Heart Rate Zones: The 5 Training Zones by Age

Heart rate zones divide exercise intensity into five bands, each a percentage of your maximum heart rate. They turn "go easy" or "push hard" into numbers you can see on a watch — and help you train for endurance, fitness or weight goals without overdoing it.

Step 1: estimate your maximum heart rate

The simplest formula is 220 minus your age. At 40 that gives about 180 bpm. A slightly more accurate formula for adults is 208 − 0.7 × age (also about 180 at 40, a little higher for older people). Both are averages: your real maximum can be 10–20 bpm higher or lower. A supervised exercise test gives the true value.

Step 2: the five zones

Zone	% of max heart rate	How it feels	Good for
1 · Very light	50–60%	Easy, relaxed breathing	Warm-up, cool-down, recovery
2 · Light	60–70%	Comfortable, you can chat in full sentences	Base endurance, fat burning, most of your weekly training
3 · Moderate	70–80%	Breathing deeper, short sentences only	Aerobic fitness
4 · Hard	80–90%	Few words, muscles burning	Speed and threshold training
5 · Maximum	90–100%	All-out, sustainable for seconds to a few minutes	Short intervals, top speed

The zone names are training labels. Exercise guidelines, such as those of the American College of Sports Medicine, define moderate intensity a little differently: about 64–76% of maximum heart rate — the upper part of zone 2 and the lower part of zone 3. Vigorous intensity starts at about 77%. That is why our other guides quote 64–76% for moderate exercise.

Zone table by age

Based on 220 minus age, rounded:

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Age	Max	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5
20	200	100–120	120–140	140–160	160–180	180–200
25	195	98–117	117–137	137–156	156–176	176–195
30	190	95–114	114–133	133–152	152–171	171–190
35	185	93–111	111–130	130–148	148–167	167–185
40	180	90–108	108–126	126–144	144–162	162–180
45	175	88–105	105–123	123–140	140–158	158–175
50	170	85–102	102–119	119–136	136–153	153–170
55	165	83–99	99–116	116–132	132–149	149–165
60	160	80–96	96–112	112–128	128–144	144–160
65	155	78–93	93–109	109–124	124–140	140–155
70	150	75–90	90–105	105–120	120–135	135–150
75	145	73–87	87–102	102–116	116–131	131–145

Using the heart rate reserve (Karvonen) method

If you know your resting heart rate, the Karvonen formula personalises the zones: target = resting HR + (max HR − resting HR) × intensity. For a 40-year-old with a resting rate of 60 bpm, 70% intensity gives 60 + (180 − 60) × 0.7 = 144 bpm. This method gives higher targets than plain percentages of the maximum, especially for fit people with a low resting rate.

How to train with zones

For general health: 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity (about 64–76% of maximum: upper zone 2 to lower zone 3), or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity (about 77–93%: upper zone 3 to lower zone 5), or a mix.
For endurance: most coaches use an 80/20 split — about 80% of training time easy (zones 1–2), 20% hard (zones 4–5), little in between.
For weight loss: total energy burned matters more than the zone. Zone 2 burns a higher share of fat, but longer or harder sessions burn more overall. Consistency wins.

The talk test — zones without a monitor

Can you talk comfortably? Zone 1–2. Speak in short sentences? Zone 3. Only a few words? Zone 4. Can't talk? Zone 5. The talk test is especially useful if you take beta blockers, which keep your heart rate low regardless of effort.

Safety

If you are new to exercise, over 45 with risk factors, pregnant or have a heart condition, talk to your doctor before training in zones 4–5. Stop and seek help if you get chest pain, unusual breathlessness, dizziness or palpitations during exercise.

Check where a specific reading falls: 130, 150 or 170 bpm — each value page shows the zone by age.

This page offers general information, not medical advice. If your heart rate worries you, please talk to a doctor. In an emergency, call 911 (US) or your local emergency number.