Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Calculate your 5 training heart rate zones for fat burning, aerobic fitness and peak performance.
Target zones are guidelines. Consult a doctor before starting a high-intensity exercise programme.
Training zone guide
Recovery, warm-up, cool-down. Builds base aerobic fitness. Suitable for every session.
Primary fat oxidation zone. Builds aerobic base. Ideal for long slow distance (LSD) training.
Improves cardiovascular fitness and endurance. Moderate intensity — "comfortably hard".
Anaerobic threshold. Improves lactate tolerance and race pace. Hard effort — limit to 20–30 min.
Maximum effort. Speed and power. Only for short intervals (30 sec to 2 min). Use sparingly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the simple and Tanaka formula?
The simple formula (220 − age) overestimates max HR in older adults. The Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age), validated in a meta-analysis of 351 studies, is more accurate especially for people over 40. For most purposes, the difference is small (2–5 bpm).
What is the Karvonen method?
The Karvonen (Heart Rate Reserve) method accounts for your resting heart rate, giving more personalised zones. Formula: Target HR = (Max HR − Resting HR) × intensity% + Resting HR. It's more accurate than using max HR alone because it adjusts for cardiovascular fitness level.
How do I measure my resting heart rate accurately?
Measure first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. Place two fingers on your wrist (radial pulse) or neck (carotid pulse) and count beats for 60 seconds. Take the average over 3 days. A fit person will typically have a resting HR of 50–70 bpm; trained athletes can be 40–50 bpm.
Which zone burns the most fat?
Zone 2 (60–70% max HR) burns the highest percentage of fat calories as fuel. However, Zone 3–4 burns more total calories in the same time. For fat loss, a combination of Zone 2 for longer sessions and Zone 3–4 interval training is most effective.
How many days per week should I train in each zone?
A commonly used 80/20 rule: 80% of training time in Zones 1–2 (easy), 20% in Zones 3–5 (hard). Elite endurance athletes follow this polarised approach. For recreational fitness, 2–3 Zone 2 sessions plus 1–2 Zone 4 sessions per week is a good starting point.