Calculate your HR zones.
Discover your ideal HR zones to maximize each type of training.
Measure when you wake up, still lying down. Leave blank for simple method.
Your training zones
Active recovery. Facilitates recovery between intense workouts.
Aerobic base. 70-80% of total training volume should be here.
Moderate aerobic. Improves cardiovascular efficiency.
Anaerobic threshold. Tempo run workouts and race pace.
Maximum effort. Short intervals for VO2max development.
Sincronize com Garmin, Polar e Strava
Seus treinos com zonas de FC enviados direto para o relógio.
Calculation methods.
Simple Formula
Max HR = 220 - age. Quick and widely known, but with ±12 bpm margin of error. Good for beginners.
Tanaka Formula
Max HR = 208 - (0.7 × age). Developed based on study with 500+ people. More accurate, especially for those over 40.
Karvonen Method
Uses Heart Rate Reserve (HRmax - HRrest). Zones are calculated over this reserve, making them individualized. The most accurate of the three.
Sync with your watch.
With Magic Training, your training plans are synchronized directly with Garmin, Polar and Suunto. Each workout includes the target HR zone for that day.
No more guessing pace — your watch alerts you when you leave the programmed zone.
Why train by zones.
Most runners train at the same moderate pace all the time — not easy enough to recover, not hard enough to trigger adaptation. It's what researchers call the 'gray zone' — the place where you get tired without getting better.
Training by HR zones solves that problem. Low intensity (Z1-Z2) builds your aerobic base — the engine that determines how long you can hold any pace. High intensity (Z4-Z5) develops power. Each zone has a purpose. Mixing them without a plan leads to stagnation.
The distribution recommended by sports science: 75-80% of your time in Z1-Z2, 5-10% in Z3, 15-20% in Z4-Z5. It's called the polarized model, used by elite athletes across every endurance sport.
How to measure your HR accurately.
Resting HR
Measure right when you wake up, before getting out of bed. Lie still for 3-4 minutes and record it. Do this for 3 consecutive days and use the average. A resting HR below 50 bpm indicates good aerobic fitness.
Max HR
The simplest test: warm up for 15 minutes, then run a progressive uphill effort for 3 minutes at maximum intensity. The highest HR recorded is your max HR. More accurate than any formula.
Continuous monitoring
Garmin, Polar and Apple Watch measure HR continuously. Use that data to confirm you're training in the right zone — instead of relying on perceived effort alone.
What most people get wrong about HR.
A high HR at easy pace is normal at first
Yes — but it shouldn't stay that way. An elevated HR at easy pace is a sign of a weak aerobic base. With consistent Z2 training, your resting HR drops and your HR at submaximal paces progressively decreases.
Zone 2 is a waste of time
This is the amateur runner's biggest mistake. Z2 builds your muscle capillary network, increases mitochondrial density and improves fat utilization as fuel. It's the invisible foundation of all performance.
The higher your max HR, the better
Max HR doesn't determine performance. What matters is your HR at anaerobic threshold relative to your max HR. Elite athletes have high thresholds — not necessarily a high max HR.
Frequently asked questions.
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