Quick answer: Your maximum heart rate can be estimated as 208 − 0.7 × your age (the Tanaka formula), and training zones are percentages of it. For a 35-year-old that is about 184 beats per minute, and the light, fat-burning Zone 2 is 60 to 70% of it, or 110 to 128 bpm.
Training by heart rate takes the guesswork out of effort. Easy runs stay easy, hard sessions are properly hard, and you avoid the common trap of doing every workout at a middling pace.
The calculator estimates your maximum heart rate from your age and splits the range into five zones, from a gentle warm-up to an all-out effort. If you also enter your resting heart rate, it uses the Karvonen method, which accounts for your fitness and gives zones that are more personal.
How the zones are calculated
Max heart rate (classic) = 220 − age
Zone = max × percentage
Karvonen: zone = (max − resting) × percentage + resting
- Zone 1 (50 to 60%): very light, warm-up and recovery.
- Zone 2 (60 to 70%): light, the comfortable pace that builds endurance.
- Zone 3 (70 to 80%): moderate, improves aerobic fitness.
- Zone 4 (80 to 90%): hard, builds speed and threshold.
- Zone 5 (90 to 100%): maximum effort, for short intervals only.
Formulas estimate the average, and individual maximums vary by 10 bpm or more. The zones are a guide, and how hard the effort feels matters as much as the number. If you have a heart condition or take medicine that affects heart rate, ask your doctor before training in the higher zones.
A worked example
Example. For a 35-year-old, the Tanaka formula gives a maximum of 208 − 0.7 × 35 = 183.5, about 184 bpm. Zone 2 (60 to 70%) is then 110 to 128 bpm, a comfortable pace for building endurance.
Heart rate zones by age
| Age | Maximum (Tanaka) | Zone 2 (60 to 70%) | Zone 3 (70 to 80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 194 bpm | 116 to 136 bpm | 136 to 155 bpm |
| 30 | 187 bpm | 112 to 131 bpm | 131 to 150 bpm |
| 40 | 180 bpm | 108 to 126 bpm | 126 to 144 bpm |
| 50 | 173 bpm | 104 to 121 bpm | 121 to 138 bpm |
| 60 | 166 bpm | 100 to 116 bpm | 116 to 133 bpm |
Estimated with 208 − 0.7 × age and rounded to whole beats. Adding your resting heart rate to the tool switches to the Karvonen method, which gives more personal zones.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the maximum as measured. Formulas are averages and individual maximums can differ by 10 beats or more, so go by effort as well as numbers.
- Training in Zone 4 and 5 every day. Most of your training should be easy to moderate, with hard sessions kept short and spaced out.
- Ignoring medicines and health conditions. Some medicines, such as beta blockers, lower heart rate, so follow the limits your doctor gives you.
Frequently asked questions
Which max heart rate formula is better?
The Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age) was derived from a large analysis of studies and tends to be more accurate for adults, especially over 40. The classic 220 minus age is simpler and widely used but can overestimate for older adults.
What heart rate is best for fat burning?
Zone 2 is often called the fat-burning zone because a higher share of the energy comes from fat, but the total calories burned rise with intensity. A mix of zones works well for most goals.
How do I measure my resting heart rate?
Count your pulse for 60 seconds first thing in the morning before you get up, or use a fitness tracker average over several days. Most adults are between 60 and 100 bpm, and fitter people are often lower.
Are these numbers safe for me?
They are estimates for healthy adults. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take heart-related medicine, follow the limits your doctor gives you.
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Sources and further reading
- Heart rate, including maximum heart rate formulas (Wikipedia)
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. “Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2001
- American Heart Association: Target heart rates chart
Formulas on this page are checked by automated tests against independent references. See how we test our tools.