How do I measure resting heart rate?

In the morning right after waking, still lying down, for 3-4 days in a row: take the average.

Are zones the same for running and cycling?

No: on the bike max heart rate is usually 5-10 beats lower than running. If you can, calculate zones separately for each sport.

All tools

Heart rate zone calculator

Enter your age, or your maximum heart rate if you know it, and your resting heart rate. You get the 5 training zones in beats per minute.

AgeMax heart rate (optional)Resting heart rate

Zone 1 · Recovery

118–130 bpm

Zone 2 · Endurance

130–143 bpm

Zone 3 · Tempo

143–155 bpm

Zone 4 · Threshold

155–168 bpm

Zone 5 · VO2max

168–180 bpm

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Karvonen method: why resting heart rate matters

The Karvonen method builds zones on heart rate reserve, the gap between max and resting heart rate. Zones then adapt to your fitness: a trained heart has a lower resting rate and wider zones.

If you do not know your max heart rate we estimate it with the Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age), more accurate than the classic 220 − age. A field test is still the best method.

What each zone is for

Zone 1 (50-60%): active recovery. Zone 2 (60-70%): easy endurance, builds your aerobic base and is where most of your time should go. Zone 3 (70-80%): tempo. Zone 4 (80-90%): threshold, 10K or time-trial race pace. Zone 5 (90-100%): short, maximal intervals.

FAQ

How do I measure resting heart rate?: In the morning right after waking, still lying down, for 3-4 days in a row: take the average.
Are zones the same for running and cycling?: No: on the bike max heart rate is usually 5-10 beats lower than running. If you can, calculate zones separately for each sport.