What is max heart rate?
Your maximum heart rate is the highest number of beats per minute your heart can reach during all-out effort. Training zones are expressed as percentages of that number, which gives a way to match effort to a goal. It is largely individual and is not a measure of fitness: a higher max does not mean you are fitter.
How to estimate your max heart rate
Two common formulas:
- 220 minus age. Simple and widely used, but a rough estimate.
- Tanaka formula: 208 minus 0.7 times your age, which many consider slightly better for adults.
For a 40-year-old, both give roughly 180 beats per minute (see how to get into shape at 40 for a beginner-friendly plan). Individual maxes can differ from formula results by a sizeable margin, so treat the figure as a starting point.
A supervised exercise test is the most reliable way to measure it. Hard self-testing can be risky if you have any health concerns or are untrained, so talk to a doctor first and do not push to exhaustion without guidance.
Heart rate zones
Systems vary slightly, but a common five-zone model looks like this:
| Zone | Approx. % of max | Typical feel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 to 60% | Very easy, can chat freely |
| 2 | 60 to 70% | Easy, full sentences |
| 3 | 70 to 80% | Moderate, shorter sentences |
| 4 | 80 to 90% | Hard, a few words |
| 5 | 90 to 100% | Very hard, brief efforts only |
What each zone is used for
- Zone 1: Warm-ups, cool-downs and recovery.
- Zone 2: Base-building aerobic work that most of your weekly volume can come from. Team-sport athletes such as hockey players use it for recovery between hard efforts.
- Zone 3: Steady, moderately hard efforts such as tempo-style sessions.
- Zone 4: Hard intervals or sustained threshold-style efforts.
- Zone 5: Short maximal efforts. Examples include hill sprints, short bike or rower sprints and the hardest work intervals in a session. These are usually kept brief, with complete recovery.
Intervals in the upper zones are covered further in conditioning cardio workouts.
What is a normal resting heart rate?
For most adults, a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute is considered typical. Fit people often have lower rates. If yours is consistently outside that range, or you feel unwell, speak with a healthcare professional.
Zone training without a heart rate monitor
- Talk test: If you can talk comfortably, you are likely in lower zones. If you can only say a few words, you are in higher ones.
- Rate of perceived exertion (RPE): Rate effort from 1 to 10. Most sessions should sit around 3 to 6, with harder sessions at 7 to 9.
Wrist-based monitors can lag or misread during intervals; chest straps are generally more accurate.
Building a week with zones
A simple approach:
- Most cardio time in Zones 1 to 2.
- One session of moderate to hard work in Zones 3 to 4.
- Occasional short Zone 5 efforts for those who are ready.
If you are choosing equipment, see the best cardio to do in the gym.
Limits and safety
Heart rate is influenced by heat, sleep, caffeine, stress and hydration. Some medications, such as beta blockers, lower heart rate and make percentage-based zones unreliable. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or take medication, ask your doctor before doing high-intensity training. Stop if you feel chest pain, faintness or unusual breathlessness.
FAQ
What should my max heart rate be while exercising? Most sessions do not need to approach your max. Easy and moderate sessions sit well below it.
What is zone training? It is structuring workouts by heart rate ranges, so effort matches the goal of each session.
Does lifting follow the same zones? Heart rate during lifting is less informative, since it spikes briefly with each set. See is HIIT cardio or strength training for how the two differ.