1
Zone 1 — Very light (50–60%)
An easy effort you could keep up for a long time — a gentle walk. It is used for warming up, cooling down, and recovery between harder sessions. You can talk and even sing comfortably.
Medically Reviewed By: Dr Paul Lim – MBBS, M.Med (Int Med), MRCP (UK), FAMS (Cardiology)
Patient Guide
Heart Rate Zones (Your Zone 1–5 Training Ranges by Age)
Heart rate zones turn exercise intensity into simple numbers. Each zone is a slice of your maximum heart rate — from easy recovery in Zone 1 to all-out effort in Zone 5 — and the one most people ask about, Zone 2, is the conversational, endurance-building pace. Enter your age below to see every zone in beats per minute.
Dr Paul Lim Chun Yih
Senior Consultant Cardiologist & Electrophysiologist
The Basics
What Are Heart Rate Zones?
A heart rate zone is a range of heartbeats per minute that reflects how hard you are working. Because a fitter or easier effort keeps your heart slower and a harder effort drives it faster, your heart rate is a convenient, real-time gauge of intensity. Zones are set as a percentage of your maximum heart rate — the fastest your heart can safely beat, which you can estimate as roughly 220 minus your age and work out precisely on our maximum heart rate calculator.
There are two common ways to describe zones. Public-health bodies such as the American Heart Association use a simple two-zone split — moderate and vigorous — while endurance training often uses a five-zone model, Zone 1 to Zone 5. Both are shown below. Zone systems are guides rather than exact science, and some use heart rate reserve instead of a straight percentage of maximum, so use the numbers as a sensible target, not a hard rule.
Interactive Calculator
Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Drag the slider or type your age to see all five zones — and the simpler moderate and vigorous ranges — in beats per minute.
years
Estimated maximum heart rate: 180 bpm
- Zone 1 · 50–60% Very light — warm-up & recovery 90–108 bpm
- Popular Zone 2 · 60–70% Light — endurance & “fat-burning” 108–126 bpm
- Zone 3 · 70–80% Moderate — aerobic fitness 126–144 bpm
- Zone 4 · 80–90% Hard — threshold & speed 144–162 bpm
- Zone 5 · 90–100% Maximum — short intervals only 162–180 bpm
In the simpler two-zone view many guidelines use: moderate (50–70%) is 90–126 bpm, and vigorous (70–85%) is 126–153 bpm — the range sometimes called your target heart rate.
For educational purposes only. These are general estimates using the common 220 − age formula, not a personalised medical target. If you take medicines that affect your heart rate (such as beta-blockers), or you have a heart condition, your zones may be different — talk to a doctor for advice specific to you before starting a new programme.
Zone by Zone
The Five Heart Rate Zones Explained
What each zone feels like, and what it is good for. Percentages are of your maximum heart rate.
2
Zone 2 — Light & endurance (60–70%)
The famous “Zone 2” — a comfortable, conversational pace you can hold for a long time. It builds your aerobic base and is where a large share of endurance training sits. It is sometimes called the “fat-burning” zone because a higher proportion of energy comes from fat at this intensity, though total calories still matter most for weight.
3
Zone 3 — Moderate & aerobic (70–80%)
A steady, “comfortably hard” effort. Talking becomes shorter and more effortful. This zone improves your aerobic fitness and how efficiently your heart and lungs deliver oxygen.
4
Zone 4 — Hard & threshold (80–90%)
Near your lactate threshold, where effort starts to burn. You can only say a few words at a time. Short, structured intervals here lift your speed and performance — demanding, so use it sparingly.
5
Zone 5 — Maximum (90–100%)
All-out effort, sustainable only for seconds to a couple of minutes. Reserved for short intervals in trained, healthy people. If you have any heart concerns, this is not the place to start.
Different systems draw the lines slightly differently, and some base zones on heart rate reserve (using your resting as well as your maximum heart rate) rather than a straight percentage of maximum. The numbers here follow the common percentage-of-maximum model — a practical starting point for general fitness.
Reference Chart
Heart Rate Zones by Age
Each zone in beats per minute for ages 20 to 70. The row matching the calculator above is highlighted.
| Age | Zone 1 50–60% |
Zone 2 60–70% |
Zone 3 70–80% |
Zone 4 80–90% |
Zone 5 90–100% |
Max HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 100–120 | 120–140 | 140–160 | 160–180 | 180–200 | 200 |
| 25 | 98–117 | 117–136 | 136–156 | 156–176 | 176–195 | 195 |
| 30 | 95–114 | 114–133 | 133–152 | 152–171 | 171–190 | 190 |
| 35 | 92–111 | 111–130 | 130–148 | 148–166 | 166–185 | 185 |
| 40 | 90–108 | 108–126 | 126–144 | 144–162 | 162–180 | 180 |
| 45 | 88–105 | 105–122 | 122–140 | 140–158 | 158–175 | 175 |
| 50 | 85–102 | 102–119 | 119–136 | 136–153 | 153–170 | 170 |
| 55 | 82–99 | 99–115 | 115–132 | 132–148 | 148–165 | 165 |
| 60 | 80–96 | 96–112 | 112–128 | 128–144 | 144–160 | 160 |
| 65 | 78–93 | 93–108 | 108–124 | 124–140 | 140–155 | 155 |
| 70 | 75–90 | 90–105 | 105–120 | 120–135 | 135–150 | 150 |
Zones as a percentage of estimated maximum heart rate (220 − age). Values are rounded and are a general guide.
The Simple View
Moderate vs Vigorous (Your Target Heart Rate)
If five zones feel like more than you need, the two-zone view is enough for general health. Moderate-intensity exercise sits at about 50–70% of your maximum heart rate — brisk walking, where you can talk but not sing. Vigorous-intensity exercise is about 70–85% — jogging, where you can only manage a few words at a time. This moderate-to-vigorous band is what is sometimes called your target heart rate.
General guidance is to aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, spread across the week — the foundation of good cardiovascular health. If you are starting from inactive, begin in the lower zones and build up gradually.
How To
How to Check Which Zone You Are In
You can find your heart rate by hand in under a minute, or read it continuously from a monitor.
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1
Find your pulse
Use the tips of your first two fingers — not your thumb — on the thumb side of your wrist, or press gently at the side of your neck. Press lightly until you feel a steady beat.
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2
Count the beats
Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 for beats per minute. During exercise, take it during a brief pause or right after you stop, as your rate falls quickly once you rest, then compare it against your zones above.
-
3
Or use a monitor
A chest-strap or wrist-worn heart-rate monitor shows your zone in real time and is the easiest way to stay in a target zone through a session. Treat the reading as a helpful guide rather than a precise medical measurement.
Staying Safe
Training by Zones, Safely
If you are new to exercise or have been inactive for a while, spend most of your time in Zones 1 and 2 and add higher zones slowly over weeks. Warm up before and cool down after. Some medicines — beta-blockers in particular — slow the heart and lower your maximum, so the age-based estimate can put your zones too high; if you take any medicine that affects your heart rate, ask your doctor what intensity suits you.
Stop and seek medical help if you feel chest pain or pressure, unusual breathlessness, dizziness, or a fast or irregular heartbeat while exercising — see when to see a cardiologist. If you want to know how your heart behaves under exertion before pushing into the higher zones, a treadmill stress test measures it under monitoring.
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Your Heart Specialist
Reviewed by Dr Paul Lim
Senior Consultant Cardiologist & Cardiac Electrophysiologist
Dr Paul Lim is a Senior Consultant Cardiologist who assesses how the heart behaves at rest and under exertion — using ECG, echocardiography and treadmill stress testing — and who subspecialises in heart rhythm disorders. If your heart rate feels too fast, too slow, or irregular during exercise, he can help find out why. He completed advanced fellowship training at Barts Heart Centre, London under Singapore’s HMDP award.
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Common Questions
Heart Rate Zones: FAQ
Answers to common questions about Zone 2, the five zones, and calculating your zones.
What is Zone 2 heart rate?
Zone 2 is light-intensity exercise at about 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. It is the pace you can hold while still carrying on a conversation, and it is often called the endurance or fat-burning zone because it builds your aerobic base. For a 40-year-old with an estimated maximum of 180 bpm, Zone 2 is roughly 108 to 126 bpm. A lot of useful training happens here because it is sustainable.
What are the five heart rate zones?
A common model divides effort into five zones by percentage of maximum heart rate: Zone 1 very light (50 to 60 percent), Zone 2 light or endurance (60 to 70 percent), Zone 3 moderate or aerobic (70 to 80 percent), Zone 4 hard or threshold (80 to 90 percent), and Zone 5 maximum (90 to 100 percent). Zone systems vary — some use heart rate reserve rather than a straight percentage of maximum — so treat the numbers as a guide.
How do I calculate my heart rate zones?
First estimate your maximum heart rate as roughly 220 minus your age, then take the percentage bands for each zone. For example, a 40-year-old has an estimated maximum of about 180 bpm, so Zone 2 (60 to 70 percent) is about 108 to 126 bpm. The calculator on this page does the arithmetic for you when you enter your age, and our maximum heart rate calculator covers the max-HR step in more detail.
Are heart rate zones different by age?
Yes. Because zones are a percentage of your maximum heart rate, and maximum heart rate falls as you get older, the beats-per-minute range for each zone is lower at an older age even though the percentages stay the same. The chart on this page shows each zone in bpm for ages 20 to 70.
What is the difference between moderate and vigorous intensity?
In the simpler two-zone view used by many public-health guidelines, moderate-intensity exercise sits at about 50 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate — brisk walking, where you can talk but not sing — and vigorous-intensity exercise at about 70 to 85 percent, such as jogging, where you can only manage a few words. This is the range sometimes called your target heart rate.
Should my heart rate zones be different for running?
The percentages are the same whether you run, cycle or row, but your heart rate at a given effort can differ between activities — many people reach a higher heart rate running than cycling for the same perceived effort. If you train seriously across sports, some people set zones from a sport-specific maximum. For general fitness, the age-based estimate here is enough.
Evidence & Sources
Where These Numbers Come From
The intensity ranges on this page follow established guidance. The main sources are below.
The five-zone model is a widely used training convention rather than a single official standard, and different systems define the bands slightly differently. The calculator uses the 220 − age estimate of maximum heart rate; if you have a heart condition or take medicines that affect your heart rate, set your zones with a doctor.