Heart rate zones divide exercise intensity into bands, from very easy to all-out. They help you keep easy sessions easy and hard sessions hard. This calculator estimates your maximum heart rate from your age, then shows five zones in beats per minute.
Enter your age and choose a formula. If you know your resting heart rate, add it under Advanced options to personalize the zones with the heart rate reserve method.
How to Use the Heart Rate Zone Calculator
- Set your age with the stepper.
- Choose a formula: 208 − 0.7 × age (Tanaka) or the classic 220 − age.
- Optional: add your resting heart rate, measured on waking, under Advanced options.
The zone chart shows each band's range and what it is typically used for.
How Maximum Heart Rate Is Estimated
| Formula | Equation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tanaka | 208 − 0.7 × age | Published in 2001 from a large meta-analysis |
| Classic | 220 − age | Simple and widely used |
In 2001, Tanaka, Monahan and Seals published "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited" in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. They combined data from 351 studies covering 18,712 people and confirmed the result in a laboratory study of 514 healthy adults. Their equation, 208 − 0.7 × age, did not differ by sex or activity level. The authors reported that 220 − age underestimates maximum heart rate in older adults.
A Worked Example
For a 40-year-old, Tanaka gives 208 − 28, or 180 bpm. The classic formula gives 180 bpm too, because the two equations cross at age 40. At 60, Tanaka gives 166 bpm while 220 − age gives 160 bpm.
The Five Training Zones
The calculator uses a common five-zone model based on percentages of maximum heart rate. These bands are a training convention used by many apps and coaches, not a clinical standard.
| Zone | % of maximum | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 50–60% | Warm-ups, cool-downs and recovery |
| Zone 2 | 60–70% | Easy, conversational endurance work |
| Zone 3 | 70–80% | Steady aerobic efforts |
| Zone 4 | 80–90% | Tempo and threshold work |
| Zone 5 | 90–100% | Short, maximal intervals |
Heart Rate Reserve
If you add a resting heart rate, the calculator uses heart rate reserve: the gap between resting and maximum heart rate. Each zone becomes resting heart rate plus a percentage of that gap. This shifts the zones upward for people with lower resting heart rates and can make them fit individual fitness more closely.
Limits of Age-Based Formulas
Age-based equations describe averages. Your actual maximum heart rate can be noticeably higher or lower than the estimate. Some medicines, including beta-blockers, and some health conditions change how heart rate responds to exercise, which makes heart rate zones less reliable.
Perceived effort is a useful cross-check. The CDC notes that moderate-intensity activity feels like about 5 or 6 on a 0 to 10 effort scale. If a zone feels very different from what it should, trust how you feel and adjust.
Talk to a clinician before starting vigorous exercise if you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness or other symptoms during activity.
Using Zones in Training
Zones are most helpful when paired with other measures. Runners often combine heart rate with pace; the Running Pace Calculator converts any distance and time into pace and splits. Walkers can use the Walking Calories Burned Calculator to see intensity in METs. Wearables also report heart rate during workouts; the comparison of WHOOP vs Oura looks at two popular trackers.
FAQs
How do I calculate my maximum heart rate?
The simplest estimates use your age. The Tanaka formula is 208 − 0.7 × age and the classic formula is 220 − age. Both give an average for people your age, and your true maximum may differ. A supervised exercise test is the only way to measure it directly.
Which is more accurate, 220 − age or 208 − 0.7 × age?
The Tanaka equation, 208 − 0.7 × age, was built from a meta-analysis of 351 studies and a laboratory study of 514 adults. Its authors reported that 220 − age underestimates maximum heart rate in older adults. Both remain estimates for individuals.
What is zone 2 heart rate?
In the five-zone model this calculator uses, zone 2 is 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate, or of heart rate reserve if you enter a resting rate. It usually feels easy and conversational. Different apps and coaches define zone 2 slightly differently.
Do I need my resting heart rate?
No, it is optional. Adding a resting heart rate, ideally measured on waking, lets the calculator use the heart rate reserve method, which can tailor zones more closely to your fitness. Without it, zones are simple percentages of estimated maximum.
Does the calculator save my information?
No. It runs in your browser only. Your age and heart rate are not stored, sent to analytics or shared, and refreshing the page clears them.
Sources
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR, Age-Predicted Maximal Heart Rate Revisited, J Am Coll Cardiol 2001.
- CDC, How to Measure Physical Activity Intensity. Perceived exertion scale for moderate activity.