Calculate your personalized heart rate training zones using maximum heart rate or the Karvonen formula. Train at the right intensity for your specific fitness goals.
Measure upon waking, before getting out of bed
Heart rate training zones are specific ranges of heartbeats per minute that correspond to different exercise intensities and training adaptations. Training in the correct zone ensures you're working at the right intensity to achieve your specific fitness goals, whether that's fat burning, endurance building, or performance improvement.
Each zone triggers different physiological responses. Lower zones primarily use fat for fuel and build aerobic base, while higher zones improve lactate threshold and maximum performance capacity.
Max HR = 220 - Age
Zone = Max HR × Percentage
Simple, requires only age, widely used standard.
Less personalized, doesn't account for fitness level or resting heart rate.
Target HR = ((Max HR - Resting HR) × %Intensity) + Resting HR
More accurate, accounts for fitness level through resting heart rate.
Requires knowing your resting heart rate (measure upon waking).
Focus on Zone 2 for maximum fat oxidation and sustainable calorie burn.
Build aerobic base with Zone 2, add tempo work in Zone 3 for race pace.
Balanced approach with high-intensity work in Zones 4-5 for speed and power.
30 minutes easy activity or rest day
Warm-up + 6 x 3min hard (Zone 4) with 2min recovery + cool-down
45-60 minutes steady aerobic pace
Warm-up + 20-30min tempo pace + cool-down
30 minutes easy or rest
60-90 minutes at comfortable aerobic pace
30-45 minutes very easy or cross-training
Most common mistake. Easy runs should be truly easy (Zone 1-2). Going too hard prevents recovery and limits performance on hard days. If you can't hold a conversation, you're going too hard.
Interval and tempo sessions should be genuinely challenging (Zone 4-5). If you're not breathing hard and feeling uncomfortable, you're not getting the intended training stimulus.
Zone 3 is the "gray zone" - too hard to build aerobic base, not hard enough for quality work. Most training should be Zone 2 (easy) or Zone 4-5 (hard), with limited Zone 3.
Heart rate naturally increases during long efforts even at constant pace (cardiac drift). This is normal. Use perceived effort alongside heart rate for best results.
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Calculate heart rate training zones