Heart Rate Zone Calculator

Understanding Heart Rate Zones

Training in specific heart rate zones allows you to target different fitness goals efficiently. The Karvonen formula is considered more accurate than the standard "220 minus age" because it incorporates your resting heart rate.

The 5 Zones

• Zone 1 (50-60% - Recovery): Very light intensity. Used for warm-ups, cool-downs, and active recovery. Helps with blood flow and muscle repair.
• Zone 2 (60-70% - Fat Burn): Light intensity. The "sweet spot" for building endurance and burning fat. Train here for long durations.
• Zone 3 (70-80% - Aerobic): Moderate intensity. Improves aerobic capacity and blood circulation. You should be breathing hard but still able to talk.
• Zone 4 (80-90% - Anaerobic): Hard intensity. Increases lactate threshold. Short bursts of high effort. Hard to maintain for long.
• Zone 5 (90-100% - VO2 Max): Maximum effort. For very short intervals (sprinters). Improves speed and power.

How to Use This Data?

For general fitness and weight loss, spend most of your time in Zones 2 and 3. For performance improvement, mix in interval training in Zone 4. Zone 1 is crucial for recovery days.