Cardio Training
Heart Rate Zones Calculator — 5-Zone Training System
Calculate your personalized heart rate training zones using the Karvonen or max-HR method.
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The 5-Zone Heart Rate Training System
Training in the right heart rate zone maximizes results for your specific goal, whether it's fat loss, aerobic base building, or peak performance.
Max Heart Rate Formula
Max HR = 220 − Age (Tanaka formula: 208 − 0.7 × Age)
Karvonen Method
Target HR = ((Max HR − Resting HR) × intensity%) + Resting HR
Example: ((190 − 65) × 0.70) + 65 = 152.5 bpm (Zone 3)
Example: ((190 − 65) × 0.70) + 65 = 152.5 bpm (Zone 3)
Zone-by-Zone Benefits
- Zone 1 (50–60%): Active recovery, warm-up/cool-down, improves general health
- Zone 2 (60–70%): Fat burning zone, builds aerobic base, conversational pace
- Zone 3 (70–80%): Aerobic endurance, improves cardiovascular fitness
- Zone 4 (80–90%): Anaerobic threshold, improves speed and power
- Zone 5 (90–100%): Maximum effort, sprint intervals, VO2 max improvement
80/20 Rule: Elite endurance athletes spend ~80% of training in Zone 2 and only ~20% in Zones 4–5. This "polarized training" approach yields better results than always training at moderate intensity.