Target Heart Rate Zone Calculator

What this calculator does

Works out your estimated maximum heart rate and five personalized training zones — from a light warm-up pace up to your near-maximum effort — using your age, resting heart rate, and choice of max-heart-rate formula. Use it to keep workouts in the right intensity band for fat burning, cardio fitness, or peak performance training.

Formula used

Step 1 - Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)

$$MHR = 220 - Age \quad \text{(Standard formula)}$$ $$MHR = 208 - (0.7 \times Age) \quad \text{(Tanaka formula)}$$

The Tanaka formula is generally considered more accurate for adults, especially at older ages, since the classic 220 - Age formula tends to overestimate MHR in older adults and underestimate it in younger ones.

Step 2 - Heart Rate Reserve (HRR), via the Karvonen method

$$HRR = MHR - RestingHeartRate$$

Step 3 - Target heart rate for a given training intensity

$$TargetHR = (HRR \times Intensity) + RestingHeartRate$$

Where Intensity is the percentage for each zone, expressed as a decimal (e.g. 0.6 for 60%).

The five zones

Zone	Intensity	Purpose
Very Light	50-60%	Warm-up, recovery
Light (Fat Burn)	60-70%	Base endurance, fat metabolism
Moderate (Cardio)	70-80%	Aerobic fitness improvement
Hard (Peak Cardio)	80-90%	Performance, speed endurance
Maximum	90-100%	Short, high-intensity efforts

How to use it

1. Enter your age.
2. Enter your resting heart rate (measured first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, gives the most accurate reading).
3. Choose the max-heart-rate formula (Standard or Tanaka).
4. Submit to see your maximum heart rate and the target beats-per-minute range for each of the five training zones.

Example

A 35-year-old with a resting heart rate of 65 bpm, using the Standard formula:

$$MHR = 220 - 35 = 185$$ $$HRR = 185 - 65 = 120$$

Moderate (Cardio) zone, 70-80%:

$$TargetHR_{low} = (120 \times 0.7) + 65 = 149$$ $$TargetHR_{high} = (120 \times 0.8) + 65 = 161$$

So this person's cardio training zone is roughly 149-161 bpm.

Notes

• This is a general fitness estimate, not medical advice — if you have a heart condition or are new to exercise, check with a doctor before starting an intense training program.
• Resting heart rate varies by fitness level and time of day; measure it consistently for the most useful results.