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Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Max heart rate and training zones from your age.
100% FreeRuns instantlyNo watermark
- 1Enter detailsAdd the numbers for your scenario.
- 2CalculateVootkit updates the result instantly.
- 3ReviewCheck totals, notes and breakdowns.
Private by designProcessed on your device where possible.
Works on any deviceDesktop, tablet and mobile browsers.
No installationOpen the page and start working.
Always free coreUse the free plan for everyday tasks.
How to use Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Vootkit updates the result instantly.
02Check totals, notes and breakdowns.
03Copy the answer into your workflow.
04Your files stay private
Your work is processed locally in your browser where possible and is never added to a Vootkit upload library.
Learn more about privacyTraining zones are the difference between an easy run that builds fitness and one that quietly costs you recovery. Calculating them from resting heart rate is more informative than using percentages of maximum, because it accounts for the fitness you already have.
What Heart Rate Zone Calculator does
Estimates maximum heart rate as 220 − age, then builds zones with the Karvonen method: zones are percentages of your heart rate reserve (maximum minus resting), added back to resting.
That distinction matters. Two people with the same maximum but resting rates of 50 and 75 get genuinely different zone boundaries — which is correct, and which the simpler percentage-of-max approach misses entirely.
Method and inputs
| Maximum HR | 220 − age (estimate) |
|---|---|
| Zone method | Karvonen — % of heart rate reserve |
| Reserve | Maximum − resting |
| Zone formula | (reserve × %) + resting |
| Age range | 5 to 120 |
| Resting HR range | 30 to 120 bpm |
| Measure resting | On waking, before getting up |
| Accuracy of 220 − age | ±10–12 bpm standard deviation |
Detailed steps
- Enter your age.
- Enter resting heart rate, measured on waking before you get out of bed.
- Read the zones and note which one your easy sessions actually fall into.
Worth knowing
Measure resting heart rate across several mornings and average them — a single reading after a bad night or a late coffee can be 10 bpm off, and that error propagates into every zone. If your resting rate is unusually high or has changed a lot recently, that is worth mentioning to a doctor rather than working around.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is 220 minus age?
It is a rough population fit with a standard deviation around 10–12 bpm, meaning a 40-year-old whose true maximum is 165 or 195 is entirely normal. It is convenient rather than precise — a supervised test is the only way to know your own.
Why use resting heart rate at all?
Because the Karvonen method sets zones on the range you actually have available. A fit person with a resting rate of 45 has a much larger reserve than someone at 75, and their zones should differ even at the same age.
What if my resting rate is close to my estimated maximum?
Then the estimate does not fit you and the zones will be meaningless — the tool says so rather than printing numbers. Get measured zones from a clinician or coach.
Should I train by heart rate or by feel?
Both, and treat disagreement as information. Heart rate lags effort by a minute or two and drifts upward in heat, dehydration and fatigue, so a rate that seems high for an easy effort often means you need rest rather than a faster run.
Is Heart Rate Zone Calculator free?
Yes. The Vootkit free plan includes 5 tool runs a day. Upgrade to Vootkit Pro for unlimited daily use, an ad-free workspace and saved workflows.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Heart Rate Zone Calculator runs entirely in your browser — your file is processed on your own device and never sent to a server. There is nothing for us to store or delete.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Heart Rate Zone Calculator works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. Open the page and start.
How often can I use it? Is there a daily limit?
On the free plan you get 5 tool runs a day. When you reach the limit you'll see a prompt to upgrade, and it resets the next day. Vootkit Pro removes the cap entirely for unlimited daily use.
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