Enter your age and resting heart rate to calculate your maximum heart rate and specific training zones. This calculator uses the Karvonen formula for higher accuracy.
*Optional: Leave blank for standard formula
Estimated Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
— BPM
Zone
Intensity
Target Range (BPM)
Benefit
Optimizing Men's Cardiovascular Training
Understanding your target heart rate is crucial for effective cardiovascular training. For men looking to improve endurance, lose weight, or enhance athletic performance, training in the correct "zone" ensures that you are stimulating the right energy systems without overtraining.
The Formulas Used
This calculator primarily utilizes the standard Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) formula: 220 – Age.
However, if you input your Resting Heart Rate (RHR), the calculator switches to the Karvonen Formula. This is generally considered more accurate for individuals with varying fitness levels because it takes into account your heart rate reserve (HRR).
Zone 1 (50-60%): Very Light. Warm-up and cool-down zone. Helps with recovery and preparing the muscles for exercise.
Zone 2 (60-70%): Light. The "Fat Burning" zone. Your body learns to use fat as a primary fuel source. Ideal for long, slow distance training.
Zone 3 (70-80%): Moderate. The aerobic zone. Improves blood circulation and skeletal muscle efficiency. This is where cardiovascular endurance is built.
Zone 4 (80-90%): Hard. The anaerobic threshold zone. You start producing lactic acid faster than you can clear it. Used for interval training to increase speed and power.
Zone 5 (90-100%): Maximum. VO2 Max effort. Sustainable only for very short bursts. Used by athletes for peak performance intervals.
How to Measure Resting Heart Rate
To get the most accurate result from this calculator, measure your pulse first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. Count the beats for 60 seconds. Repeat this for 3 days and take the average.
function calculateHeartZones() {
var ageInput = document.getElementById('age');
var rhrInput = document.getElementById('rhr');
var errorMsg = document.getElementById('error-msg');
var resultsArea = document.getElementById('results-area');
var mhrDisplay = document.getElementById('mhr-display');
var zonesBody = document.getElementById('zones-body');
var age = parseInt(ageInput.value);
var rhr = rhrInput.value ? parseInt(rhrInput.value) : null;
// Reset error
errorMsg.style.display = 'none';
errorMsg.innerHTML = ";
resultsArea.style.display = 'none';
// Validation
if (isNaN(age) || age 120) {
errorMsg.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid age between 10 and 120.";
errorMsg.style.display = 'block';
return;
}
if (rhr !== null && (isNaN(rhr) || rhr 150)) {
errorMsg.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid resting heart rate (usually between 30 and 150 bpm).";
errorMsg.style.display = 'block';
return;
}
// Calculation
var maxHeartRate = 220 – age;
var zones = [];
// Define Zone percentages and descriptions
var zoneDefinitions = [
{ pctMin: 0.50, pctMax: 0.60, name: "Zone 1", benefit: "Warm up / Recovery" },
{ pctMin: 0.60, pctMax: 0.70, name: "Zone 2", benefit: "Fat Burning / Basic Endurance" },
{ pctMin: 0.70, pctMax: 0.80, name: "Zone 3", benefit: "Aerobic Fitness" },
{ pctMin: 0.80, pctMax: 0.90, name: "Zone 4", benefit: "Anaerobic Threshold" },
{ pctMin: 0.90, pctMax: 1.00, name: "Zone 5", benefit: "Maximum Effort" }
];
// Colors for rows
var rowColors = ['#f1f8ff', '#e6f7e9', '#fff8e1', '#fff0e6', '#ffe6e6'];
var tableHTML = ";
for (var i = 0; i < zoneDefinitions.length; i++) {
var def = zoneDefinitions[i];
var minBpm, maxBpm;
if (rhr !== null) {
// Karvonen Formula: ((MaxHR – RestingHR) * %Intensity) + RestingHR
var hrr = maxHeartRate – rhr;
minBpm = Math.round((hrr * def.pctMin) + rhr);
maxBpm = Math.round((hrr * def.pctMax) + rhr);
} else {
// Standard Formula: MaxHR * %Intensity
minBpm = Math.round(maxHeartRate * def.pctMin);
maxBpm = Math.round(maxHeartRate * def.pctMax);
}
tableHTML += '