Help me calculate my heart rate zones for zone 2 cardio

The Huberman Lab, hosted by Andrew Huberman, explores a wide range of topics including physical health and fitness. While the podcast may discuss concepts related to heart rate zones and their importance in training, the specific calculation methods for zone 2 cardio, using percentages of maximum heart rate, are typically outlined in fitness guides rather than discussed in-depth in the podcast episodes.

For detailed guidance tailored to your fitness level and health conditions, it might be useful to consult with a fitness professional who can provide personalized advice and precautions. Alternatively, using basic methods like the generic formula (220 - age) to calculate your maximum heart rate and then applying the 60-70% range to determine your zone 2 can be a starting point. Always consider consulting with a healthcare provider before beginning any new fitness regimen.

To calculate your heart rate zones for zone 2 cardio at the age of 40, you can use the commonly referenced formula:

[ \text{Max Heart Rate} = 220 - \text{Your Age} ]

For a 40-year-old, this calculation would be:

[ 220 - 40 = 180 , \text{beats per minute} ]

Zone 2 typically ranges from 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. Therefore:

• Lower end of Zone 2: ( 180 \times 0.60 = 108 , \text{beats per minute} )
• Upper end of Zone 2: ( 180 \times 0.70 = 126 , \text{beats per minute} )

Thus, for effective zone 2 cardio, you should aim to keep your heart rate between 108 and 126 beats per minute during exercise. This type of exercise is beneficial for cardiovascular health and can be integrated seamlessly into daily activities, such as brisk walking or cycling, for a sustained period each week without excessively disrupting your routine or affecting recovery times between workouts 1 2.

At the age of 20, one important health consideration is maintaining flexibility. Dr. Andrew Huberman emphasizes that flexibility generally begins to decrease from about 20 years old at a rate of approximately 10% every decade. This gradual decrease emphasizes the importance of adopting practices such as regular stretching to maintain limb range and motion, which is beneficial for preventing injuries as you age. Implementing such habits early can have lasting benefits for your health and physical mobility 1.

To calculate all your heart rate zones, we can start by using the provided Zone 2 information (118-127 bpm) and your max heart rate (187 bpm). Typically, heart rate zones are defined as follows:

1. Zone 1 (Very Light): 50-60% of max HR
2. Zone 2 (Light): 60-70% of max HR
3. Zone 3 (Moderate): 70-80% of max HR
4. Zone 4 (Hard): 80-90% of max HR
5. Zone 5 (Maximum Effort): 90-100% of max HR

Given that your Zone 2 range is 118-127 bpm, let's verify the percentages and then calculate all the zones:

1. Zone 1:
   [ 50%-60% \text { of } 187 = 93.5 \text { to } 112.2 \text{ bpm} ]

2. Zone 2:
   [ 60%-70% \text { of } 187 = 112.2 \text { to } 130.9 \text{ bpm} ]
   Adjusted to 118-127 bpm based on your provided information

3. Zone 3:
   [ 70%-80% \text { of } 187 = 130.9 \text { to } 149.6 \text{ bpm} ]

4. Zone 4:
   [ 80%-90% \text { of } 187 = 149.6 \text { to } 168.3 \text{ bpm} ]

5. Zone 5:
   [ 90%-100% \text { of } 187 = 168.3 \text { to } 187 \text{ bpm} ]

Here are your calculated heart rate zones based on the given max heart rate of 187 bpm and adjusted Zone 2 range:

• Zone 1: 94-112 bpm
• Zone 2: 118-127 bpm (provided range)
• Zone 3: 131-150 bpm
• Zone 4: 150-168 bpm
• Zone 5: 168-187 bpm

Always consult with a healthcare provider or a fitness professional when doing heart rate training to personalize your plan according to your health and fitness goals.