Heart rate zones
Five training zones in beats per minute from your age or max heart rate.
How are the zones worked out?
If you only give an age, your maximum is estimated as 208 minus 0.7 times your age, a common formula. If you know your real maximum, from a hard test or race, enter it instead. With a resting heart rate the bands use the heart rate reserve (the Karvonen method), which fits you more closely than plain percentages.
The five zones run from very easy (50 to 60%) to maximum effort (90 to 100%). Most of a runner's weekly mileage is easy running in zones 1 and 2.
Read this first
These are estimates. Real heart rates vary a lot between people, and with heat, sleep, caffeine and stress. This is not medical advice. If you have a heart condition or feel unwell, speak to a doctor before you train by heart rate.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my resting heart rate?
Measure it when you wake up, before you get out of bed, for a few days, and take the average. A watch that records overnight can also give it.
Is 220 minus age better?
It is simpler and often used, but it can be off by 10 beats or more for many people. This tool uses the Tanaka formula, which fits adults of different ages a little better.
Why do my watch's zones differ?
Watches use their own settings and sometimes your recorded history. Pick one set of zones and stay with it, so your training is easy to compare.