Zone 2 Heart Rate Calculator

How to Calculate Zone 2 Heart Rate

Calculating your Zone 2 heart rate is crucial for optimizing your aerobic training. Zone 2 is often referred to as the "fat-burning zone" and is excellent for building endurance and improving cardiovascular health.

Zone 2 Heart Rate Formulas

There are two common methods to calculate Zone 2 heart rate:

1. MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) Method

$$MAF HR = 180 - Age$$

Zone 2 Range: MAF HR - 10 to MAF HR

2. Karvonen Formula

$$Max HR = 220 - Age$$

$$Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) = Max HR - Resting HR$$

Zone 2 Range: 60-70% of HRR

$$Lower Limit = Resting HR + (0.6 \times HRR)$$

$$Upper Limit = Resting HR + (0.7 \times HRR)$$

Calculation Steps

MAF Method:

1. Subtract your age from 180 to get your MAF HR
2. Your Zone 2 upper limit is your MAF HR
3. Your Zone 2 lower limit is 10 beats below your MAF HR

Karvonen Formula:

1. Calculate your maximum heart rate (220 - Age)
2. Calculate your heart rate reserve (Max HR - Resting HR)
3. Calculate your Zone 2 lower limit (Resting HR + 60% of HRR)
4. Calculate your Zone 2 upper limit (Resting HR + 70% of HRR)

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the Zone 2 heart rate range for a 35-year-old individual with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm using both methods:

MAF Method:

$$\begin{align} MAF HR &= 180 - 35 = 145 \text{ bpm} \\ Zone 2 Upper Limit &= 145 \text{ bpm} \\ Zone 2 Lower Limit &= 145 - 10 = 135 \text{ bpm} \end{align}$$

Karvonen Formula:

$$\begin{align} Max HR &= 220 - 35 = 185 \text{ bpm} \\ HRR &= 185 - 60 = 125 \text{ bpm} \\ Zone 2 Lower Limit &= 60 + (0.6 \times 125) = 135 \text{ bpm} \\ Zone 2 Upper Limit &= 60 + (0.7 \times 125) = 148 \text{ bpm} \end{align}$$

Visual Representation

This bar chart illustrates the Zone 2 heart rate ranges calculated using both the MAF Method and Karvonen Formula for a 35-year-old individual with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm. It provides a visual comparison of the two methods and shows how the Zone 2 range relates to the resting and maximum heart rates.