Target Heart Rate for Training: Zones Explained

Estimating your maximum heart rate

The best-known shortcut is 220 minus your age. For a 30-year-old that gives about 190 bpm, and for a 50-year-old about 170 bpm. It is a population average, so an individual's true maximum can be 10-12 bpm higher or lower. The only exact way to know your max is a supervised maximal exercise test.

Because the 220-age rule tends to overestimate the max for older adults, some coaches prefer the Tanaka formula: 208 minus 0.7 times your age. For a 60-year-old that gives about 166 bpm rather than 160 bpm. Either estimate is fine for everyday training; the key is to pick one and stay consistent so your zones don't shift between sessions.

The Karvonen method

The Karvonen formula personalizes your zones using heart rate reserve — the gap between your maximum and your resting heart rate. Target = resting HR + intensity% × (max HR − resting HR). A fitter person with a low resting rate gets a target range that reflects their actual capacity rather than age alone.

Worked example: a 40-year-old with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm and an estimated max of 180 bpm has a reserve of 120 bpm. For a 70% target: 60 + 0.70 × 120 = 144 bpm. Compare that with a plain 70% of max (126 bpm) and you can see the Karvonen result runs higher, because it starts counting from your resting rate.

The five training zones

Coaches usually split effort into five zones as a percentage of maximum heart rate. Zone 1 (50-60%) is very light recovery; Zone 2 (60-70%) builds aerobic base and burns fat efficiently; Zone 3 (70-80%) improves aerobic fitness; Zone 4 (80-90%) raises your lactate threshold; and Zone 5 (90-100%) is short, hard interval work near your max.

Most endurance plans put the bulk of weekly time in Zones 1 and 2, with only short spells in Zones 4 and 5. This polarized approach builds a strong aerobic engine while limiting fatigue. A chest-strap monitor tracks heart rate more accurately than a wrist optical sensor during hard efforts, which matters when you are trying to stay inside a tight zone.

Frequently asked questions

Is 220 minus my age accurate?

It is an average, not a precise reading. Your real maximum can be about 10-12 bpm above or below the estimate, so treat the zones it produces as a useful guide rather than a hard limit.

What is heart rate reserve?

It is the difference between your maximum heart rate and your resting heart rate. The Karvonen method uses it to set zones that reflect your fitness, not just your age.

Which zone burns the most fat?

The lower Zone 2 range (about 60-70%) burns the highest share of calories from fat, which is why it is called the fat-burning zone. Higher intensities burn more total calories, though, so overall energy use still matters for weight loss.

Should I train by heart rate or by feel?

Both help. Heart rate gives an objective number, while perceived effort captures heat, fatigue and stress that a monitor misses. Many athletes cross-check the two: if your bpm and your sense of effort disagree, ease off and listen to your body.