Heart Rate Zones Calculator Your Age (years): ...
Measure when calm, ideally after waking up. Required for Karvonen method.
How to Use This Calculator:
- Age: Enter your current age in years.
- Resting Heart Rate (RHR): Optionally, enter your RHR. To measure it accurately, take your pulse for 60 seconds (or 30s x 2) after waking up naturally, before getting out of bed or ingesting caffeine. RHR is required if you select the Karvonen method.
- MHR Formula: Choose a formula to estimate your Maximum Heart Rate. The Tanaka formula is generally considered more accurate for a wider age range.
- Zone Calculation Method:
- % of Max Heart Rate: Zones are calculated as simple percentages of your MHR.
- Karvonen (Heart Rate Reserve): This method uses your MHR and RHR to calculate zones based on your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR = MHR - RHR). It's often considered more personalized.
- Click "Calculate Zones" to see your results.
Understanding Heart Rate Zones:
Training in different heart rate zones elicits different physiological responses and benefits:
- Zone 1 (Very Light): Promotes recovery, prepares body for training. Ideal for warm-ups and cool-downs.
- Zone 2 (Light): Builds endurance, improves fat utilization, enhances cardiovascular health. Good for long, slow distance training.
- Zone 3 (Moderate): Improves aerobic fitness, increases efficiency, helps manage lactate. For moderate-length efforts, building tempo.
- Zone 4 (Hard): Increases anaerobic capacity and lactate threshold. For shorter, intense intervals to improve speed and power.
- Zone 5 (Maximum): Develops peak performance, VO2 max. For very short, all-out efforts.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes. Individual heart rates can vary. Consult with a healthcare professional or certified trainer for personalized fitness advice, especially if you have any health conditions.
