Heart rate zones break your maximum heart rate into five ranges, each tied to a different training effect — from easy recovery to maximum effort. Training in the right zone for your goal makes workouts more effective and helps you avoid overtraining.
Finding your max heart rate
The simplest estimate is 220 minus your age. For a 40-year-old, that's 180 bpm. This is a population average, not a lab measurement — actual max heart rate can vary by 10-15 bpm from person to person, so treat it as a useful starting point rather than an exact number.
The five zones, in practice
For our 40-year-old example with a max heart rate of 180 bpm, the zones break down like this:
- Zone 1 (50-60%): 90-108 bpm — warm-up, active recovery, very light effort
- Zone 2 (60-70%): 108-126 bpm — easy aerobic pace, builds endurance base, sustainable for hours
- Zone 3 (70-80%): 126-144 bpm — moderate effort, improves cardiovascular efficiency
- Zone 4 (80-90%): 144-162 bpm — hard effort, improves speed and lactate threshold
- Zone 5 (90-100%): 162-180 bpm — maximum effort, sustainable for only a few minutes at a time
Which zone should you train in?
It depends on your goal:
- Building a fitness base — spend most of your time in Zone 2, where you can sustain effort for long periods while building aerobic capacity
- Improving speed and power — incorporate Zone 4-5 intervals once or twice a week, with full recovery between sessions
- General health — a mix of Zone 2 and Zone 3 work, a few times a week, covers most cardiovascular health guidelines
A common training mistake
Many recreational exercisers spend too much time in Zone 3 — hard enough to feel tiring, but not hard enough to build top-end fitness, and too intense to fully build aerobic base. This is sometimes called the "gray zone." Structuring workouts to spend more time deliberately in Zone 2 or Zone 4-5, with less time in between, tends to produce better results.
These zones are estimates based on age-predicted max heart rate. Factors like fitness level, medications, and certain health conditions can affect your actual heart rate response to exercise. If you have a heart condition or are new to exercise, consult a doctor before starting an intense training program.
Find your zones
Use the Heart Rate Zones Calculator to get your personalized zone breakdown based on your age.