Understanding Heart Rate Zones: What Zone 2, 3, and 4 Mean for Your Workouts
Overview of the five heart rate zones used in fitness trackers, how they are calculated using estimated max heart rate (220 minus age), and their relation to exercise intensity.
Runners, cyclists and gym-goers with wearable fitness trackers are no doubt familiar with the five "heart rate" zones. Ranging from low to very high intensity, these zones are calculated as percentages of a person's maximum heart rate and correlate with the intensity of any given workout. Maximum heart rate is often estimated as 220 minus your age. This framework helps people understand and adjust workout intensity, though the article provides an overview rather than results from a specific peer-reviewed study. Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-zone-heart-zones-health.html
VITALIS: For ordinary people this means you can use the number on your watch to make sure you're actually getting the workout you want instead of guessing, turning random sweat sessions into something that really helps your health. As trackers get smarter it could make effective exercise feel a lot more doable for everyone.
Sources (1)
- [1]Zone 2, 3, 4? What do heart rate zones mean for your health?(https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-zone-heart-zones-health.html)