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The Karvonen Formula and Training Zones

Train too easy and you plateau; train too hard and you burn out. Use the Karvonen formula to work out your maximum heart rate and find the aerobic and anaerobic training zones that match your goal.

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What you'll cover

Training in the right zone 🏃

Train too gently and you make little progress; train too hard and you risk overtraining. To work at the right intensity, athletes use their **heart rate**. This module uses **the Karvonen formula** to find your **maximum heart rate** and then the **aerobic** and **anaerobic** training zones that match a training goal.

The language of training zones 🔑

Four ideas run through this module:

Work out a training zone 🪜

An interactive activity.

Find the maximum heart rate ❤️

An interactive activity.

Always name the formula 📛

When a question asks you to show your working for a training zone, **name the method: it is the Karvonen formula**. This exam board gives credit for naming it. State "using the Karvonen formula", then show maximum heart rate = 220 - age, and multiply by the zone percentages. The boundary where one zone becomes the next is a **threshold of training**.

Find the aerobic lower limit 🔢

An interactive activity.

Aerobic and anaerobic zones ⚖️

Both zones are worked out from maximum heart rate, but they suit different training. The threshold between them is about 80%.

Which zone for endurance? 🎯

A marathon runner wants to build endurance at a steady, sustainable pace. Which training zone should they aim for?

  • The aerobic training zone
  • The anaerobic training zone
  • Above the maximum heart rate
  • Below fifty percent of maximum heart rate

Match each term to its meaning 🔗

  • Maximum heart rate
  • Aerobic training zone
  • Anaerobic training zone
  • The Karvonen formula
  • 220 minus your age
  • 60% to 80% of maximum heart rate
  • 80% to 90% of maximum heart rate
  • The named method for finding training zones

The formula in words 🧩

The _____ formula works out training zones. First find the maximum heart rate as 220 minus your _____. The _____ training zone is 60% to 80% of this, and the _____ zone is 80% to 90%. Heart rate is measured in beats per _____.

Karvonen age aerobic anaerobic minute weight height resting second hour

Which two are true? ✅

Select the TWO true statements about the Karvonen formula and training zones.

  • The aerobic zone is 60% to 80% of maximum heart rate
  • Maximum heart rate is worked out as 220 minus your age
  • The anaerobic zone is below 50% of maximum heart rate
  • A younger person always has a lower maximum heart rate

Spot the true statements 🖍️

An interactive activity.

Choose the training zone 🧭

An interactive activity.

Show the Karvonen working ✍️

An interactive activity.