Heart Rate Calculator - Target Heart Rate Zones

Heart Rate Calculator - Calculate Your Training Zones

Calculate your heart rate zones, max heart rate, and heart rate reserve with our free heart rate calculator. Use the Karvonen formula for accurate training zones.

Calculate Your Heart Rate Zones

Your Input:

• Age: [Input: years]
• Resting Heart Rate: [Input: BPM]

[Calculate Button]

Your Results:

• Max Heart Rate: [BPM]
• Heart Rate Reserve: [BPM]
• Training Zones:
• Resting: [Range] BPM
• Fat Burn (50-60%): [Range] BPM
• Cardio (60-70%): [Range] BPM
• Hard (70-80%): [Range] BPM
• Maximum (80-100%): [Range] BPM

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Understanding Heart Rate Training

Heart rate training uses your pulse to measure exercise intensity. By training in specific heart rate zones, you can optimize your workouts for different goals like fat burning, endurance, or speed.

Key Concepts

• Max Heart Rate (MHR): The highest heart rate you can achieve during maximum exercise
• Resting Heart Rate (RHR): Your heart rate at complete rest (measured in the morning)
• Heart Rate Reserve (HRR): The difference between MHR and RHR (Karvonen method)
• Training Zones: Ranges of heart rate that correspond to exercise intensities

Max Heart Rate Formulas

Fox Formula (220 - Age)

The most commonly used formula:

MHR = 220 - Age

Example: For a 30-year-old: MHR = 220 - 30 = 190 BPM

Tanaka Formula

More accurate for healthy adults:

MHR = 208 - (0.7 × Age)

Gellish Formula

Considered highly accurate:

MHR = 207 - (0.7 × Age)

Heart Rate Training Zones

th>% of HRR

Zone	Intensity	Benefits
Zone 1	Resting/Recovery	50-60%	Warm-up, cool-down, recovery
Zone 2	Fat Burn	60-70%	Fat burning, aerobic base
Zone 3	Cardio	70-80%	Cardiovascular fitness
Zone 4	Hard	80-90%	Speed, lactate threshold
Zone 5	Maximum	90-100%	Peak performance, short bursts

Karvonen Formula

The Karvonen formula (also called heart rate reserve method) is more accurate than using simple percentages of max heart rate:

Target HR = ((MHR - RHR) × % intensity) + RHR

Example: For a 30-year-old with RHR of 70 BPM, training at 70% intensity:
MHR = 190
HRR = 190 - 70 = 120
Target HR = (120 × 0.70) + 70 = 154 BPM

Measuring Resting Heart Rate

Measure first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed
Use a heart rate monitor or find your pulse on your wrist/neck
Count beats for 60 seconds or 30 seconds × 2
Repeat for 3-5 days and take the average
Athletes typically have RHR between 40-60 BPM
Untrained adults typically have RHR between 60-100 BPM

What is a normal resting heart rate?
A normal resting heart rate for adults is 60-100 BPM. Well-trained athletes may have resting heart rates as low as 40-60 BPM. Lower resting heart rate generally indicates better cardiovascular fitness.
How do I calculate my max heart rate?
The most common formula is 220 minus your age. For example, if you're 30 years old, your estimated max heart rate is 190 BPM. This is an estimate; actual max heart rate can vary by 10-20 BPM.
What heart rate zone should I train in?
Most of your training (70-80%) should be in Zone 2 (fat burn) for building aerobic base. Zone 3 (cardio) is for moderate intensity workouts. Zones 4-5 are for intervals and should be used sparingly (10-20% of training).
What is the Karvonen formula?
The Karvonen formula calculates target heart rate using heart rate reserve: Target HR = ((Max HR - Resting HR) × intensity %) + Resting HR. It's more accurate than using simple percentages of max heart rate.

Related Calculators

Target Heart Rate Calculator
Max Heart Rate Calculator
Heart Rate Zones Calculator
Calorie Burn Calculator