Suunto Blog

Exercise is more than just giving it your all. Overexertion can leave you exhausted, while too little effort can stall your progress. Heart rate zones provide balance, guiding you to train at the right intensity. They help you burn fat, boost stamina, improve speed, and lower your risk of injury, making every workout truly effective. Here, we will provide you with complete knowledge that explains what heart rate zones are, how to find yours, and tips to avoid mistakes. Let's get started and make your training smarter! Part 1. Understanding Heart Rate Zones Heart rate refers to the number of times your heart beats per minute (BPM), indicating how hard you're working during exercise.Tracking heart rate is important because, according to Forbes, "it can indicate level of physical fitness, health status, and can even signal potential health issues." Each heart zone represents a percentage of your maximal heart rate (MHR)—the highest rate your heart can reach during intense activity. These zones help you train with a specific goal in mind, such as building endurance or increasing speed. Zone 1: 50%–60% of Max Heart Rate This zone involves very light exercise, such as gentle stretching or a leisurely walk. It’s ideal for cool-downs, as it helps improve blood flow and reduces the risk of injury. Athletes often use Zone 1 for physical and mental recovery during the same training session. Zone 2: 60%–70% of Max Heart Rate Zone 2 heart rate is commonly referred to as the fat-burning heart rate zone. In this zone, exercise mainly works best to make the body burn fat as an energy source, as well as enhancing basic aerobic endurance. An exercise such as a brisk walk falls within this zone. This zone is useful in building up aerobic fitness, which is extremely vital to the heart and overall well-being. Zone 3: 70%–80% of Max Heart Rate This zone makes you breathe deeply, and you can hardly speak in short sentences. Zone 3 is the epicentre when it comes to the betterment of heart health and muscle endurance. Moderate exercise, like steady-state running or moderate-intensity exercise classes, is included in this category. The area is especially useful when training to attend races such as half-marathons. Zone 4: 80%–90% of Max Heart Rate Training in zone 4 enhances speed, endurance, and metabolic efficiency to great levels. This zone includes the exercise done at the last part of your workout, such as sprinting at the end of long running. This degree of effort enables your body to become accustomed to building up the level of lactic acid so that you can push yourself harder and further. Zone 5: 90%–100% of Max Heart Rate This range is dedicated to maximum efforts, e.g., a sprint finish or high-level athlete performance testing. Zone 5 training focuses on anaerobic capacity and maximal strength. The high intensity is demanding, making it unsuitable for beginners, as it strains both the cardiovascular and muscular systems. Proper guidance and adequate rest are essential for those attempting this zone. Part 2. What Is a Good Heart Rate Range for My Age? Your maximum heart rate (MHR) decreases with age, and knowing your MHR helps define your heart rate zones. You can use a simple formula to estimate your MHR: MHR = 220 - Your Age For example, a 30-year-old has an estimated MHR is: 220 – 30 = 190BPM Here's an age-based example table showing the five heart rate zones for different age groups: Age Zone 1  (50-60%) Zone 2 (60-70%) Zone 3 (70-80%) Zone 4 (80-90%) Zone 5 (90-100%) 25 98–118 118–137 137–157 157–176 176–195 35 93–111 111–130 130–148 148–167 167–185 45 88–106 106–123 123–141 141–159 159–176 55 83–101 101–114 114–132 132–151 151–170   Part 3. Resting Heart Rate Zones Chart Resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are at rest or not doing any physical activity. Your resting heart rate (RHR) can reveal a lot about your overall fitness. A lower RHR often indicates better cardiovascular health as the heart works more efficiently. However, an RHR that is too low or too high may signal underlying health issues: Below 60 bpm: Common in athletes, signaling strong heart efficiency. In non-athletes, very low RHR (below 40 bpm) may indicate bradycardia, requiring medical advice if symptomatic (dizziness, fatigue). Normal (60–80 bpm): Reflects good heart health. High (above 100 bpm): May suggest stress, poor fitness, or health issues like hyperthyroidism or anemia. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly track your RHR over time. A consistent increase in your RHR, even within the normal range, could indicate a need to adjust your lifestyle or seek medical advice. Factors Affecting RHR: Fitness Level: More physically fit individuals tend to have lower RHRs. Age: RHR tends to decrease with age, but it can also be affected by overall health. Stress and Anxiety: Mental and emotional stress can temporarily elevate RHR. Medications: Some medications can affect heart rate. Health Conditions: Certain conditions, like infections, heart problems, and thyroid issues, can impact RHR. A general resting heart rate zones chart to assess your fitness level based on RHR: Fitness Level Resting Heart Rate (RHR in bpm) Excellent 50–60 Good 61–70 Average 71–80 Below Average 81–90 Poor 91+   Part 4. How to Calculate Your Heart Rate Zones Heart rate zones guide your workouts by targeting specific intensities for goals like endurance, fat burning, or speed. Here’s a streamlined step-by-step guide to calculate them, enhanced by using a high-quality heart rate monitoring tool for precision. 1. Measure Your Heart Rate Accurately A premium heart rate monitor, such as the Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt, delivers medical-grade accuracy for serious training and professional athletic performance. This advanced heart rate belt technology provides unmatched reliability for athletes, runners, and fitness enthusiasts who demand precise cardiovascular data: Provides precise heart rate data with all-day comfort. Measures reliably during sports that disrupt wrist sensors. Stores heart rate data when the watch is out of range. Connects with the Sports Tracker app on Android, iOS, and watchOS. Offers waterproof protection and delivers 500 hours of battery life. 2. Find Your Maximum Heart Rate (Max HR) Estimate your Max HR with the formula: 220 minus your age (e.g., a 30-year-old’s Max HR is190 bpm). For better accuracy, wear Smart Belt during a supervised max effort test (e.g., a sprint or cycling session) to capture your true Max HR, ideally with a coach’s guidance. 3. Calculate Your Training Zones Once you have Max HR, let your watch or training app calculate automatically, or do it manually: Zone X lower bound=Max HR×lower percentage Zone X upper bound=Max HR×upper percentage Example: Max HR = 190 bpm, Zone 2 (60–70%) 190×0.6=114 bpm 190×0.7=133 bpm Then in this case zone 2 is 114–133 bpm. Once you have your five zone numbers, you can align your training zones with your goals: Zone 1 (50–60%): Light effort for recovery or warm-ups (e.g., 95–114 bpm for a 190 Max HR). Zone 2 (60–70%): Moderate effort for endurance and fat burning (114–133 bpm). Zone 3 (70–80%): Aerobic zone for cardiovascular fitness (133–152 bpm). Zone 4 (80–90%): High intensity for speed and stamina (152–171 bpm). Zone 5 (90–100%): Maximum effort for short, intense bursts (171–190 bpm). Part 5. Common Mistakes in Heart Rate Zone Training Training based on heart rate isn't foolproof. Here are common mistakes to avoid and how to fix them: Using an Inaccurate Max HR: Relying only on 220-age formula, which may be off by 10–20 bpm. Skipping Warm-Ups/Cool-Downs: Jumping into high zones or skipping recovery, stressing the heart. Training in the Wrong Zone: Mismatching zones with goals, causing overtraining or slow progress. Ignoring External Factors: Overlooking stress, dehydration, or heat, which skew heart rate data. Improper Device Use: Wearing the Smart Heart Rate Belt too loosely or neglecting maintenance, leading to inaccurate readings. Ignoring Body Signals: Following zones rigidly while ignoring fatigue or discomfort. Not Updating Zones: Using outdated zones as fitness or age changes, reducing training effectiveness. Final Thoughts Learning to understand the different heart rate zones and how to avoid the most common training errors in those different zones is a sure way to achieve the fitness objectives you set for yourself. The proper advice and equipment are important when it comes to achieving goals such as fat burning or strength gain. At Suunto, you will find everything that keeps you on track towards your goals, including a wide range of fitness products, such as heart rate belts and performance-tracking sports watches. 

How does bushwhacking 50 miles and 25k feet of elevation gain without a set course sound? We asked Suunto ambassador Max King who did just that at the Euchre Bar Massacre near Foresthill, California. Read on and Max will explain why it isn't your typical running race!  ”I don't usually do races where a finish is a good result, but every so often, I humbly find myself in one of those situations where I'll just be happy to finish...literally.  On October 16th, I found myself in exactly that situation. This was one of those peculiar races where there’s no "elite" field, there's no finishers medals, or t-shirts. It's just you versus the course, and it's going to do its best not to let you cross that finish line.  And I'm not talking about the self-deprecating, ”Oh gee, I hope I finish,” type of mentality when the normal finish rate is well north of 80%. I'm talking about a race where the finish rate is typically lower than 10% and no one in the field is trying for a fast time.  The Euchre Bar Massacre is in a similar vein to the popular Barkley Marathons in Tennessee, where people – not very many of them – wander around the mountains looking for books to rip pages out of and therefore "prove" they have completed the course. And I use "course" loosely; while there is a route that you are supposed to follow, it's unmarked, mostly off-trail, and ultimately, you're not going to follow the same ”course” as everybody else. (See Max’s Instagram post for book pictures!) Due to the off-trail nature of the Euchre Bar Massacre, there is significant bushwhacking leading to typical finish times over 24hrs. Did I mention it is only a 50 miler?! The length of the course is irrelevant. Distance on a course like this is measured in ”hills”, as in ”it is 3 hills until the drop bags” rather than ”it's only 10mi till the drop bags.” The vertical gain of each hill and difficulty of the bushwhacking determines the time until you can drop from the race...or stubbornly continue on to the next set of hills.  These types of events aren't popular, and it's not because they are difficult. Trail runners do plenty of hard things. They appeal to a small number of folks that are drawn to this type of adventure. I think each participant's reasons may vary but for me, it's the whole combination of elements that really sucks me in. I love the wild nature of this type of race. It is remote – I raced alone for 20hrs without seeing another person other than about 10 minutes at the drop bags.   It is rugged, obviously – it has 25k of vert, tons of vegetation, and about half is off-trail. I looked like I was stuffed in a burlap bag with 20 cats before I was done.  It is routeless – with no course markings you're going by map and compass and when it gets dark, you better know how to use that compass. I kept telling myself ”trust in the compass” as I was going in a direction that my mind was telling me was completely the wrong direction. I also did a complete 180-degree circle around a patch of manzanita in the middle of the night and realized I'd been there before. That's a terrible feeling.  There's a lot about an event like this that appeals to me and a few nutty others but doesn't appeal to a lot more people out there. And that's okay. Now, If you're thinking of getting into one of these, here are a few tips: First, reconsider your decision... Second, practice navigating, bushwhacking, and being alone for a long time in a safe space. Third, put ”For The Win”, or ”FTW” on your calendar as there are no winners, just finishers. Words and images by: Max King Thank you for this recount, Max! We sure know who to call when we want all pain and no gain!     

Today is day 1 of Suunto Vertical Blue and it looks like it's going to kick off in style. There will be 11 national record attempts with an average depth of 71 meters!!! The day should end with some huge announcements, says organizer Will Trubridge. For the latest results, check out the official event Facebook page. In the meantime, enjoy the video below.    

Adventures take us to new experiences and out of the everyday. Kilian Jornet says that exploring is human; Greg Hill that adventure is a mindset. Watch the Suunto Adventure video and hear what Kilian Jornet, Greg Hill, Jill Heinerth and Conrad Stoltz think of adventure. Top image: © Bruno Long

Talk to Emelie Forsberg and you'd think she's just another mountain-loving adventure girl with a fondness for baking home-made cookies. But behind the fun-loving Swede is a phenomenal podium-winning athlete – one who has excelled in several trail running disciplines – as well as competition ski-mountaineering.    A three-time Sky Running World Series champion (2012-2014), Emelie exceeds at marathon and ultra distance events. These are mountain trail races which feature several thousand meters of vertical ascent and range from 30 to over 50 km long over terrain that can range from loose rock to high altitude snow fields. To mountain runners these are races that are steeped in legend and lore, races like Zegama, Pikes Peak, Kima and modern classics like Transvulcania and the Diagonale des Fous. She is fiercely competitive and has an impressive medal tally – too long to list here – but it's clear that winning is not her primary goal. “I'm not going to remember a win in 40 years time — I will remember the view or the feeling,” she says. There's a photo of her taken just before she crossed the finish line of the 80 km Mt Blanc marathon, a race that would crown her 2014 Skyrunning Ultra champion. It's distinctive for one feature – an enormous smile she can't contain. She looks as if she's just run a 5 k, far less a gruelling double marathon. “From my heart I can truly say I enjoyed every second of it,” she wrote on her Facebook page shortly afterwards: “Pure skyrunning. J´adore! I love!” It's Emelie's infectious love of running that shines through above all else. “It's hard to describe it's so good,” she says. “You get a really good feeling in your legs. You feel so light – you're just flowing over the ground. You feel like really wow, I could go on forever, or wow, what a great feeling.” It was this feeling that propelled her onto the professional circuit. One of her first wins was a local uphill mountain race in Norway's Yotunheimen national park in 2010. What is extraordinary is that prior to the race, and on the same day, Emelie decided to go for a run that became a 50 km ultra with 4,000 m of vertical. “I was free that day so thought I would run around,” she says by way of explanation. “It was super beautiful.” Not all races are beautiful experiences however. During the 2014 Kima she took a wrong turn and dropped from 1st to 5th position. She still finished 2nd. And besides official races, she's also a fan of the Fastest Known Time (FKT) movement, which are self-organized and (often) solo attempts to break speed records on mountains. In 2014 she set the overall record on Sweden's highest mountain Kebnekaise, shaving 15 minutes off the previous record. Big mountains play a big part in her life. When she's not competing Emelie loves to hang-out in the mountains, camping, hiking, climbing and skiing in winter. Of course, that also means competing on skis too, in the ski mountaineering world cup. Despite being a relative newcomer to the sport, 2015 brought Emelie her first podium, a third place in the Trofeo Marmotta. “I like to be out in the mountains in the winter too,” she says, “and this is just another way. The training is the same as before just different on skis. It's fun to race, it's good training – actually the hardest training I have ever done!” Where next for the Swedish athlete? Whatever it is, it's bound to involve some big mountain adventures. “The best times are when you're in the mountains, where the clock and the world outside don't count. Mountains are simplicity, freedom and responsibility — everything that I love!”

In the first episode of #SuuntoAdventure Video Series you will meet Swedish trail runner, ski mountaineer and mountain lover Emelie Forsberg. Emelie is all smiles – but don't let that fool you: she is fiercely competitive, too. Read Emelie's profile here. Watch also the other episodes in the series: Face to Face with Greg Hill – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 2 Face to Face with Kilian Jornet – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 3 Face to Face with William Trubridge – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 4 Face to Face with Conrad Stoltz – #SuuntoAdventure Video Series, Episode 5