Target heart rate zones by age
Five training zones by age, using heart rate reserve at a resting rate of 65 beats per minute.
| Age | Max HR | Very light | Light | Moderate | Hard | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 y | 194 | 130–142 | 142–155 | 155–168 | 168–181 | 181–194 |
| 30 y | 187 | 126–138 | 138–150 | 150–163 | 163–175 | 175–187 |
| 40 y | 180 | 123–134 | 134–146 | 146–157 | 157–169 | 169–180 |
| 50 y | 173 | 119–130 | 130–141 | 141–151 | 151–162 | 162–173 |
| 60 y | 166 | 116–126 | 126–136 | 136–146 | 146–156 | 156–166 |
| 70 y | 159 | 112–121 | 121–131 | 131–140 | 140–150 | 150–159 |
How to read this chart
- Find your age on the left. The first column is the estimated maximum; the rest are training zones in beats per minute.
- These assume a resting heart rate of 65. A different resting rate shifts every zone, which is exactly why the Karvonen method is preferred over a flat percentage of maximum.
- Maximum heart rate carries roughly ten beats of individual variation, so treat the boundaries as approximate and cross-check against perceived effort.
Work it out for your own numbers
This chart is computed from the same equations as the calculator, so the two always agree.