Key Takeaways
Heart rate zone training allows you to monitor the intensity of workouts.This type of training can help you reach certain fitness goals, like building an endurance base or improving speed.Different versions exist, but the basic heart rate zone training method uses a percentage of maximum heart rate to form a five-zone plan.
Nearly a third of American adults now use a wearable device for fitness tracking. Most fitness trackers measure heart rate, allowing you to monitor workout intensity and optimize your routine.
With the rise of wearables, workouts like OrangeTheory and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) that target different heart rate zones have also gained popularity.
Heart rate zone training divides workouts into five zones, based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate or heart rate reserve. Essentially, these zones correspond to different intensity levels: warm-up, light, moderate, vigorous, and maximal effort, according to Benjamin Gordon, PhD, an instructional assistant professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida.
By using these five zones, you can focus on specific goals, such as building endurance or improving speed.
“One of the benefits of doing heart rate training or monitoring heart rate in any way is that you can know whether you’re training at a low level or a high level,” Gordon told Verywell.
How to Calculate Your Maximum Heart Rate
There are several methods for heart rate zone training. One common approach uses the maximum heart rate, calculated with a simple formula: 220 minus your age. For example, a 45-year-old would have a predicted maximum heart rate of 175 beats per minute (bpm).
Some exercise specialists prefer a more precise formula: 208 minus 0.7 times your age. Using this, a 45-year-old’s maximum heart rate would be 176.5 bpm.
An additional method involves calculating heart rate reserve, which factors in both resting and maximum heart rates. However, none of these equations are perfect. For exact results, you can do a stress test with a specialist.
“If you wanted to just try to find it on your own, you could wear a heart rate monitor and try to do a maximum intensity sprint to figure out how high you can get your heart rate,” Sean Swearingen, MD, director of sports and exercise cardiology at Rush University Medical Center, told Verywell.
Once you know your maximum heart rate, you can calculate your five heart rate zones in proportion to the number:
Zone 1: 50% to 60% of your max heart rateZone 2: 60% to 70%Zone 3: 70% to 80%Zone 4: 80% to 90%Zone 5: 90% to 100%
How to Use Heart Rate Zones in Your Fitness Routine
After calculating your heart rate zones, you can track the intensity of your exercise during a run or bike ride. Your smartwatch will likely display your heart rate, or you can estimate your zone by how you feel.
Zone 1 should feel like a light jog or recovery workout, while Zone 2 is a light to moderate intensity that you can maintain for 45 minutes to an hour. Zone 3 is moderate intensity, lasting about 30 minutes, Swearingen said.
“Zone 4 would be an activity where you feel like you’re working extremely hard. You can’t maintain it for more than three or four minutes, tops. And then Zone 5 would be really maximum intensity, something you couldn’t sustain for more than a minute,” he added.
Heart rate zone training helps you build a fitness routine you enjoy. Some people prefer staying in Zone 2, a moderate-intensity pace that’s become a popular fitness trend. Others enjoy HIIT, reaching Zone 4 or 5 for short bursts before returning to Zones 1 or 2.
Consider your fitness goals and balance the different zones throughout the week, said Kimberly Burke, MS, an instructor in the department of health and exercise science at Colorado State University.
You don’t need to hit all five zones in every workout. You can stay in one or two zones or cycle through several. However, if your goal is to improve speed, you’ll need to move into the higher zones of 4 and 5 during some sessions.
“If all you do is long, slow runs, you don’t get faster, right? You actually need to do some of that speed work or that interval training to challenge the body that way,” said Burke.
Does Heart Rate Zone Training Come With Risks?
Heart rate zone training can help you achieve specific fitness goals, but it carries some risks for people with heart conditions. Experts recommend consulting a healthcare provider before starting any new exercise routine, especially if you have health concerns.
For example, people with a history of cardiac issues should generally avoid sustained activities in Zone 4 and Zone 5, Swearingen said.
After getting cleared by a healthcare provider, you can ease into zone training by starting with Zones 1 or 2 before progressing to the higher intensities.
While heart rate zone training can improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance, some experts caution against becoming overly focused on hitting specific zones.
“I have sometimes obsessed about doing the perfect workout where I have this perfect heart rate, and sometimes that has prevented me from doing a workout at all,” said Anton Hesse, PhD, a lecturer in the school of kinesiology at the University of Minnesota.
Hesse advises finding a fitness routine you enjoy without worrying about always staying in the “perfect zone.” Any physical activity can improve sleep, increase longevity, reduce anxiety, and lower the risk of cancer, high blood pressure, and dementia.
“At the end of the day, make sure you’re getting out there, that you’re finding something that you like to do, whether it’s by yourself, with friends, or with a club. Just make sure that you’re out there,” Hesse said.
What This Means For You
Heart rate zone training can help you build speed or endurance. Consider speaking with a trusted healthcare provider before starting any new fitness routine.