Understanding heart rate zones is crucial for customizing your training program to meet specific fitness objectives. These zones are calculated as a percentage of your threshold heart rate, which serves as a benchmark for your cardiovascular fitness.
If you’re unsure of your threshold heart rate, don’t worry; we’ve explained how to calculate it below. Keep reading to discover how to determine your zones and the unique benefits each one offers. For a more comprehensive guide, take a look at our cycling heart rate guide.
Heart Rate: 60–70% of Threshold Heart Rate
Intensity: Very light and relaxed pace.
Purpose: This zone is designed for recovery, promoting the clearance of lactic acid and facilitating muscle repair. It is ideal for rest days or light activities.
Benefits:
Enhances blood circulation
Maintains flexibility
Supports recovery to minimize fatigue buildup
Heart Rate: 71–80% of Threshold Heart Rate
Intensity: Steady and moderate; you should be able to maintain a conversation.
Purpose: This zone builds aerobic endurance and improves fat metabolism. It is particularly effective for longer rides, training the body to efficiently utilize fat as fuel while delaying fatigue.
Benefits:
Increases aerobic capacity
Develops endurance for prolonged activities
Enhances fat-burning efficiency
Heart Rate: 81–90% of Threshold Heart Rate
Intensity: Moderate to moderately hard; conversing requires effort.
Purpose: This zone focuses on developing muscular endurance and serves as a bridge between endurance and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It’s especially beneficial for race preparation involving sustained efforts.
Benefits:
Strengthens muscle endurance
Improves overall stamina
Increases comfort when performing at faster paces
Heart Rate: 91–100% of Threshold Heart Rate
Intensity: Hard; conversing becomes significantly difficult.
Purpose: This zone is aimed at improving the lactate threshold, allowing athletes to maintain higher intensities with less fatigue from lactic acid accumulation. It’s ideal for race training.
Benefits:
Boosts power and speed
Increases tolerance for high exertion
Enhances competitive performance
Heart Rate: 101%–Maximum of Threshold Heart Rate
Intensity: All-out effort; unsustainable for more than a few minutes.
Purpose: This zone focuses on achieving peak power and enhancing anaerobic capacity. It is essential for high-intensity intervals, sprints, and steep climbs.
Benefits:
Increases maximum power output
Trains the body to push beyond anaerobic limits
Improves sprinting and explosive athletic performance
Accurately calculating your threshold heart rate is essential for optimizing your training zones. Below are the methods supported by the JOIN cycling app. Each method provides actionable insights to guide your training intensity and tailor your heart rate zones effectively.
Perform a high-intensity race or interval session lasting 45–60 minutes.
Record the average heart rate throughout the session.
This average heart rate provides a reliable estimate of your threshold heart rate when the effort is sustained and challenging.
Perform a 20-minute Functional Threshold Power (FTP) test.
During the test, focus on maintaining consistency and hard effort.
Calculate your threshold heart rate by taking the average heart rate from the final 15 minutes of the test and multiplying it by 0.95.
Knowing your target heart rate helps ensure your cycling workouts are effective and safe. Here’s how you can calculate it using widely accepted methods.
The American Heart Association (AHA) method provides a straightforward way to estimate your target heart rate based on your age:
1. Determine your Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax)
Use the formula 220 – your age.
For example, if you’re 40 years old - 220 – 40 = 180 bpm (beats per minute)
2. Identify your Target Heart Rate Range
Moderate intensity: 50–70% of HRmax
Vigorous intensity: 70–85% of HRmax
3. Calculate the range
For moderate intensity (50–70%) - 180 × 0.50 = 90 bpm, 180 × 0.70 = 126 bpm
Target range: 90–126 bpm
For vigorous intensity (70–85%) - 180 × 0.70 = 126 bpm, 180 × 0.85 = 153 bpm.
Target range: 126–153 bpm.
This method is simple but doesn’t account for individual variations, such as fitness level or resting heart rate.
The Karvonen formula considers both your age and resting heart rate (RHR) for a more personalized calculation:
1. Measure your Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
Take your pulse first thing in the morning for 60 seconds over 3 days and find the average.
Example: RHR = 60 bpm.
2. Determine your Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax)
Use the formula 220 – your age.
Example for a 40-year-old: HRmax = 180 bpm.
3. Calculate your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
HRR = HRmax – RHR
Example: 180 – 60 = 120 bpm.
4. Find your Target Heart Rate Range
Moderate intensity: 50–70% of HRR + RHR
Vigorous intensity: 70–85% of HRR + RHR.
5. Calculate the range
Moderate intensity (50–70%) - (120 × 0.50) + 60 = 120 bpm, (120 × 0.70) + 60 = 144 bpm - Target range: 120–144 bpm
Vigorous intensity (70–85%) - (120 × 0.70) + 60 = 144 bpm, (120 × 0.85) + 60 = 162 bpm - Target range: 144–162 bpm.
This method provides a more accurate range by factoring in your fitness level.
For even greater precision, use an actual measured Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax) instead of estimating it:
1. Measure your HRmax
Perform a controlled test, such as a max-effort sprint or hill climb, and note the highest heart rate achieved.
Example: HRmax = 190 bpm.
2. Measure your Resting Heart Rate (RHR):
Same as above: RHR = 60 bpm.
3. Calculate your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
HRR = HRmax – RHR
Example: 190 – 60 = 130 bpm.
4. Find your Target Heart Rate Range
Use the same formulas as in the age-based Karvonen method:
Moderate intensity: (HRR × 0.50–0.70) + RHR.
Vigorous intensity: (HRR × 0.70–0.85) + RHR.
5. Calculate the range
Moderate intensity (50–70%) - (130 × 0.50) + 60 = 125 bpm, (130 × 0.70) + 60 = 151 bpm - Target range: 125–151 bpm.
Vigorous intensity (70–85%) - (130 × 0.70) + 60 = 151 bpm, (130 × 0.85) + 60 = 170 bpm - Target range: 151–170 bpm.
Using a measured HRmax ensures the most accurate target heart rate zones tailored to your unique physiology.
Training smarter, not harder, is the key to reaching your cycling goals, and JOIN makes it effortless. As a dynamic cycling training app, JOIN automatically calculates your heart rate zones as you train and adjusts them as your fitness evolves. No need to fuss over manual calculation; JOIN does the heavy lifting so you can focus on the ride.
Automatic Heart Rate Zone Updates: JOIN's cutting-edge technology calculates your heart rate zones based on your training data and updates them as you progress. This ensures your zones always reflect your current fitness level, keeping your workouts precise and effective.
Adaptable Training Plans: Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned cyclist, JOIN crafts a training plan tailored to your unique goals and schedule. Your plan evolves dynamically based on your workout data, perceived exertion (RPE), readiness scores, and availability.
Injury Prevention and Balanced Training: JOIN's Readiness feature evaluates your post-workout recovery, considering muscle soreness and fatigue. If you're not ready for your next session, your plan adapts automatically, helping to prevent overtraining and injuries.
Dynamic, Goal-Oriented Workouts: Say goodbye to rigid, one-size-fits-all training plans where "Wednesday is always VO2 Max day." With JOIN, every workout aligns with your progress and readiness, ensuring sustainable improvements without burnout.
JOIN makes training easier by helping you calculate and manage your heart rate zones.
Try JOIN for free today and discover a smarter way to train.