Clinical Heart-Rate Zone Calculator
Cardio & BurnRESULT IN BPM · MAX HR
Editorial & evidence standards
Built on cardio-training science
The Tanaka age-predicted maximum heart-rate equation (2001), the ACSM exercise-prescription position stand (2011) & Seiler's research on intensity distribution in endurance training (2010) · independent reviewer pending
Updated June 2026
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32 yrs
78 kg
178 cm
Activity level
Goal
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Build your profile Methodology & Sources · E-E-A-T Cited
How the Heart-Rate Zone calculator works
Built on peer-reviewed research and independently cross-checked against the published literature — so the number you get is defensible, not a guess.
Key takeaways
- Five zones, five purposes — recovery, endurance, tempo, threshold and VO₂ max, each defined as a band of your maximum heart rate.
- Set from your max — Clinarix uses the Tanaka equation (208 − 0.7 × age), which predicts maximum heart rate more accurately across ages than the old 220 − age rule.
- Most of your training should be easy — endurance research favours a polarised split, with the bulk of volume in Zones 1–2 and only a small share in Zones 4–5.
- Zone 2 builds your aerobic base — sustained easy work develops the engine that supports every harder effort.
- It's an estimate — true maximum heart rate varies between individuals, so refine your zones from a field test or a known max once you have one.
01
What are heart-rate zones?
Heart-rate zones are intensity bands that divide your training effort into five levels, each expressed as a percentage of your maximum heart rate. The lowest zone is a gentle recovery effort; the highest is an all-out push you can only hold for minutes. Because each zone drives a different physiological adaptation — fat metabolism and recovery low down, lactate threshold and maximal aerobic power up high — training to zones lets you aim each session at a specific goal instead of simply going "medium-hard" every time.
Their real value is structure. Most recreational athletes unconsciously train in a grey middle zone: too hard to recover from, too easy to drive peak fitness. Defined zones make the easy days genuinely easy and the hard days genuinely hard, which is exactly the contrast that produces improvement.
02
How it is calculated
Clinarix first estimates your maximum heart rate from your age using the Tanaka equation: 208 − 0.7 × age. This formula predicts maximum heart rate more accurately across the adult age range than the familiar "220 − age" rule, which systematically overestimates for younger people and underestimates for older ones. Your maximum is then divided into five bands: Zone 1 Recovery (50–60%), Zone 2 Endurance (60–70%), Zone 3 Tempo (70–80%), Zone 4 Threshold (80–90%) and Zone 5 VO₂ Max (90–100%).
Each band corresponds to a distinct training stimulus. Zones 1 and 2 build your aerobic base and aid recovery; Zone 3 is steady "tempo" work; Zone 4 sits around your lactate threshold, the fastest pace you can hold for a sustained effort; and Zone 5 develops maximal aerobic power and VO₂ max. The percentages here are the widely used five-zone model consistent with established exercise-prescription guidance.
03
How to use your result
Use the zones to govern how you distribute training intensity. The endurance research consistently favours a polarised or pyramidal approach: the large majority of your weekly volume should sit in the easy aerobic Zones 1–2, with only a small, deliberate share in the hard Zones 4–5, and relatively little time in the middle. Spending too much time in Zone 3 — the "moderately hard" trap — accumulates fatigue without delivering the benefits of either easy or truly hard work.
Wear a chest strap or wrist monitor and keep your easy sessions honestly easy, even when it feels too slow — that is where your aerobic engine is built. Reserve high-zone work for one or two structured interval sessions a week. Because these zones come from an estimated maximum, refine them once you have a real maximum from a field test or a hard race; an inaccurate maximum shifts every band with it.
Who should be cautious?
Age-predicted maximum heart rate is a population average and your true maximum can differ by 10–20 beats per minute, so treat the zones as a strong starting point rather than precise physiological thresholds. The estimate is unreliable for people taking heart-rate-altering medication such as beta-blockers, and for those with arrhythmias or a pacemaker, where measured heart rate no longer maps onto effort in the usual way. Anyone with known heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, or symptoms such as chest pain or unusual breathlessness should get medical clearance before training in the higher zones, and ideally have zones set from a supervised exercise test.
Citations · peer-reviewed sources
- 1
Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(1):153–156.
- 2
Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, Franklin BA, Lamonte MJ, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(7):1334–1359.
- 3
Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2010;5(3):276–291.
FAQ · AI-extractable answer block
Frequently asked questions
How are my heart-rate training zones calculated?
Clinarix estimates your maximum heart rate from your age using the Tanaka equation (208 − 0.7 × age), then divides it into five zones: Recovery (50–60%), Endurance (60–70%), Tempo (70–80%), Threshold (80–90%) and VO₂ Max (90–100%) of that maximum.
What is Zone 2 training and why does it matter?
Zone 2 is easy, conversational-pace effort at 60–70% of your maximum heart rate. It builds your aerobic base — the foundation that supports every harder effort — and should make up a large share of your weekly training volume, which is why endurance coaches emphasise it.
Should I train hard or easy most of the time?
Mostly easy. Endurance research favours a polarised approach: the majority of your volume in easy Zones 1–2 and only a small, deliberate share in hard Zones 4–5. Spending too much time in the moderately hard middle zone builds fatigue without the full benefit of either.
Is the 220-minus-age formula accurate?
Not very. The old "220 − age" rule overestimates maximum heart rate for younger people and underestimates it for older ones. Clinarix uses the Tanaka equation (208 − 0.7 × age) instead, which tracks measured maximum heart rate more accurately across the adult age range.
How do I find my true maximum heart rate?
An age-based estimate gets you started, but a maximal field test — for example a hard, progressive effort to exhaustion under safe conditions — or the peak seen in a hard race gives your real number. Once you have it, refine your zones from the measured maximum.
Is the heart-rate zone calculator free?
Yes — every Clinarix calculator is free. Pro ($9/mo) adds unlimited longitudinal trends, AI insights and detailed reports, but your heart-rate zones are always free.
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Important: This calculator provides general educational estimates and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is not a substitute for assessment by a licensed clinician or registered dietitian. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your diet or training, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding.