Why does the Karvonen method use resting heart rate?

Unlike simpler percent-of-max methods, Karvonen factors in your heart rate reserve (max minus resting), which better reflects individual fitness. A lower resting heart rate, often a sign of better cardiovascular fitness, shifts the calculated training zones accordingly.

What zone should I train in to burn fat versus build endurance?

Lower zones (roughly 50-70% intensity) are typically associated with fat-burning and base endurance, while higher zones (80%+) build cardiovascular capacity and speed. Most training plans mix zones rather than staying in just one.

Heart Rate Zone Calculator

Find your training heart rate zones based on age and resting heart rate.

How this is calculated

Karvonen method: target HR = ((max HR − resting HR) × intensity%) + resting HR

Assumptions used in this calculation

Max heart rate formula: Uses the common 220 − age estimate for maximum heart rate, which has individual variation of ±10-12 bpm.

About this calculator

The heart rate zone calculator uses the Karvonen method, max heart rate and heart rate reserve, adjusted for resting heart rate, to find personalized training zones from warm-up to max effort.

Worked example

30 years old, resting heart rate 60 bpm

Result: Max HR = 190 bpm; Zone 3 (Aerobic) = 151-164 bpm

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Frequently asked questions

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About this calculator

Frequently asked questions

Why does the Karvonen method use resting heart rate?

What zone should I train in to burn fat versus build endurance?

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