I'm curious how many use the Karvonen method to determine their training zone vs the more common method of simply doing the math of XX% of your max H/R?

For those that don't know, the Karvonen method is simply determining your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR), by taking your Max H/R minus your Resting H/R. Example if you have a max H/R of 170 and a resting H/R of 60, your HRR = 110

Then you simply multiply you HRR by your intended zone, then add your resting H/R to that and that is your zone.

Example HRR 110 X .6 (60%) = 66 then simply add you resting H/R of 60 = 126.


Standard Zone 2 for Max H/R of 170bpm

60% = 102 bpm
70% = 119 bpm


Karovnen Method Zone 2 for Max H/R of 170bpm with a HRR of 110 and resting H/R of 60bpm

60% = 126 bpm
70% = 137 bpm

You can clearly see the difference between the two methods and I've noticed, with me at least, that the Karvonen method seems far more accurate. And I evaluate this basically off the "talk test" to determine which zone I'm roughly in. I can talk as if I'm in Zone 2, but according to the standard method, I'm in either a high Zone 3 or low Zone 4.

Just curious how many others have compared the two methods?




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