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Max Heart Rate Zones Calculator

Estimate your max heart rate and 5 training zones using Tanaka, Fox, or Gulati formulas with Karvonen heart rate reserve or simple percent-of-max.

Your details

Estimated max heart rate

184 bpm

Resting HR
60 bpm
Heart rate reserve
124 bpm

Zone 1 Recovery

122 to 134 bpm

50 to 60% intensity. Active recovery, warm-ups, easy walks.

Zone 2 Aerobic

134 to 146 bpm

60 to 70%. Base building, fat oxidation, the long easy run zone.

Zone 3 Tempo

146 to 159 bpm

70 to 80%. Aerobic capacity work. Comfortably hard.

Zone 4 Threshold

159 to 171 bpm

80 to 90%. Lactate threshold intervals. Hard sustained effort.

Zone 5 VO2 max

171 to 184 bpm

90 to 100%. Short maximal intervals. Top-end aerobic power.

Method

Karvonen heart rate reserve (HRR) method: target = (MaxHR - 60) x intensity + 60. Resting HR is folded into every zone, which makes the targets sensitive to your fitness level.

Formula

Using Tanaka (208 - 0.7 x age). This matches the typical recommendation for the selected profile.

Talk test

Talk test by zone. Z1 Recovery: hold a full conversation easily. Z2 Aerobic: short sentences between breaths. Z3 Tempo: three to five words at a time. Z4 Threshold: gasping single words. Z5 VO2 max: cannot speak.

Weekly mix

Aim for about 4 base sessions per week in Z1 to Z2 plus 1 to 2 high-intensity sessions in Z4 or Z5. Roughly the 80 to 20 polarized split (80% easy, 20% hard) backed by Seiler and used by most endurance coaches.

Maximum Heart Rate Formula Examples

Formula differences grow with age. These examples use age 40.

FormulaEquationAge 40 resultDesigned for
Tanaka208 − 0.7 × age180 bpmGeneral estimate
Fox220 − age180 bpmGeneral estimate
Gulati206 − 0.88 × age171 bpmWomen-specific estimate

These are planning estimates. Adjust training and nutrition with a qualified professional when you have a health condition or a specific performance goal.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Max Heart Rate Zones Calculator

Tanaka (208 - 0.7 x age) vs Fox (220 - age): which is more accurate?
Tanaka. The 220 - age formula from Haskell and Fox (1971) was built from a small sample and never validated as a precise predictor; its standard error sits around 10 to 12 bpm and it systematically overestimates max HR for adults under 40 and underestimates it after about age 50. Tanaka et al. (2001) re-analyzed 351 published studies covering 18,712 subjects and produced 208 - 0.7 x age, which fits the data better across the adult range. The Tanaka standard deviation is also roughly +/-10 bpm, so neither formula replaces a graded exercise test, but Tanaka is the better default for the general population.
Why is the Karvonen heart rate reserve method better than simple percent of max?
Karvonen includes resting heart rate. Heart rate reserve is max HR minus resting HR, and the target is resting HR plus the selected percentage of that reserve. With the same estimated max HR and a 70 percent target, a resting HR of 45 produces a lower target than a resting HR of 75. For a max of 184, the examples are about 142 bpm and 151 bpm. This is an estimated training range, not proof that one person is fitter or that the target is medically appropriate.
Where do the 5 heart rate zones come from?
This calculator uses a conventional five-zone model. Zone 1 is 50-60% of the selected maximum-heart-rate value, Zone 2 is 60-70%, Zone 3 is 70-80%, Zone 4 is 80-90%, and Zone 5 is 90-100%. Those bands are training estimates. A percentage of an estimated maximum heart rate cannot locate your personal ventilatory or lactate threshold.
What is 80/20 polarized training and how does it map to zones?
Polarized training describes a pattern in which much of an endurance athlete's time is easy and a smaller share is hard. The exact distribution depends on how intensity is measured, the sport, training phase, and athlete. This calculator's five percentage bands do not prescribe an 80/20 plan or determine how many hard sessions are appropriate. Build a plan around your training history, recovery, and goals.
How does a lab VO2 max test compare to a formula-estimated max HR?
A formula estimates maximum heart rate from a population average. A graded laboratory test can record heart rate as workload rises under professional supervision, but reaching a true maximum depends on the protocol and your effort. Do not use an all-out field session to establish a medical limit. If the calculator's targets do not fit your symptoms or exercise tolerance, discuss appropriate testing with a clinician.

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