Target Heart Rate Calculator
Calculate your 5 training heart rate zones using the Karvonen formula. Includes max heart rate by 3 methods and resting HR for accurate personalized zones.
190
MAX HR
140-153
FAT BURN ZONE
165-178
THRESHOLD ZONE
Your Details
❤ Max Heart Rate
190 bpm
220 − Age formula · HRR 125 bpm
- Max HR
- 190
- Resting HR
- 65
- HRR
- 125
140–153
Zone 2 (Fat Burning)
153–165
Zone 3 (Aerobic)
165–178
Zone 4 (Threshold)
178–190
Zone 5 (VO2 Max)
💓 Your 5 Training Heart Rate Zones
⏱ 6-Second Pulse Count Method
Count your pulse beats for 6 seconds and multiply by 10 to get your current heart rate — the quickest way to check your HR mid-workout without a monitor.
📐 Heart Rate Zones — All 3 MHR Formulas
| Formula | Max HR |
|---|---|
| 220 − Age | 190 bpm |
| Tanaka: 208 − 0.7×Age | 187 bpm |
| Gulati (women): 206 − 0.88×Age | 180 bpm |
| Custom | 185 bpm |
Understanding Heart Rate Training Zones
Heart rate training zones let you train at the right intensity for your specific fitness goal — whether that's burning fat, building aerobic base, improving speed, or pushing VO2 max. Without knowing your zones, you may train too hard (risking overtraining) or too easy (limiting progress). Pair this with our pace calculator to match pace with heart rate zone.
🧮 The Key Formulas
Max HR Formulas: 220 − Age (classic, simple) | 208 − 0.7×Age (Tanaka, more accurate for fit adults) | 206 − 0.88×Age (Gulati, validated for women)Karvonen (Heart Rate Reserve) Method: HRR = Max HR − Resting HR | THR = (HRR × Intensity%) + Resting HRSimple % of Max Method: THR = Max HR × Intensity%📊 Why Resting Heart Rate Matters
The Karvonen formula uses your resting heart rate to calculate Heart Rate Reserve (HRR = Max HR − Resting HR). This produces more accurate training zones than simple percentage-of-max because it accounts for your individual cardiovascular fitness level. An athlete with an RHR of 45 bpm will have different training zones than a sedentary person with an RHR of 80 bpm at the same age.
🔵
Zone 1 — Recovery
50-60% MHR. Active recovery, warm-up and cool-down. Very easy breathing. Can hold full conversations.
🟢
Zone 2 — Fat Burning
60-70% MHR. Aerobic base and fat metabolism. Should occupy 70-80% of your training time. Easy to moderate effort.
🟡
Zone 3 — Aerobic
70-80% MHR. Improves cardiovascular fitness and endurance. Moderate effort — can speak in short sentences.
🟠
Zone 4 — Threshold
80-90% MHR. Lactate threshold training. Improves speed and power. Hard effort — difficult to speak.
❤️
Zone 5 — VO2 Max
90-100% MHR. Maximum effort intervals. Only sustainable for short periods. Not for beginners.
— FAQ