Tools
HEART RATE ZONE CALCULATOR
Dial in your cardio zones with three methods, %MaxHR, Karvonen heart-rate reserve, or Friel’s LTHR zones.
About this method
%MaxHR estimates your max heart rate from age (and sex for Tanaka/Gulati) and distributes zones as percentages. Tanaka (men) and Gulati (women) are the research-backed defaults, they account for sex-based differences and are more accurate than the classic 220-age rule. 220-age is offered as a familiar, quick option if that's what you know; expect ±10-15 bpm error versus ±7 bpm for Tanaka/Gulati.
Max HR
184 bpm
Tanaka: 208 − 0.7 × 35
Training zones
| Zone | BPM | % | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
Z1 Recovery | 92-110 | 50-60% | Warm-up, cool-down, easy recovery efforts. |
Z2 Endurance | 110-129 | 60-70% | Aerobic base, long, conversational efforts. |
Z3 Tempo | 129-147 | 70-80% | Steady, moderately hard aerobic work. |
Z4 Threshold | 147-166 | 80-90% | Lactate-threshold intervals. |
Z5 VO2 Max | 166-184 | 90-100% | Short, maximal intervals, top-end fitness. |
Training-zone guide
What each zone feels like and what it develops.
Z1, Recovery
Easy, conversational. Active recovery, warm-ups, and cool-downs.
Z2, Endurance
Aerobic base. Long, steady efforts you could hold for hours.
Z3, Tempo
Moderately hard. Breathing deeper; talking is possible but choppy.
Z4, Threshold
Comfortably hard. Sustainable for 20-60 minutes; short phrases only.
Z5, VO2 / Anaerobic
Very hard to maximal. Short intervals that build top-end fitness.
Sources & further reading
- Tanaka H. et al. (2001), Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited
- Gulati M. et al. (2010), Heart rate response to exercise stress testing in asymptomatic women
- Karvonen M.J. et al. (1957), Effects of training on heart rate
- Joe Friel, Quick Guide to Setting Zones (LTHR methodology)
This calculator is an educational estimator. Talk to your physician before starting a new training program, especially if you have a cardiac condition or take medications that affect heart rate.