Heart rate zones split your effort into five bands, each a range of beats per minute (bpm) based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate. The simplest way to find your maximum is a formula such as 220 minus your age, or the Tanaka formula, 208 minus 0.7 times your age. Both are estimates, so use them as a guide rather than a rule.
What a heart rate zone is
Your heart beats faster as you work harder. Zones turn that into a simple scale, so you can aim for an easy session, a steady one or a hard one on purpose. Most systems use five zones, from 50% to 100% of your maximum heart rate:
| Zone | Share of maximum | How it feels |
|---|---|---|
| 1: very light | 50 to 60% | Warm-up and recovery |
| 2: light | 60 to 70% | Easy, steady, you can talk freely |
| 3: moderate | 70 to 80% | Comfortable but working |
| 4: hard | 80 to 90% | Short sentences only |
| 5: maximum | 90 to 100% | Very hard, only for short efforts |
These bands are a common convention. Some coaches, watches and apps use slightly different boundaries or names, so check the scale your own device uses before comparing numbers.
Two ways to estimate maximum heart rate
The two best-known formulas are:
- Classic: 220 minus your age.
- Tanaka: 208 minus (0.7 times your age).
They give similar answers in your thirties and forties, and drift apart with age. For a 50-year-old the classic formula gives 170 bpm and Tanaka gives 173 bpm.
Both formulas average across many people. Your own maximum can easily be 10 or more beats higher or lower, and it is not a measure of fitness. A maximum measured in a supervised test is better than any formula, but it is not necessary for most people. If you use a measured figure, the Heart rate zones calculator calculator lets you enter it directly.
The Karvonen method and heart rate reserve
The simple method takes a flat percentage of your maximum. The Karvonen method uses your resting heart rate as well, and works with your heart rate reserve, which is the gap between resting and maximum:
target = (maximum − resting) × percentage + resting
Because it starts from your resting rate, it fits fitter people better: someone with a low resting heart rate gets a wider range to work in.
To measure resting heart rate, take your pulse for a full minute when you wake up, before you get out of bed, on two or three mornings and average them. Many adults sit somewhere between about 60 and 100 bpm.
A worked example
Take a 50-year-old with a resting heart rate of 65 bpm and a maximum of 170 bpm from the classic formula. Using the calculator, the heart rate reserve is 105 bpm and the zones come out as:
| Zone | Karvonen range |
|---|---|
| 1 | 118 to 128 bpm |
| 2 | 128 to 139 bpm |
| 3 | 139 to 149 bpm |
| 4 | 149 to 160 bpm |
| 5 | 160 to 170 bpm |
With the Tanaka maximum of 173 bpm and the simple percentage method, the same person gets zone 2 as 104 to 121 bpm. The Karvonen ranges sit higher because they add the resting rate back in. Neither is wrong; they are different models, so pick one and stay with it so your sessions can be compared over time.
How to use the zones
- Spend most of your training in the easier zones, where you should be able to talk, and keep the hardest zones for a small share of your time.
- Use the talk test as a cross-check. If a number says zone 2 but you cannot speak in full sentences, ease off.
- Heart rate lags behind effort, so on short intervals it is better to go by feel and check the zone afterwards.
- Heat, dehydration, poor sleep, caffeine, illness and stress can raise your heart rate for the same effort.
To see roughly how much energy a session uses, the Calories burned calculator calculator estimates calories from the activity and time, and the guide to Calories and TDEE: how many calories do you need? explains how that fits into your daily needs.
Note: This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, take medicines that affect your heart rate (such as beta blockers), have symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness, or are starting exercise after a long break, speak to a doctor or nurse before training by heart rate.
Try the calculator
Enter your age, choose a maximum heart rate method and, if you know it, your resting heart rate in the Heart rate zones calculator calculator to see your five zones in beats per minute. If running is your focus, Running pace and race finish times explained covers pace and finish times.
Open the free Heart rate zones calculator
Worked example 2: same age, different method, different zones
Take a 30-year-old with a resting heart rate of 55 bpm. Using the classic formula (220 minus age), the estimated maximum is 190 bpm, and the Tanaka formula gives 187 bpm. Our calculator shows how much the zone method matters:
| Zone | Simple % of 190 bpm | Karvonen (reserve 135 bpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 1: very light | 95 to 114 bpm | 123 to 136 bpm |
| 2: light | 114 to 133 bpm | 136 to 150 bpm |
| 3: moderate | 133 to 152 bpm | 150 to 163 bpm |
| 4: hard | 152 to 171 bpm | 163 to 177 bpm |
| 5: maximum | 171 to 190 bpm | 177 to 190 bpm |
An easy session in zone 2 is 114 to 133 bpm by one method and 136 to 150 bpm by the other. That is a big difference for the same person. If your watch uses one method and a chart you found uses another, you will get confusing results. Whichever you choose, use the talk test as a sanity check.
How age changes the estimate
The two formulas disagree more as you get older. For a 60-year-old, the classic formula gives 160 bpm and Tanaka gives 166 bpm. With the simple percentage method, zone 2 would be 96 to 112 bpm on the classic maximum and 100 to 116 bpm on the Tanaka one.
A maximum that you have measured, for example from a hard, safe, supervised effort, replaces the formula figure. In the calculator, choose the measured option and enter it. With a measured maximum of 195 bpm and a resting rate of 55 bpm, the Karvonen zone 2 for the same 30-year-old becomes 139 to 153 bpm.
Step-by-step: working out your zones by hand
- Estimate your maximum: 220 minus your age, or 208 minus 0.7 times your age.
- Measure your resting heart rate for a minute on waking, on a few mornings, and average them.
- For the simple method, multiply the maximum by each percentage (for example 0.6 and 0.7 for zone 2).
- For Karvonen, subtract resting from maximum to get the reserve, multiply the reserve by the percentage, then add the resting rate back.
- Round to the nearest beat and write the five ranges on a card or enter them in your watch.
For example, with a maximum of 190, resting of 55 and a zone 2 range of 60 to 70%: reserve is 135, so 135 × 0.6 + 55 = 136 and 135 × 0.7 + 55 = 149.5, which rounds to 150.
Common mistakes with heart rate training
- Treating the formula as fact. It is a population average, not a measurement of you.
- Training too hard too often. If every session is in zone 4 or 5, you will struggle to recover. Most people benefit from plenty of easy running, cycling or walking.
- Trusting wrist sensors blindly. Optical sensors can lag or misread, especially during intervals or in the cold. A chest strap is generally more responsive.
- Comparing with other people. Two people of the same age can have very different maximums and resting rates.
- Ignoring the day. Heat, poor sleep, stress, illness and caffeine all change the numbers. If a normal pace suddenly feels hard, back off.
Pace-based training is an alternative if you run: see Running pace and race finish times explained. For fuelling and recovery, Calories and TDEE: how many calories do you need? and How much water should you drink each day? cover the basics.
When to check with a professional
Speak to a doctor, nurse or qualified coach before using zone training if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, take medicine that changes your heart rate, are pregnant or have not exercised for a long time. The NHS website has guidance on getting started with exercise. Stop and seek help if you feel chest pain, faint, or become unusually breathless.
Frequently asked questions
Is 220 minus age accurate?
It is a rough average and can be wrong by 10 or more beats for an individual. Treat the result as a starting point and use how you feel as a check.
What is the best heart rate zone for fat burning?
Lower zones use a higher share of fat for fuel, but harder zones burn more calories per minute, so there is no single best zone. Choose the intensity you can keep up consistently.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
Many healthy adults have a resting heart rate somewhere between about 60 and 100 bpm, and fit people are often lower. If yours is persistently outside your usual range or you have symptoms, speak to a GP.
Do heart rate zones work if I take medication?
Some medicines, such as beta blockers, lower your heart rate, which makes formula zones unreliable. Ask your doctor or nurse how to judge effort safely.
How long should I spend in each zone?
There is no single answer. Many people spend most of their time in the easier zones and a smaller share in the hard ones. A coach or a published training plan can set a sensible mix for your goal.
Does resting heart rate matter for the simple method?
No. The simple percentage method uses only your maximum. Resting rate matters for the Karvonen method.
Why is my heart rate high at the start of a run?
Heart rate often rises faster than effort in the first few minutes, and nerves, heat, caffeine and dehydration can add to it. A gradual warm-up helps.
Can I use the same zones for cycling and running?
They are a useful guide for both, but many people reach a lower maximum on a bike than when running, so a zone based on a running maximum can feel too high on the bike.