Calculate your maximum heart rate using 4 established formulas, find your target heart rate zones with the %MHR or Karvonen method, and see the recommended zone for your training goal.
Last updated: July 2026 · Based on established exercise science
Enter your age, gender and optional resting heart rate.
Pick a max heart rate formula and a calculation method.
We calculate your 5 target heart rate training zones.
See the recommended zone and BPM range for your training goal.
Training within a specific heart rate zone helps you match your workout intensity to your goal, whether that's easy recovery, fat burning, building aerobic endurance or pushing your performance ceiling. Heart rate is one of the simplest, most accessible ways to gauge exercise intensity in real time, especially with a smartwatch or chest strap.
Heart rate zones help you avoid training too hard on easy days and too easy on hard days.
Regular time in moderate zones builds a stronger heart and improves circulation over time.
Watching your heart rate at a given pace improve over time is a reliable sign of rising fitness.
This calculator first estimates your maximum heart rate (MHR) using your chosen formula, then applies either the simple percentage method or the more advanced Karvonen method to find your training zones.
Karvonen Target HR = ((MHR - RHR) × Intensity %) + RHR
Multiplies your max heart rate directly by the zone percentage. Quick, but doesn't account for your fitness level.
Factors in your resting heart rate, giving a more personalized zone, especially useful for fitter individuals with a lower resting heart rate.
No single max heart rate formula is perfectly accurate for every individual, since actual max heart rate can vary meaningfully from person to person. These formulas offer different tradeoffs between simplicity and precision.
| Formula | Equation | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional | 220 - Age | Quick estimate, widely known but less precise |
| Tanaka | 208 - (0.7 × Age) | More accurate across a broad adult age range |
| Gulati | 206 - (0.88 × Age) | Developed specifically from data on women |
| HUNT | 211 - (0.64 × Age) | Based on a large general-population study |
Each training zone stresses your body differently. Mixing zones across your week, rather than staying in one zone all the time, tends to produce the most balanced fitness results.
| Zone | % MHR | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 - Warm Up / Recovery | 50 - 60% | Active recovery, easy movement, warm-ups and cool-downs |
| Zone 2 - Fat Burn | 60 - 70% | Builds aerobic base and improves fat metabolism |
| Zone 3 - Aerobic / Cardio | 70 - 80% | Improves cardiovascular efficiency and endurance |
| Zone 4 - Anaerobic / Performance | 80 - 90% | Increases speed, power and lactate threshold |
| Zone 5 - Maximum / VO2 Max | 90 - 100% | Short, intense efforts that push your performance ceiling |
This Heart Rate Calculator provides an estimate based on the information you enter and standard exercise science formulas. Actual maximum heart rate varies between individuals and can be affected by medications, medical conditions and genetics. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a heart condition or are taking medication that affects heart rate.
A Heart Rate Calculator estimates your maximum heart rate and target training zones based on your age, gender and optional resting heart rate.
Tanaka tends to be more accurate across a broad adult age range than the traditional 220-age formula, Gulati was developed specifically from data on women, and HUNT is based on a large general-population study.
The Karvonen method calculates target heart rate using your heart rate reserve, the difference between your max and resting heart rate, giving a more personalized result than a simple percentage of max heart rate.
Check your pulse first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, or use the resting heart rate reading from a fitness tracker or smartwatch averaged over several days.
It depends on your goal: Zones 1-2 for recovery and fat burning, Zone 3 for building aerobic fitness, and Zones 4-5 for performance and speed work, ideally mixed across your training week.
These are population-based estimates. Actual max heart rate can vary by plus or minus 10-15 beats per minute between individuals of the same age, so treat the result as a helpful guide rather than an exact number.
Yes. This calculator is completely free and works on desktop, tablet and mobile devices.
Discover free calculators for calories, TDEE, BMR, BMI, macros, protein, hydration, heart rate and many more health and fitness planning tools.
Browse All Health Calculators →