VO2 Max Training Zones Calculator
Calculate your 5 heart rate training zones from your VO2 max or max heart rate.
Find the right intensity for fat burning, aerobic base, and peak performance.
Training zones divide your exercise intensity into bands, each producing different physiological adaptations. They are based on percentages of your maximum heart rate (MHR) or VO2 max — the maximum volume of oxygen your body can consume per minute per kilogram of body weight.
The 5 standard training zones:
- Zone 1 (50–60% MHR): Active recovery. Very easy effort. Burns primarily fat. Used for warm-ups, cool-downs, and recovery days.
- Zone 2 (60–70% MHR): Aerobic base / fat-burning zone. Easy, conversational pace. The foundation of endurance training. Best for building mitochondrial density over long sessions.
- Zone 3 (70–80% MHR): Aerobic development / tempo zone. Moderately hard. Improves aerobic capacity and lactate threshold. The most common training mistake is spending too much time here.
- Zone 4 (80–90% MHR): Lactate threshold zone. Hard effort — you can speak only in short sentences. Raises the pace you can sustain for long distances. Key for 10K and half-marathon training.
- Zone 5 (90–100% MHR): VO2 max / neuromuscular zone. Maximum effort. Cannot be sustained for more than a few minutes. Improves top-end speed and maximal oxygen uptake.
Estimating max heart rate: The classic formula is MHR = 220 − age (Astrand formula). A more accurate formula for athletes is MHR = 208 − (0.7 × age) (Tanaka formula). The most accurate method is a lab test or a hard field test.
Practical example: A 35-year-old using the Tanaka formula: MHR = 208 − (0.7 × 35) = 183.5 bpm. Zone 2: 60–70% of 183.5 = 110–128 bpm. Zone 4: 80–90% of 183.5 = 147–165 bpm.
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