Find your maximum heart rate and 5 personalised training zones to optimise fat burn, endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
50–60% max HR. Very light activity: walking, gentle yoga. Active recovery after intense workouts. Burns primarily fat.
60–70% max HR. Comfortable pace - you can hold a conversation. Best for endurance base and long-term fat oxidation.
70–80% max HR. Moderate effort - slightly breathless. Improves aerobic capacity and cardiovascular efficiency.
80–90% max HR. Hard effort - difficult to speak in full sentences. Increases lactate threshold and speed.
90–100% max HR. Maximum effort - unsustainable beyond 1–2 minutes. Improves speed, power and VO₂ max.
Use a fitness band or smartwatch to stay in target zone. Most budget wearables (Mi, Realme, Fire-Boltt) show live HR during workouts.
Heart rate training zones divide exercise intensity into defined ranges based on a percentage of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). The most widely used formula, MHR = 220 - Age, was popularised in the 1970s through research by Dr. William Haskell and Dr. Samuel Fox, though individual variation means your true MHR may differ by 10-12 beats per minute. Five training zones are commonly used: Zone 1 (50-60% MHR) for warm-up and active recovery, Zone 2 (60-70%) for fat burning and base aerobic fitness, Zone 3 (70-80%) for aerobic capacity, Zone 4 (80-90%) for lactate threshold training, and Zone 5 (90-100%) for peak performance and VO2 max improvement.
India faces a significant cardiac health challenge - the Indian Heart Association estimates that 50% of heart attacks in Indian men occur under age 50, compared to 10% in Western populations, often attributed to genetic predisposition, stress, sedentary lifestyles, and diets high in refined carbohydrates. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week for adults. Heart rate zone training allows individuals recovering from cardiac events, managing hypertension, or building fitness safely to exercise at physician-approved intensities without guesswork.
Enter your age and resting heart rate (measure it first thing in the morning before getting out of bed) for a personalised Karvonen formula-based zone calculation, which accounts for your fitness baseline. Athletes preparing for marathons like the Mumbai Marathon, ADHM Delhi, or Tata Steel Kolkata 25K can use zone-based training to periodise effort and peak on race day.