Garmin Resting Heart Rate Calculation

by
Garmin Resting Heart Rate & Zone Calculator .garmin-calc-container { max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 20px; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0; border-radius: 8px; } .garmin-calc-header { text-align: center; margin-bottom: 30px; color: #007cc3; /* Garmin Blue-ish */ } .garmin-form-group { margin-bottom: 20px; } .garmin-form-group label { display: block; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 8px; color: #333; } .garmin-form-group input, .garmin-form-group select { width: 100%; padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; } .garmin-btn { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 15px; background-color: #007cc3; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s; } .garmin-btn:hover { background-color: #005a8e; } .garmin-results { margin-top: 30px; padding: 20px; background: white; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 4px; display: none; } .rhr-display { text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; } .rhr-value { font-size: 48px; font-weight: bold; color: #333; } .rhr-label { font-size: 14px; color: #666; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; } .zone-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 20px; } .zone-table th, .zone-table td { padding: 12px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; } .zone-table th { background-color: #f4f4f4; font-weight: 600; } .zone-color { width: 15px; height: 15px; display: inline-block; border-radius: 50%; margin-right: 8px; } /* Zone Colors */ .z1-color { background-color: #a0a0a0; } /* Grey */ .z2-color { background-color: #3bcbfb; } /* Blue */ .z3-color { background-color: #55d918; } /* Green */ .z4-color { background-color: #ffaa00; } /* Orange */ .z5-color { background-color: #ff0000; } /* Red */ .article-content { max-width: 800px; margin: 40px auto; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; color: #333; } .article-content h2 { color: #007cc3; margin-top: 30px; } .article-content h3 { color: #444; margin-top: 25px; } .article-content ul { margin-bottom: 20px; }

Garmin RHR & Training Zone Calculator

Calculate your Resting Heart Rate manually and discover your Heart Rate Reserve training zones.

Count your pulse while at complete rest.
10 Seconds 15 Seconds 20 Seconds 30 Seconds 60 Seconds (1 Minute)
Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
—
BPM (Beats Per Minute)
Estimated Max HR
—
Heart Rate Reserve
—

Garmin Training Zones (Based on % HRR)

These zones are calculated using the Karvonen method, which incorporates your Resting Heart Rate for higher accuracy than standard Max HR formulas.

Zone Intensity Range (BPM)
function calculateGarminRHR() { // 1. Get Input Values var ageInput = document.getElementById('userAge').value; var pulseInput = document.getElementById('pulseCount').value; var intervalInput = document.getElementById('countInterval').value; // 2. Validate Inputs if (!ageInput || !pulseInput || isNaN(ageInput) || isNaN(pulseInput)) { alert("Please enter valid numbers for Age and Pulse Count."); return; } var age = parseFloat(ageInput); var pulse = parseFloat(pulseInput); var interval = parseFloat(intervalInput); // 3. Calculate RHR (Resting Heart Rate) // Formula: (Count / Interval) * 60 var rhr = Math.round((pulse / interval) * 60); // 4. Calculate Max HR (Standard Formula: 220 – Age) var maxHR = 220 – age; // 5. Calculate HRR (Heart Rate Reserve) // Formula: Max HR – Resting HR var hrr = maxHR – rhr; // 6. Calculate Zones (Karvonen Formula) // Target HR = (HRR * intensity%) + RHR function getZoneLimit(percent) { return Math.round((hrr * percent) + rhr); } var z1_min = getZoneLimit(0.50); var z1_max = getZoneLimit(0.60); var z2_min = getZoneLimit(0.60) + 1; // Start where previous ended var z2_max = getZoneLimit(0.70); var z3_min = getZoneLimit(0.70) + 1; var z3_max = getZoneLimit(0.80); var z4_min = getZoneLimit(0.80) + 1; var z4_max = getZoneLimit(0.90); var z5_min = getZoneLimit(0.90) + 1; var z5_max = maxHR; // 7. Update UI document.getElementById('displayRHR').innerText = rhr; document.getElementById('displayMaxHR').innerText = maxHR + " bpm"; document.getElementById('displayHRR').innerText = hrr + " bpm"; var tableHtml = "; // Zone 1 tableHtml += 'Zone 1Warm Up' + z1_min + ' – ' + z1_max + ' bpm'; // Zone 2 tableHtml += 'Zone 2Easy' + z2_min + ' – ' + z2_max + ' bpm'; // Zone 3 tableHtml += 'Zone 3Aerobic' + z3_min + ' – ' + z3_max + ' bpm'; // Zone 4 tableHtml += 'Zone 4Threshold' + z4_min + ' – ' + z4_max + ' bpm'; // Zone 5 tableHtml += 'Zone 5Maximum' + z5_min + ' – ' + z5_max + ' bpm'; document.getElementById('zoneTableBody').innerHTML = tableHtml; // Show Results document.getElementById('resultsSection').style.display = 'block'; }

Understanding Garmin Resting Heart Rate (RHR)

Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is one of the most vital metrics tracked by Garmin wearables. It represents the number of times your heart beats per minute while you are at complete rest. Unlike a simple spot-check, Garmin devices typically calculate your RHR by averaging your heart rate readings during sleep or the lowest 30-minute average within a 24-hour period.

Why is RHR Important?

Your RHR serves as a baseline for your cardiovascular health and fitness level. Generally, a lower RHR indicates a more efficient heart and better cardiovascular fitness. For athletes, tracking RHR trends is crucial for monitoring recovery:

  • Trending Down: Usually indicates improved fitness and heart efficiency.
  • Spiking Up: Can be an early warning sign of overtraining, poor sleep, stress, or the onset of an illness (like the flu or a cold).

How to Calculate RHR Manually

While Garmin watches do this automatically, you can verify your data manually using the calculator above. To get the most accurate manual reading:

  1. Perform the check immediately after waking up, before getting out of bed.
  2. Remain lying down and breathe normally.
  3. Locate your pulse on your wrist (radial artery) or neck (carotid artery).
  4. Count the beats for 15, 30, or 60 seconds.

Entering this manual count into our calculator will normalize the data to Beats Per Minute (BPM) and help you determine your Heart Rate Reserve.

Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) and Garmin Zones

This calculator uses the Karvonen Formula to determine your training zones. While standard formulas only look at your age (220 – Age), the Karvonen method incorporates your Resting Heart Rate.

This is significant because it tailors the training zones to your specific fitness level. Garmin allows users to switch their zone settings from "% of Max HR" to "% of HRR" (Heart Rate Reserve). Using HRR is often recommended for intermediate to advanced athletes because it prevents the training zones from being too low for fit individuals or too high for beginners.

What is a "Normal" RHR?

According to Garmin data and general medical standards:

  • Average Adult: 60 to 100 bpm.
  • Active Adult: 50 to 70 bpm.
  • Elite Athlete: 40 to 50 bpm (or even lower).

If your Garmin Connect data shows your RHR is consistently rising while your training load remains the same, it may be time to prioritize rest and recovery.

Leave a Comment