What are the heart rate zones?

Heart rate zones are typically divided into 5: Zone 1 (50-60% MHR) for recovery, Zone 2 (60-70%) for fat burning, Zone 3 (70-80%) for aerobic endurance, Zone 4 (80-90%) for anaerobic threshold, and Zone 5 (90-100%) for maximum effort.

Why is it useful to know your training zones?

Knowing your zones allows you to train at the right intensity depending on your goal: burn fat, improve aerobic endurance, increase your anaerobic threshold, or improve your maximum speed.

Calculator for Maximum Heart Rate and Training Zones

Q: How is maximum heart rate calculated?

The most commonly used formula is: MHR = 220 − age. For example, if you are 30 years old, your estimated maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute (bpm).

Maximum Heart Rate and Training Zones Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) and learn the training zones you can use to optimise your workout sessions.

Enter your age to get your MHR and the training zones based on percentages of your maximum heart rate.

If you have any questions, ask on Discord.

What is maximum heart rate (MHR)

The Maximum heart rate (MHR) is the highest number of beats per minute your heart can reach during intense physical effort. It is a key figure for designing your workouts, as the training zones derived from it determine the optimal intensity according to your goal.

The most commonly used formula to estimate it is: MHR = 220 − age. For example, if you are 30 years old, your estimated MHR is 190 beats per minute (bpm).

The 5 heart rate zones

Training zones are based on percentages of your MHR. Each zone has a specific purpose:

Zone	% MHR	Goal
Zone 1	50-60 %	Active recovery and warm-up
Zone 2	60-70 %	Fat burning and base endurance
Zone 3	70-80 %	Aerobic endurance
Zone 4	80-90 %	Anaerobic threshold
Zone 5	90-100 %	Maximum effort and speed

How to use training zones

To lose fat: train in Zone 2 for 40–60 minutes. This is the intensity where your body uses the highest percentage of fat as an energy source.
To improve endurance: combine sessions in Zone 2 and Zone 3 to develop your aerobic base.
To gain speed: work with intervals in Zone 4 and Zone 5, alternating with recovery in Zone 1–2.

To complement your training, calculate your running pace and optimise your sessions by combining heart rate zones with an appropriate pace. If you have any doubts, join our fitness community on Discord.