Target Heart Rate Calculator

Exercising in the right heart rate zone makes your training more effective. This calculator finds your target heart rate zones for fat burning, aerobic fitness, and peak performance — personalized to your age.

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter your age.
2. Optionally enter your resting heart rate (RHR) for more personalized Karvonen method zones.
3. Click Calculate to see maximum heart rate and all training zones in beats per minute (BPM).

Maximum Heart Rate Formula

Standard: Max HR = 220 − Age

Tanaka (more accurate for older adults): Max HR = 208 − (0.7 × Age)

Heart Rate Training Zones

• Zone 1 (50–60% Max HR): Warm-up, recovery. Very light effort.
• Zone 2 (60–70%): Fat burning, base aerobic fitness. Comfortable conversation pace.
• Zone 3 (70–80%): Aerobic/endurance. Moderate intensity. Harder to talk.
• Zone 4 (80–90%): Anaerobic threshold. Hard effort, breathless.
• Zone 5 (90–100%): Maximum effort. Sprinting. Not sustainable > 1–2 minutes.

Example: Age 35

Max HR = 220 − 35 = 185 BPM

• Zone 2 (fat burning): 185 × 0.60 to 185 × 0.70 = 111–130 BPM
• Zone 3 (aerobic): 130–148 BPM
• Zone 4 (threshold): 148–167 BPM

Karvonen Method (More Personalized)

Target HR = RHR + (Max HR − RHR) × Intensity%

With RHR = 60 BPM and Max HR = 185: Zone 2 = 60 + (125 × 0.60) to 60 + (125 × 0.70) = 135–148 BPM

The Karvonen method gives higher, more personalized zones — more accurate for trained athletes with low RHR.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Training exclusively in Zone 2 or only high intensity — Optimal training distributes effort: ~80% in Zones 1–2, ~20% in Zones 4–5 (polarized training model).
• Assuming 220 − age is perfectly accurate — Max HR can vary by ±10–20 BPM from the formula. A stress test or hard fitness test gives your actual max.
• Using the same zone for every workout — Variety in training intensity leads to better adaptations. Easy days truly easy; hard days truly hard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fat burning zone?

Zone 2 (60–70% max HR) burns the highest percentage of calories from fat. But higher-intensity exercise burns more total calories per minute. For fat loss, total calorie expenditure matters more than the fat-burning zone percentage.

How do I measure my heart rate during exercise?

Chest-strap heart rate monitors are most accurate. Optical wrist monitors (Garmin, Apple Watch) are convenient but slightly less accurate, especially at high intensities.

What is a good resting heart rate?

Normal adult RHR: 60–100 BPM. Athletic adults: often 40–60 BPM. Elite endurance athletes may have RHR of 35–45 BPM. Lower RHR generally indicates better cardiovascular fitness.

Conclusion

Training in the right heart rate zones makes every workout more purposeful. Use this calculator to set your zones, then track your heart rate during training to ensure you're getting the intended stimulus from each session.

Related: Pace Calculator | Calories Burned Calculator | BMR Calculator