Heart Rate Zones

Calculate your 5 training heart rate zones

Get your training heart rate zones using the Tanaka formula (2001), more accurate than 220-age. Optionally enter resting heart rate for the Karvonen method.

For guidance only. If you have cardiovascular disease or take medication, consult your doctor before training in high zones.

Age (years)

Resting heart rate (bpm) — optional

Measure in the morning before getting up. Leave empty to use max HR only.

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How it works

1Enter your age to calculate MHR with the Tanaka formula: 208 - (0.7 x age).
2Optionally enter your resting HR to use the Karvonen method.
3The 5 zones are calculated as percentages of MHR (or HR reserve).
4Use the zones to structure your training sessions with precision.

Frequently asked questions

Heart rate zones: train in the right zone

Training by heart rate zones is the most effective method to optimize aerobic training. Each zone corresponds to a percentage of your maximum heart rate (MHR).

How to calculate your MHR

Simple formula: MHR = 220 − age. For age 30: MHR = 190 bpm. More precise: Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) or Gelish (207 − 0.7 × age).

The 5 training zones

Zone 1 (50–60%): active recovery. Very low intensity.
Zone 2 (60–70%): fat burning and base endurance.
Zone 3 (70–80%): aerobic zone, cardiovascular improvement.
Zone 4 (80–90%): anaerobic threshold, high intensity.
Zone 5 (90–100%): maximum effort, short sprints.

The importance of zone 2

Zone 2 is the most important for long-term metabolic health. It improves mitochondrial density and fat oxidation. Elite athletes spend 80% of their training in this zone.

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