Heart rate zones by age: a complete training chart
Sheenam Midha · Health writer
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Heart rate zones by age translate an estimated maximum heart rate into five training intensities. The chart is useful for planning, but it should agree with your breathing, symptoms, medication, and real exercise response.
Use the heart-rate-zone calculator to generate exact rounded values for your age.
Why heart rate zones help
Zones give workouts a purpose. Easy sessions build volume and recovery, moderate work develops aerobic capacity, and harder zones add threshold and high-intensity stimulus. They also prevent every session from drifting into the same tiring middle effort.
No zone is magic. Health benefits come from a sustainable mix of movement, and an age formula cannot determine whether vigorous exercise is safe for a particular person.
How to calculate five heart rate zones
First estimate maximum heart rate:
Estimated maximum HR = 220 − age
Then multiply by each percentage band:
- Zone 1: 50-60%
- Zone 2: 60-70%
- Zone 3: 70-80%
- Zone 4: 80-90%
- Zone 5: 90-100%
Heart rate zones by age chart
| Age | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 | Zone 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 100-120 | 120-140 | 140-160 | 160-180 | 180-200 |
| 30 | 95-114 | 114-133 | 133-152 | 152-171 | 171-190 |
| 40 | 90-108 | 108-126 | 126-144 | 144-162 | 162-180 |
| 50 | 85-102 | 102-119 | 119-136 | 136-153 | 153-170 |
| 60 | 80-96 | 96-112 | 112-128 | 128-144 | 144-160 |
| 70 | 75-90 | 90-105 | 105-120 | 120-135 | 135-150 |
Values are beats per minute and rounded. Your wearable may display different boundaries because it uses another formula or a measured maximum.
How each zone should feel
Zone 1 feels very easy. Zone 2 allows full-sentence conversation. Zone 3 makes speech shorter but controlled. Zone 4 is hard and sustainable for limited intervals. Zone 5 is near-maximal and used briefly.
Read our focused Zone 2 guide for the talk test and heart-rate-reserve method.
When the age chart needs adjustment
Beta blockers and some rhythm medicines lower exercise heart rate. Heat, altitude, dehydration, illness, and fatigue can raise it at the same pace. Running and cycling can produce different heart-rate responses. Wrist sensors may lag during intervals.
If you know your measured maximum, update the zones with that value. If your goal is clinical rehabilitation or performance precision, use professionally measured thresholds.
How to use the zones in a week
Most recreational exercise can stay easy to moderate, with harder work added gradually. Your weekly mix depends on training history, sport, recovery, and health. Do not jump into Zone 5 because a watch suggests it.
The target heart rate for fat loss guide explains why lower-intensity fat oxidation does not automatically mean greater fat loss. After a repeatable session, track heart-rate recovery as a separate trend.
The bottom line
Zones organize effort; they do not define your worth or health. Use the chart as a starting map and let real-world response refine it.
Evidence and review
How this article was checked
Age-based maximum and intensity guidance checked against AHA resources. The five-zone model is presented as an estimate rather than a clinical prescription. Evidence last reviewed Aug 3, 2026.
- American Heart Association - Target Heart Rates - Age-predicted maximum heart rate and moderate-to-vigorous intensity guidance.
- American Heart Association - Watch Your Heart Rate - Practical explanation of formulas, the talk test, and avoiding overfocus on a single number.
- PubMed - Talk Test and Exercise Intensity - Evidence relating speaking comfort to exercise thresholds.
FAQ
Frequently asked
Answers
Frequently asked questions
How are five heart rate zones calculated?
A common model multiplies estimated maximum heart rate by 50-60%, 60-70%, 70-80%, 80-90%, and 90-100%. Device definitions may differ.
Is 220 minus age accurate?
It is a population estimate with substantial individual error. A measured maximum or threshold-based setup can be more personal.
Should beginners train in every zone?
Most beginners benefit from building consistency at easy-to-moderate effort before adding brief vigorous sessions, assuming exercise is medically appropriate.
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