About Heart Rate Zones
Many athletes use heart rate zones to measure and increase their cardiovascular strength and improve their level of fitness. A heart rate zone is a set range of heartbeats per minute. The five commonly accepted heart rate zones are numbered from 1 to 5 according to increasing intensity. Generally, heart rate zones are calculated based on percentages of your maximum heart rate.
Setting Your Heart Rate Zones
The watch uses your user profile information from the initial setup to determine your default heart rate zones. For the most accurate calorie data during your activity, set your maximum heart rate. You can also enter your resting heart rate manually. You can manually adjust your zones on the watch or using your Garmin Connect™ account.
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Hold
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- Select .
- Select Max. HR, and enter your maximum heart rate.
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Select
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- Select Resting HR.
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Select an option:
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Select Use Average to use your average resting heart rate from the watch.
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Select Set Custom to set a custom resting heart rate.
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- Select .
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Select an option:
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Select BPM to view and edit the zones in beats per minute.
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Select %Max. HR to view and edit the zones as a percentage of your maximum heart rate.
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- Select a zone, and enter a value for each zone.
Heart Rate Zone Calculations
|
Zone |
% of Maximum Heart Rate |
Perceived Exertion |
Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
50–60% |
Relaxed, easy pace, rhythmic breathing |
Beginning-level aerobic training, reduces stress |
|
2 |
60–70% |
Comfortable pace, slightly deeper breathing, conversation possible |
Basic cardiovascular training, good recovery pace |
|
3 |
70–80% |
Moderate pace, more difficult to hold conversation |
Improved aerobic capacity, optimal cardiovascular training |
|
4 |
80–90% |
Fast pace and a bit uncomfortable, breathing forceful |
Improved anaerobic capacity and threshold, improved speed |
|
5 |
90–100% |
Sprinting pace, unsustainable for long period of time, labored breathing |
Anaerobic and muscular endurance, increased power |
Fitness Goals
Knowing your heart rate zones can help you measure and improve your fitness by understanding and applying these principles.
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Your heart rate is a good measure of exercise intensity.
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Training in certain heart rate zones can help you improve cardiovascular capacity and strength.
If you know your maximum heart rate, you can use the table (Heart Rate Zone Calculations) to determine the best heart rate zone for your fitness objectives.
If you do not know your maximum heart rate, use one of the calculators available on the Internet. Some gyms and health centers can provide a test that measures maximum heart rate. The default maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age.