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Heart Rate Zone Calculator

Get your zones using the simple method (percent of max HR) or the Karvonen method when you provide your resting heart rate.

This calculator determines your training heart rate zones using either a simple percentage of estimated maximum heart rate (220 minus your age) or the Karvonen method, which factors in your resting heart rate to calculate heart rate reserve (HRR). The Karvonen approach produces more personalized zones because it accounts for your baseline fitness level. Zones are split into fat burn (50-69%), cardio (70-84%), and peak (85-100%), which helps runners, cyclists, and other athletes structure workouts for specific goals like endurance building or high-intensity intervals. Note that the 220-minus-age formula is a population average and individual max HR can differ significantly.

Max HR uses the common estimate: 220 - age.

Estimated Max HR --
Fat Burn (50-69%) --
Cardio (70-84%) --
Peak (85-100%) --

About This Calculator

Training in specific heart rate zones helps optimize your workouts. The simple method uses a percentage of your estimated max HR (220 - age), while the Karvonen method incorporates resting HR for more personalized zones based on heart rate reserve.

FAQ

Simple vs Karvonen — which should I use?
Use Karvonen if you know your resting HR — it personalizes zones using heart-rate reserve. Otherwise, the simple % of max HR works fine for a quick estimate.
How accurate is 220 - age?
It's a quick estimate and can vary by person. If you have a lab-measured or sport-tested max HR, use that value instead.
How do I measure resting HR?
Measure first thing in the morning before getting up, or use a wearable's "resting" metric averaged over multiple days.

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