How your Zone 2 is calculated
The simple method takes 60–70% of your maximum heart rate. If you do not know your maximum, it is estimated as 208 minus 0.7 times your age 1. For a 40-year-old that gives a maximum of 180 and a Zone 2 of 108–126 bpm.
The personal method uses heart-rate reserve, the gap between your maximum and your resting heart rate, and adds 60–70% of that gap to your resting rate 2. It adapts the range to your resting heart rate, which is why it is the better choice once you have measured it.
There is no single official Zone 2. Five-zone models on watches and apps put it at 60–70% of maximum heart rate, while researchers often describe intensity in three zones, and the boundaries differ between systems 5.
How to use your range
Treat the numbers as a guide and check them with the talk test. In a lab study, the point where speech first became difficult matched the ventilatory threshold almost exactly 4. If you can still talk in full sentences, you are below it, which is where easy Zone 2 work lives.
WHO recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults 3, and Zone 2 sessions count toward that. Our guide Move in Zone 2 explains how to build them into a normal week.
| Age | Max HR | Zone 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 191 bpm | 114–133 bpm |
| 30 | 187 bpm | 112–131 bpm |
| 35 | 184 bpm | 110–128 bpm |
| 40 | 180 bpm | 108–126 bpm |
| 45 | 177 bpm | 106–124 bpm |
| 50 | 173 bpm | 104–121 bpm |
| 55 | 170 bpm | 102–119 bpm |
| 60 | 166 bpm | 100–116 bpm |
| 65 | 163 bpm | 98–114 bpm |
| 70 | 159 bpm | 95–111 bpm |
Questions people ask
What is my Zone 2 heart rate by age?
With the simple method, take 208 minus 0.7 times your age as your maximum, then 60–70% of it 1. At 50 that is a maximum of 173 and a Zone 2 of about 104–121 bpm. Add your resting heart rate to the tool for a more personal range 2.
Can walking count as Zone 2?
Yes, if it brings your heart rate into the range. For some people a brisk or uphill walk is enough; fitter people usually need to jog, cycle or row. The talk test keeps it honest: steady effort where you can still speak in full sentences 4.
How much Zone 2 should I do each week?
WHO recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity, or a mix 3. Easy Zone 2 sessions count as moderate minutes. Many people start with two or three sessions of 30–45 minutes and build from there.
Why is my watch showing a different Zone 2?
Watches use different formulas and zone models. Some use a percentage of maximum heart rate, others heart-rate reserve 2, and five-zone and three-zone systems draw their lines in different places 5. Pick one method, keep it, and use the talk test as your check.
Sources
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(1):153–156.
- Karvonen MJ, Kentala E, Mustala O. The effects of training on heart rate; a longitudinal study. Ann Med Exp Biol Fenn. 1957;35(3):307–315.
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451–1462.
- Persinger R, Foster C, Gibson M, Fater DCW, Porcari JP. Consistency of the talk test for exercise prescription. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;36(9):1632–1636.
- Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2010;5(3):276–291.