Calculate five heart rate training zones from your age, resting pulse and chosen maximum-heart-rate formula. Compare percentage-of-maximum and heart-rate-reserve ranges, then check the American Heart Association's moderate and vigorous target bands.
- Three HRmax formulas
- Optional measured HRmax
- Five training zones
- HRmax and HRR comparison
Heart Rate Zone Calculator by Age and Resting Pulse
Enter your age, choose an HRmax formula and add your resting heart rate if you want heart-rate-reserve zones. The results are estimates for adults and do not replace individualized medical or exercise advice.
Percentage of HRmax, based on Tanaka estimate
AHA target heart rate guide
% of selected HRmaxFive-zone heart rate table
Primary: % HRmax| Zone | Intensity | % HRmax range | HRR range | General effort cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 50% to 60% | 90 - 107 bpm | 120 - 131 bpm | Easy, warm-up or recovery effort |
| Zone 2 | 60% to 70% | 108 - 125 bpm | 132 - 143 bpm | Steady aerobic effort, conversation possible |
| Zone 3 | 70% to 80% | 126 - 143 bpm | 144 - 155 bpm | Moderately hard, shorter sentences |
| Zone 4 | 80% to 90% | 144 - 161 bpm | 156 - 167 bpm | Hard effort, only a few words |
| Zone 5 | 90% to 100% | 162 - 180 bpm | 168 - 180 bpm | Near-maximal effort, brief intervals |
Values above 85% exceed the AHA's general target range. Zone 5 is not a routine health target and is unsuitable for many people.
Maximum heart rate formula comparison
| Formula | Equation | Result | Use note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanaka | 208 - 0.7 x age | 180 bpm | Default general adult estimate |
| Traditional | 220 - age | 180 bpm | Simple formula used in the AHA age chart |
| Gulati women | 206 - 0.88 x age | 171 bpm | Derived from asymptomatic women |
Current exercise heart rate
Recent calculations
Results stay in this page session. The calculator does not send your inputs anywhere.
How to Use This Heart Rate Zone Calculator
- Enter your age. This calculator is designed for adults from 18 to 100.
- Select a maximum heart rate formula. Tanaka is the default general adult equation. The traditional and Gulati options let you compare common alternatives.
- Enter your resting heart rate if you want heart-rate-reserve ranges. Use a calm morning measurement rather than a pulse taken after caffeine, activity or stress.
- Choose the primary method. Percentage of HRmax is simple. Heart rate reserve uses both maximum and resting heart rate.
- Add a current exercise heart rate if you want the tool to classify that reading within the selected five-zone model.
- Review the full zone table, not only the large number. Check the AHA moderate and vigorous guide, formula comparison and safety notes.
The calculator rounds each boundary once. A rounded boundary belongs to the higher zone, so the whole-bpm rows remain gap-free. Your real response does not change at one exact beat, so use the ranges as guides rather than rigid cutoffs.
What Are Heart Rate Training Zones?
Heart rate zones divide exercise intensity into percentage bands. They help you describe how hard your cardiovascular system is working during walking, running, cycling, rowing and other aerobic activity. A five-zone model commonly runs from 50% to 100% of a chosen maximum or heart rate reserve.
The zones are a training convention. They are not diagnoses, medication targets or universal physiological thresholds. Two people with the same age can have different measured maximum heart rates, resting rates, fitness levels and responses to heat or fatigue. The same heart rate can also feel different during running and cycling.
Heart Rate Formulas Used by This Calculator
Tanaka maximum heart rate formula
Tanaka, Monahan and Seals published this equation after analyzing laboratory data from healthy adults. It is the calculator's default age-based formula. It still estimates a population average, so it cannot predict every person's true maximum.
Traditional maximum heart rate formula
This familiar equation is easy to calculate and remains the basis of the American Heart Association's consumer target-heart-rate chart. The AHA calls its figures averages and recommends treating them as a general guide.
Gulati formula for women
Gulati and colleagues derived this equation from exercise-test data in asymptomatic women. Select it when that study population is relevant to your comparison. It is not a correction that automatically fits every woman.
Heart rate reserve formula
Heart rate reserve, often called the Karvonen method, first subtracts resting heart rate from maximum heart rate. It then adds a chosen percentage of that reserve back to the resting rate. Because it includes resting pulse, its target at the same percentage is usually higher than a simple percentage-of-maximum target.
Worked Heart Rate Zone Example
Consider a 40-year-old adult with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm. The Tanaka equation gives 208 - (0.7 x 40) = 180 bpm. Heart rate reserve is 180 - 60 = 120 bpm.
Using the simple percentage-of-maximum method, the 60% and 70% boundaries are 108 and 126 bpm. Because a rounded boundary belongs to the higher zone, the table displays Zone 2 as 108 to 125 bpm, and 126 bpm starts Zone 3. With heart rate reserve, the boundaries are 132 and 144 bpm, so Zone 2 displays as 132 to 143 bpm, and 144 bpm starts Zone 3.
The AHA moderate-intensity guide uses 50% to 70% of maximum, which gives 90 to 126 bpm. Its vigorous guide uses 70% to 85%, which gives 126 to 153 bpm. These AHA ranges use percentage of maximum, not heart rate reserve.
Five Heart Rate Zones Explained
| Zone | Percentage band | Typical use | Effort check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 50% to 60% | Easy movement, warm-up, cool-down or recovery | Comfortable breathing and full conversation |
| Zone 2 | 60% to 70% | Steady aerobic work and longer easy sessions | Conversation remains possible |
| Zone 3 | 70% to 80% | Moderately hard aerobic or tempo work | Shorter sentences feel more natural |
| Zone 4 | 80% to 90% | Hard intervals or threshold-oriented work | Only a few words at a time |
| Zone 5 | 90% to 100% | Near-maximal, brief efforts for trained people | Conversation is not sustainable |
These labels do not guarantee a specific fuel source, adaptation or race pace. Terms such as fat-burning zone and aerobic threshold are often used too precisely. Training response depends on session duration, total workload, recovery, sport, fitness and individual physiology.
Percentage of HRmax Versus Heart Rate Reserve
| Point | Percentage of HRmax | Heart rate reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Inputs | Estimated or measured maximum heart rate | Maximum and resting heart rate |
| Formula | HRmax x intensity | Resting HR + intensity x heart rate reserve |
| Main benefit | Simple and easy to compare with the AHA chart | Accounts for an individual's resting pulse |
| Main limitation | Ignores resting heart rate | Depends on a reliable resting rate and HRmax estimate |
| Best practice | Keep the same method when tracking sessions | Recheck resting rate under similar conditions |
Do not compare a 70% HRmax target with a 70% HRR target as if they were the same workload. The formulas use different starting points. Select one primary method for your plan and record which method your watch, app or coach uses.
Why Heart Rate Charts Give Different Numbers
Organizations and training systems use different intensity definitions. The AHA consumer chart uses about 50% to 70% of maximum for moderate activity and 70% to 85% for vigorous activity. A current American College of Sports Medicine intensity guide uses 65% to 75% of HRmax for moderate and 76% to 96% for vigorous exercise. Five-zone systems add another set of labels and boundaries.
This does not mean one chart is universally correct and every other chart is wrong. Each range reflects a chosen framework. Check the formula, percentage basis and population before comparing values. This calculator keeps the AHA guide separate from the five-zone training convention.
Which Maximum Heart Rate Formula Should You Choose?
Use Tanaka as a transparent general adult estimate. Choose 220 - age when you need direct alignment with the AHA consumer chart. The Gulati option offers a study-based comparison for asymptomatic women. Use custom HRmax only when you have a credible measured or professionally established value.
A measured maximum is more specific to the test conditions, but it is not permanent. Test type, protocol, sport, fatigue, motivation, medications and health status affect the observed peak. Do not perform a maximal field test solely to enter a number into a calculator.
- Use the same formula when comparing changes over time.
- Expect age-based equations to disagree by several beats.
- Avoid choosing the formula only because it gives the highest training target.
- Ask a qualified professional for exercise-test interpretation.
How to Measure Resting and Exercise Heart Rate
The AHA suggests checking resting heart rate in the morning after sleep, before getting out of bed or having coffee. Measure on several calm mornings and use a representative value. Stress, poor sleep, fever, dehydration and recent training can raise the reading.
To check a manual pulse at the wrist, place two fingers on the thumb side, press lightly and count beats for 30 seconds. Multiply by 2 for beats per minute. A longer count reduces the effect of one missed beat. Do not use your thumb because it has its own pulse.
Wrist wearables are convenient, but movement, loose fit, cold skin, tattoos, sweat and sensor contact can affect readings. A sudden implausible spike or drop may be sensor error. Confirm the fit, compare with a manual pulse when safe and focus on patterns rather than one isolated number.
Why Heart Rate and Effort Do Not Always Match
Heart rate is only one intensity signal. Temperature, humidity, altitude, dehydration, caffeine, anxiety, poor sleep, illness and accumulated fatigue can move it. Beta blockers and some other medicines can reduce heart-rate response. Cardiac rhythm conditions can make standard zone formulas unsuitable.
The CDC describes the talk test as a practical companion measure. During moderate activity, you should generally be able to talk but not sing. During vigorous activity, you may manage only a few words before pausing for breath. Perceived effort helps when a device reading is delayed or unreliable.
Using Heart Rate Zones Safely
- Begin near the lower part of a suitable range if you are new to exercise or returning after a break.
- Warm up before harder work and cool down gradually.
- Stop exercising for chest pain, faintness, severe shortness of breath, confusion or other concerning symptoms. Seek urgent medical help when appropriate.
- Do not chase a target number when your effort feels unusually difficult.
- Ask a healthcare professional about personal targets if you have heart disease, take heart-rate-altering medicine, are pregnant, or have been advised to limit exertion.
- Use age-appropriate professional guidance for children and adolescents. Adult equations are not a substitute for pediatric assessment.
Common Heart Rate Zone Mistakes
- Mixing percentage-of-maximum and HRR zones without noting the method.
- Using a resting pulse measured immediately after walking, caffeine or stress.
- Treating 220 - age as a measured maximum.
- Assuming Zone 2 has one universal definition across every app and training system.
- Following a wearable's reading despite poor sensor contact or unusual symptoms.
- Using a friend's zones because you share the same age.
- Viewing a formula result as permission for maximal exercise.
Sources and Method Review
The moderate and vigorous target bands follow the American Heart Association target heart rate guide, reviewed August 12, 2024. The AHA also notes that medicines and heart conditions can change an appropriate target.
The Tanaka equation comes from the peer-reviewed study Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. The women-based comparison comes from Gulati and colleagues' exercise stress testing study in asymptomatic women. The HRR calculation follows the method described in the original Karvonen paper. Talk-test guidance was checked against the CDC's December 4, 2025 page on measuring physical activity intensity.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How are target heart rate zones calculated?
First estimate or enter maximum heart rate. Percentage-of-maximum zones multiply HRmax by each intensity. Heart rate reserve zones add an intensity percentage of HRmax minus resting heart rate back to the resting rate.
Is 220 minus age an accurate maximum heart rate?
It is a simple population estimate, not a measurement. The American Heart Association uses it for a general age chart, while other research supports equations such as 208 - 0.7 x age. Individual maximum heart rate can differ.
What is the heart rate reserve method?
Heart rate reserve is maximum heart rate minus resting heart rate. The Karvonen calculation adds a chosen percentage of that reserve to resting heart rate, so it accounts for both values.
What is Zone 2 heart rate?
In this five-zone model, Zone 2 is 60% to 70% of maximum heart rate or heart rate reserve. Other apps and coaches may define Zone 2 differently, so confirm the formula before comparing numbers.
Should I use percentage of HRmax or heart rate reserve?
Percentage of HRmax is simpler and matches the AHA chart. Heart rate reserve includes resting pulse and offers a more individualized calculation. Use one method consistently and record which method produced your zones.
How should I measure resting heart rate?
Measure after waking and before getting out of bed, when practical. Count for a full minute or count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. Repeat on several calm mornings and use a representative value.
Do beta blockers change target heart rate zones?
They can lower heart rate and change its response to exercise. Generic age formulas may not fit. Ask the prescribing clinician or an exercise professional working with your care team for a suitable way to monitor intensity.
Can I use these zones with a heart condition or during pregnancy?
Do not rely on a generic calculator for individualized clearance or limits. Ask a qualified healthcare professional about safe exercise type, intensity and warning signs for your condition, medicines or pregnancy.
Health and Exercise Disclaimer
This calculator provides educational estimates for adults. It does not diagnose a condition, test exercise safety or prescribe an intensity. If you have heart or lung disease, are pregnant, have symptoms or take heart-rate-altering medicine, ask a clinician for an individualized target. Stop and seek urgent help for chest pain, fainting or severe or unusual shortness of breath.