Target Heart Rate Calculator
Find your estimated maximum heart rate and five training zones from your age — add a resting heart rate for the more personal Karvonen method.
For most healthy adults the target heart rate is about 50–85% of maximum heart rate, with maximum estimated as 220 − age or the more accurate Tanaka equation, 208 − 0.7 × age.
How your zones are calculated
Training by heart rate starts with your maximum — the highest your heart can beat. The classic estimate is 220 minus your age, but research shows it understates the true maximum for people over about 40, so this tool defaults to the more accurate Tanaka equation (208 − 0.7 × age) and lets you switch. From your maximum it builds five training zones, each a band of intensity for a different purpose.
If you add your resting heart rate, the calculator switches to the Karvonen (heart-rate-reserve) method, which subtracts your resting rate before applying each intensity and adds it back. Because it accounts for your fitness, Karvonen gives a more personal — and usually higher — target for the same zone. Measure resting HR first thing in the morning for the best figure.
Training in the right zone
Easy zones 1 and 2 build your aerobic base and should feel conversational; most endurance training lives here. Zone 3 sharpens aerobic fitness, zone 4 raises your lactate threshold, and zone 5 is peak effort for short intervals only. Remember that estimated maximums scatter by 10–12 bpm between individuals, so treat the numbers as a guide rather than a hard limit.
Use your zones to pace runs alongside the pace calculator and to set goal efforts with the race time predictor. If you are new to exercise, older, pregnant, or managing a medical condition, check with a clinician before training hard.
The five training zones
| Zone | % of max HR | % HRR (Karvonen) | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 · Recovery | 50–60% | 50–60% | Warm-up and active recovery |
| Zone 2 · Aerobic base | 60–70% | 60–70% | Endurance base and fat oxidation |
| Zone 3 · Aerobic | 70–80% | 70–80% | Aerobic fitness and efficiency |
| Zone 4 · Threshold | 80–90% | 80–90% | Lactate threshold and speed endurance |
| Zone 5 · VO₂ max | 90–100% | 90–100% | Peak effort; short intervals only |
The AHA suggests an overall 50–85% training range for most adults. Percentages are the same for both methods; Karvonen gives higher bpm because it adds your resting rate.
Max-HR: Tanaka et al. (2001) and the classic 220 − age; zones via Karvonen (heart-rate reserve). Estimates only — not medical advice; check with a clinician before high-intensity training.
Frequently asked questions
What is a target heart rate and why does it matter?
Your target heart rate is the beats-per-minute range that keeps a workout in a chosen intensity band. Training within a zone helps match effort to a goal — easy recovery, endurance, or high-intensity work — instead of guessing. The American Heart Association suggests a general training range of about 50–85% of your maximum heart rate for most healthy adults.
Should I use 220 minus age or the Tanaka formula?
Both estimate your maximum heart rate. '220 minus age' is the simple version the AHA uses in its public chart, but research shows it underestimates the true maximum in people over about 40. The Tanaka equation (208 minus 0.7 times age), from a meta-analysis of over 18,000 people, is generally more accurate for older adults. The two give nearly identical results around age 40 and diverge further apart with age.
What is the difference between the percentage method and the Karvonen method?
The percentage method applies your intensity directly to your maximum heart rate. The Karvonen (heart-rate-reserve) method first subtracts your resting heart rate, applies the intensity to that reserve, then adds the resting rate back. Karvonen is more individualized because it accounts for your fitness level, so it usually gives a higher target for the same percentage. If you know your resting heart rate, Karvonen is the better choice.
How do I find my resting heart rate for the Karvonen method?
Measure it first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, ideally on several days, and take the average. Count your pulse for 60 seconds, or use a fitness tracker's overnight resting reading. Typical adult resting heart rates fall between about 60 and 100 bpm, and well-trained endurance athletes are often lower. If you leave resting heart rate blank, the calculator uses the percentage-of-maximum method instead.
Is it safe to train in the highest zones?
Zones 4 and 5 (roughly 80–100% of maximum) are demanding and are meant for short intervals, not sustained effort. Estimated maximum heart rates are population averages and can be off by 10–12 bpm for any individual, so treat all zones as a guide rather than a precise limit. Anyone new to exercise, returning after a break, older, pregnant, or managing a heart or other medical condition should check with a doctor before training at high intensity. This tool is for general fitness information, not medical advice.
Sources
- Tanaka, Monahan & Seals — Age-Predicted Maximal Heart Rate Revisited (JACC, 2001) — Revised HRmax formula 208−0.7×age
- Fox, Naughton & Haskell — Physical Activity and the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease (Ann Clin Res, 1971) — Origin of 220−age formula
- American Heart Association — Target Heart Rates Chart — Training-zone percentages by age
The thresholds and formulas used by this calculator follow the primary sources above. This tool provides general information, not personalised medical advice.