Target Heart Rate — Quick 8-Section Guide
1) Core idea
Train in zones based on your Max Heart Rate (MHR) to match the goal: recovery, endurance, fitness, threshold, or power.
2) Flow you can trust
- Pick a formula (Tanaka 208 − 0.7×age, Fox 220 − age, or Karvonen with RHR).
- We compute MHR and zones (50–100%).
- Choose fitness level to tailor recommendations.
3) Sanity checks
- Karvonen uses heart‑rate reserve: ((MHR − RHR) × %)+RHR.
- Zones widen as intensity increases; numbers are estimates, not limits.
4) Shortcuts
- General health: spend most time in Zone 2; add small doses of Zone 4.
- Performance: polarized split (≈80% easy, 20% hard).
5) Pitfalls
- Training too hard too often → burnout. Respect recovery.
- Ignore heat, caffeine, stress? HR will drift upward.
6) Micro examples
- Age 35, Tanaka → MHR ≈ 183.5; Zone 2 (60–70%) ≈ 110–128 BPM.
- Karvonen with RHR 60: Zone 3 midpoint ≈ ((183.5 − 60)×0.75)+60 ≈ 153 BPM.
7) Mini‑FAQ
- Which formula? Tanaka is a solid default; Karvonen personalizes with RHR.
- How accurate? Good starting point; refine with experience or lab tests.
8) Action tip
Anchor weekly volume in Zone 2, then stack short Zone 4–5 intervals. Recheck zones every 6–8 weeks.