Estimated maximum heart rate
Two common formulas. Tanaka, Monahan and Seals (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2001) found 208 − 0.7 × age fits adults better than the older 220 − age, which underestimates for older people:
| Age | 208 − 0.7 × age | 220 − age |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 194 | 200 |
| 30 | 187 | 190 |
| 40 | 180 | 180 |
| 50 | 173 | 170 |
| 60 | 166 | 160 |
| 70 | 159 | 150 |
Either is an average: a real maximum can be 10 or more beats either side. A supervised test is the only way to know yours.
The Karvonen method
Karvonen’s method (1957) works from your heart-rate reserve, the gap between your resting and maximum heart rates, so a fitter person with a low resting rate gets zones that suit them. For a 40-year-old with a maximum of 180 and a resting rate of 70, 70% intensity is 70 + 110 × 0.7 = 147 beats a minute. Their zones:
Target = resting + (maximum − resting) × intensity
| Zone | Intensity | Beats a minute |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Very light | 50–60% | 125–136 |
| 2 · Light | 60–70% | 136–147 |
| 3 · Moderate | 70–80% | 147–158 |
| 4 · Hard | 80–90% | 158–169 |
| 5 · Maximum | 90–100% | 169–180 |
What the zones are for
- Zone 1 (50–60%): warm-ups, cool-downs, recovery.
- Zone 2 (60–70%): easy, conversational effort that builds endurance; most of most training plans.
- Zone 3 (70–80%): steady, comfortably hard.
- Zone 4 (80–90%): threshold work, hard to keep up for long.
- Zone 5 (90–100%): short, all-out efforts.
How to read the result
- Estimated maximum: from your age by the formula you chose, or the one you measured.
- The five zones in beats a minute, from very light to maximum.
- Heart-rate reserve: maximum less resting, which the Karvonen method uses.
Common mistakes
- Taking the age formula as exact: it can be 10 or more beats out for one person.
- Measuring resting heart rate after coffee or exercise: count it when you wake.
- Training hard with a heart condition or on medicines that change heart rate without asking your doctor.
How to use it
- Type your age.
- For heart-rate reserve, type your resting heart rate: count your pulse for a minute when you wake, before getting up.
- If you know your measured maximum, type it to replace the estimate.
Questions
What is my zone 2 heart rate?
For many adults it is roughly 60–70% of heart-rate reserve. For a 40-year-old with a resting rate of 70, about 136–147 beats a minute.
Are these zones accurate for me?
They are estimates from averages. Medicines such as beta blockers, illness, heat and caffeine all change heart rate. If you have a heart condition or are new to exercise, talk to your doctor before training hard.
Which method should I use?
Heart-rate reserve (Karvonen) takes your fitness into account through your resting heart rate, so it suits most people who know theirs. Percentage of maximum is simpler.
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