Target Heart Rate Zones

Identify optimal training heart rate zones for recovery, fat burn, and cardiovascular endurance.

Physiological Profile

Age

Years

10 Years95 Years

Resting Heart Rate

bpm

35 bpm120 bpm

Max Heart Rate Formula

Zone Boundaries Method

Calculated Zones

Estimated Max Heart Rate

192 bpm

Max HR: 192 bpm (formula: standard)

Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)

127 bpm

Resting HR: 65 bpm

Active Recovery

Warm-up / Easy walk. Very comfortable. You can easily breathe and talk in full sentences.

129 - 141 bpm50% - 60% intensity

Aerobic / Fat Burn

Easy jog / Fat-burn. Light sweating. Conversational pace; you can talk but have to breathe heavier.

141 - 154 bpm60% - 70% intensity

Tempo / Aerobic Endurance

Aerobic stamina / Tempo. Faster workout. You can only speak in short, broken phrases.

154 - 167 bpm70% - 80% intensity

Threshold / Anaerobic

Hard effort / Anaerobic. Difficult to speak; breathing is deep, heavy, and very rapid.

167 - 179 bpm80% - 90% intensity

VO2 Max / Redline

Maximum sprint / VO2 Max. Extreme effort. Exhausting; unable to talk; gasping for air.

179 - 192 bpm90% - 100% intensity

Understanding Training Heart Rate Zones

Heart rate training zones define workout intensity levels by mapping heart beats per minute. Working within specific thresholds optimizes fat metabolism, cardiorespiratory capacity, lactate clearance, or sprint threshold peaks.

Mathematical Formula

\text{Karvonen Formula: Target HR} = (\text{Max HR} - \text{Resting HR}) \times \text{Intensity}\% + \text{Resting HR}

\text{Standard Max HR} = 220 - \text{Age}

\text{Tanaka Max HR} = 208.5 - 0.7 \times \text{Age}

Formula Explanation:

Standard Max HR = 220 - Age
Tanaka Max HR = 208.5 - (0.7 * Age)
Gellish Max HR = 207 - (0.7 * Age)
Heart Rate Reserve (HRR): The range between your resting rate and maximum rate.

Terms & Abbreviations

Bpm Beats per Minute - standard heartbeat metric.

HRR Heart Rate Reserve - Max HR minus Resting HR.

Karvonen Method An advanced formula incorporating resting heart rate to establish custom zones.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Karvonen formula accounts for individual fitness levels by factoring in resting heart rate. A fitter individual with a lower resting heart rate gets more accurate zone boundaries tailored to their true physiological reserve.

Zone 2 (60% - 70% intensity) is commonly referred to as the fat-burning zone. At this workload, the body utilizes a higher percentage of fats relative to glycogen for energy.

For best results, measure your heart rate manually or with a tracker immediately after waking up in the morning, while still lying down in bed.