zone 1 (50–60%, recovery) | 93–111 |
| 35 | — | Zone 2 (60–70%, fat burn / endurance) | 111–130 |
| 35 | — | Zone 3 (70–80%, aerobic) | 130–148 |
| 35 | — | Zone 4 (80–90%, threshold) | 148–167 |
| 35 | — | Zone 5 (90–100%, maximum / VO2 max) | 167–185 |
| 45 | 65 | Zone 3 (70–80%, Karvonen) | 142–153 |
Heart Rate Zone Calculator FAQ
What are the five heart rate training zones and what do they mean?
Zone 1 (50–60% of max HR) is very light recovery effort. Zone 2 (60–70%) is light, often called the fat-burn or endurance zone. Zone 3 (70–80%) is moderate aerobic effort. Zone 4 (80–90%) is a hard, threshold-level effort. Zone 5 (90–100%) is maximum effort, near your VO2 max.How is Zone 2 different from Zone 3?
Zone 2 sits at 60–70% of your working heart rate and is typically used for longer, easier endurance sessions where you can sustain conversation. Zone 3, at 70–80%, is a moderate aerobic effort that feels noticeably harder and is usually sustained for shorter durations.Why do I need my resting heart rate for accurate zones?
Without it, the calculator applies each zone’s percentage directly to your estimated max heart rate. Adding resting heart rate switches to the Karvonen method, which uses your heart-rate reserve (max minus resting) — a calculation that better reflects your individual cardiovascular fitness.Which zone should I train in most of the time?
Many training plans emphasize Zone 2 for building aerobic endurance, since it’s sustainable for longer periods, while reserving Zones 4 and 5 for shorter, harder interval sessions. The right mix depends on your specific goals, so consider consulting a coach or trainer for a structured plan.What zone corresponds to VO2 max training?
Zone 5 (90–100% of your working heart rate) is the zone most closely associated with VO2 max efforts — short, maximal-intensity bursts. If you want an estimate of your actual VO2 max number, the VO2 max estimator uses a separate test-based calculation.How is this different from the Exercise Heart Rate Calculator?
The exercise heart rate calculator gives you one target range for a single intensity level you choose. This calculator instead shows all five training zones at once from the same age and resting-heart-rate inputs, so you can compare every intensity level side by side.Related Calculators
Need one specific training target instead of all five zones? The exercise heart rate calculator narrows things down to a single intensity range. To estimate your underlying aerobic fitness rather than just training zones, try the VO2 max estimator, or check the resting heart rate zone calculator to see how your baseline compares to typical ranges.