Max Heart Rate
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bpm · Enter age to calculate
⏱️ 6-Second Pulse Count Method
Count your pulse beats for 6 seconds and multiply by 10 to get your current heart rate. This is the quickest way to check your HR during a workout without a monitor.
Understanding Heart Rate Training Zones
Heart rate training zones let you train at the right intensity for your specific fitness goal — whether that's burning fat, building aerobic base, improving speed, or pushing VO2 max. Without knowing your zones, you may train too hard (risking overtraining) or too easy (limiting progress).
The Key Formulas
Max HR Formulas:
220 − Age (Classic, simple — Fox & Haskell)
208 − 0.7 × Age (Tanaka — more accurate for fit adults)
206 − 0.88 × Age (Gulati — validated for women)
Karvonen (Heart Rate Reserve) Method:
HRR = Max HR − Resting HR
THR = (HRR × Intensity%) + Resting HR
Simple % of Max Method:
THR = Max HR × Intensity%
Why Resting Heart Rate Matters
The Karvonen formula uses your resting heart rate (RHR) to calculate Heart Rate Reserve (HRR = Max HR − RHR). This produces more accurate training zones than simple percentage-of-max because it accounts for your individual cardiovascular fitness level. An athlete with an RHR of 45 bpm will have different training zones than a sedentary person with an RHR of 80 bpm at the same age.
Zone-by-Zone Training Guide
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Zone 1 — Recovery
50–60% MHR. Active recovery, warm-up and cool-down. Very easy breathing. Can hold full conversations.
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Zone 2 — Fat Burning
60–70% MHR. Aerobic base and fat metabolism. Should occupy 70–80% of your training time. Easy to moderate effort.
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Zone 3 — Aerobic
70–80% MHR. Improves cardiovascular fitness and endurance. Moderate effort — can speak in short sentences.
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Zone 4 — Threshold
80–90% MHR. Lactate threshold training. Improves speed and power. Hard effort — difficult to speak.
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Zone 5 — VO2 Max
90–100% MHR. Maximum effort intervals. Only sustainable for short periods. Not for beginners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal resting heart rate?
For adults, a normal resting heart rate is 60–100 beats per minute. Athletes and highly fit individuals often have resting heart rates of 40–60 bpm. Measure your resting HR first thing in the morning before getting out of bed for the most accurate reading. Consistently high RHR (above 100) or very low RHR (below 40) warrants medical evaluation.
Which MHR formula should I use?
The classic 220 − Age formula is simple and widely used but can overestimate MHR for older adults and underestimate for younger ones. The Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × Age) is more accurate for fit adults. The Gulati formula (206 − 0.88 × Age) was derived specifically from women and may be more appropriate for female users. If you know your actual max HR from a stress test or maximum effort, enter it as "Custom" for the most accurate zones.
How much time should I spend in each zone?
For general fitness and health: 70–80% of training in Zone 2 (fat burning/aerobic), 10–15% in Zone 3–4, and 5–10% in Zone 4–5. This "80/20 rule" is backed by research showing elite endurance athletes train mostly easy. Too much Zone 3 (moderate) training leads to a "grey zone" that's too hard to recover from but not hard enough to drive adaptation.
Can I use heart rate zones for strength training?
Heart rate during strength training doesn't reflect intensity the same way it does during cardio. HR during lifting is influenced by Valsalva breathing, rest periods, and muscle tension rather than aerobic demand. HR zones are primarily designed for aerobic activities like running, cycling, and rowing. For strength training, use RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) or percentage of 1RM instead.
