Heart Rate Calculator
Calculate your maximum heart rate, resting HR, and target heart rate zones for fat burn, cardio, and peak training based on age.
Your maximum heart rate (MHR) declines with age. Training in different heart rate zones targets different fitness outcomes — fat burning, cardiovascular fitness, or peak performance. This calculator uses the Karvonen formula for accuracy.
Heart rate training zones
- Zone 1 (50–60% MHR): warm-up / recovery — very light effort
- Zone 2 (60–70% MHR): fat burn zone — conversational pace, long endurance
- Zone 3 (70–80% MHR): aerobic zone — improves cardiovascular efficiency
- Zone 4 (80–90% MHR): anaerobic threshold — hard effort, improves lactate threshold
- Zone 5 (90–100% MHR): max effort — sprint intervals, very short duration
The Karvonen formula
Target HR = ((MHR − resting HR) × intensity %) + resting HR. This heart rate reserve (HRR) method gives more personalized zones than simple MHR percentage because it accounts for your fitness level (resting HR).
Resting heart rate and fitness
Typical resting heart rate is 60–100 bpm. Well-trained athletes often have resting HRs of 40–60 bpm. A lower resting HR generally indicates better cardiovascular fitness. Track your resting HR each morning as a fitness progress indicator.