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Cardio and training

Heart rate zones calculator

Five training zones from your age, using Tanaka or the classic 220 − age.

Your stats

Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) is more accurate than the classic 220 − age for adults over 40, especially endurance-trained ones. Both are estimates — a measured max HR from an all-out test is more reliable.

Estimated max heart rate
187bpm

Using the Tanaka formula.

  • Z1 — Recovery94–112 bpm
    Warm-up and recovery work. Conversational, very easy.50–60 %
  • Z2 — Easy aerobic112–131 bpm
    The base of endurance training. Long runs and rides live here.60–70 %
  • Z3 — Aerobic131–150 bpm
    Sustained moderate effort. Builds aerobic capacity over months.70–80 %
  • Z4 — Threshold150–168 bpm
    Lactate threshold — tempo runs and longer intervals.80–90 %
  • Z5 — VO2 max168–187 bpm
    Maximal aerobic work. Short, hard intervals.90–100 %

What heart-rate zones are for

Endurance training is structured around heart-rate zones because the physiological adaptations you get differ sharply by intensity. Zone 2 (60–70 % of max) is the home of aerobic base development — long, easy efforts that grow mitochondria, raise capillary density, and build the foundation that everything else stacks on.

Zone 4 (lactate threshold) and Zone 5 (VO2 max) add the top-end fitness. The widely-used 80/20 model puts roughly 80 % of weekly training time in Zone 2 and 20 % in Zones 4–5, with very little in between.

The formulas

Fox (1971):    max HR = 220 − age
Tanaka (2001): max HR = 208 − 0.7 × age

Zone N range = max HR × low % to max HR × high %

Frequently asked questions

Which max-HR formula is more accurate?
Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) is generally more accurate than the older 220 − age, especially for adults over 40 and for trained endurance athletes. Both are population averages — actual max heart rate varies by ±10 bpm or more between individuals of the same age. A measured max from a maximal effort test is the only fully reliable number.
How should I use the zones?
For aerobic base development, spend most of your easy training in Zone 2 (60–70 %). Add Zone 4 work (threshold) once a week for endurance-pace fitness, and short Zone 5 intervals once a week for top-end fitness. Spending too much time in Zones 3–4 — the 'grey zone' — accumulates fatigue without the benefits of true easy or true hard work.
Why does my watch show different zones?
Most watches use heart rate reserve (Karvonen method), which accounts for resting heart rate, or a custom zone setup. The percent-of-max approach used here is the simplest and most widely cited; results land within a few bpm of the more complex methods for most people.

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