Zones on your watch

Put your training zones on your watch, in the format it wants

To put your zones on a watch or app, set your max heart rate, LTHR or FTP in its zone settings, then type the zone limits in the format it asks for. With a max heart rate of 190 bpm the five zones are 95-114, 114-133, 133-152, 152-171 and 171-190 bpm. Garmin takes them in bpm, % max HR, % HRR or % LTHR, Wahoo wants each zone's lower limit, Apple Watch lets you set zones 2 to 4 by hand, and Zwift only needs your FTP. Enter your numbers below for the exact values and menu path on Garmin, Wahoo, COROS, Polar, Suunto, Apple Watch, Zwift, TrainingPeaks and Strava.

Reviewed by Coach SvenMethodology

Your numbers

All optional. Enter what you know; the link keeps your numbers.

Heart rate zones based on

Garmin

5 HR zones, based on bpm, % max HR, % HRR or % LTHR. Power: FTP, then zones in watts or % FTP.

  1. On the watch, hold UP and select User Profile > Heart Rate & Power Zones > Heart Rate.
  2. Enter Max. Heart Rate, LTHR, and Resting HR (Set Custom).
  3. Select Zones > Based On and pick BPM, %Max. HR, %HRR or %LTHR to match the model below.
  4. Select each zone and enter its value. Optionally add sport-specific zones under Sport Heart Rate.
  5. Edge bike computers: Menu > My Stats > Training Zones > Power Zones, enter FTP, then Based On: watts or % FTP. Configuration sets the number of zones (7 below).
Max heart rate
enter above
Lactate threshold HR
enter above
Resting heart rate
enter above
FTP
enter above

Enter max HR (or age), resting HR or LTHR above to see heart rate zones.

Enter your FTP above to see power zones.

Garmin's default % max HR zones (50, 60, 70, 80, 90 %) are the same edges as the site's heart rate zone calculator. Menu names vary a little by model; these are from the Forerunner 265 and Edge 1050 manuals.

Official help: Forerunner 265 manual: Setting your heart rate zones · Edge 1050 manual: Setting your power zones

Wahoo

Zone sets you edit by each zone's lower threshold. HR can auto-calculate from THR; power from FTP.

  1. In the Wahoo app, tap your profile image (top left of Home), then Zones.
  2. Heart rate: Edit a zone set. Enter THR to auto-calculate, or change each zone's lower threshold (the zone below adjusts itself).
  3. Power: Edit, set FTP and the number of zones, then each zone's lower threshold.
  4. Tap Save (top right), then Done.
THR (threshold HR)
enter above
FTP
enter above
Threshold pace (TP)
enter above

Enter max HR (or age), resting HR or LTHR above to see heart rate zones.

Enter your FTP above to see power zones.

Official help: Wahoo: HR, Power and Pace zones (Wahoo app)

COROS

Zone type Max HR, Heart Rate Reserve or Lactate Threshold, then zone percentages. Power: 7 zones from FTP.

  1. In the COROS app, go to Profile > Settings > Heart Rate Zone.
  2. Pick the Zone Type that matches the model below and enter max HR, resting HR or LTHR.
  3. Adjust the zone percentages if they differ (Training Hub: Settings > Intensity Zones does the same on the web, including threshold pace).
  4. Power: Profile > Settings > Cycling Power Zones and edit your FTP.
Max heart rate
enter above
Resting heart rate
enter above
Lactate threshold HR
enter above
FTP
enter above
Threshold pace
enter above

Enter max HR (or age), resting HR or LTHR above to see heart rate zones.

Enter your FTP above to see power zones.

Official help: COROS: Setting resting and max heart rate · COROS: Cycling power zones · COROS Training Hub manual

Polar

HR zones per sport profile. Default zones come from max HR; Free (Custom on newer models) lets you type every limit in bpm.

  1. Polar Flow web: click your name or photo (top right) > Sport profiles > Edit under the sport.
  2. Polar Flow app: main menu > Sport profiles > choose the sport > Edit.
  3. Under heart rate zones, choose Free (or Custom) and type each limit in bpm. Power zones work the same way.
  4. Sync your watch so it picks up the new zones.
Max heart rate
enter above
FTP
enter above

Enter max HR (or age), resting HR or LTHR above to see heart rate zones.

Polar's default zones use the same 50 to 100 % of max HR edges as the % max HR model here. Polar's default power zones are its own set, so only FTP is listed.

Official help: Polar: Edit sport profiles in Polar Flow · Polar M400 manual: Heart rate zones

Suunto

5 HR zones from max HR, in bpm. Power and pace zones per sport. Zone 4's top = your threshold.

  1. On the watch: Training > Intensity zones > Default HR zones for all sports, and set max HR.
  2. Select each zone and adjust its limit if needed.
  3. Training > Intensity zones > Advanced zones holds sport-specific HR, pace and power zones.
  4. Power: Suunto says to set the upper limit of power zone 4 to your FTP.
Max heart rate
enter above
Zone 4 upper limit (FTP)
enter above

Enter max HR (or age), resting HR or LTHR above to see heart rate zones.

Official help: Suunto Race: Intensity zones · Suunto: Test your fitness (FTP and zone 4)

Apple Watch

Automatic zones from your health data, or Manual: lower and upper limits for zones 2, 3 and 4.

  1. On Apple Watch, open Settings > Workout > Heart Rate Zones.
  2. Tap Manual, tap zone 2, 3 or 4, and enter its lower and upper limits.

Enter max HR (or age), resting HR or LTHR above to see heart rate zones.

Apple lets you edit zones 2, 3 and 4 only, so those are the rows to type.

Official help: Apple: View heart rate zones on Apple Watch

Zwift

FTP only. Workouts and zones scale from it.

  1. From the home screen, select your initials > My profile, enter FTP and Save.
  2. Or on the web: zwift.com/settings/profile, enter FTP, Save changes.
  3. Custom .zwo workouts go in Documents > Zwift > Workouts > your Zwift ID folder.
FTP
enter above

Official help: Zwift: Manually adjusting your FTP · Zwift: Custom workouts

TrainingPeaks

Thresholds per sport (HR, power, pace), then a Type and Method calculate the zones.

  1. Web: click your name (upper right) > Settings > Zones.
  2. Heart Rate, Power and Speed/Pace each have Default values; add sport-specific ones with Add Activity.
  3. Enter threshold, max and resting values, choose the Type and Method, then Save.
  4. Mobile app: More > Settings > Zones > pick the zone type > Edit > enter the threshold > Calculate New Zones.
Lactate threshold HR
enter above
Max heart rate
enter above
Resting heart rate
enter above
FTP
enter above
Threshold pace
enter above

Official help: TrainingPeaks: Set thresholds and calculate zones

Strava

5 HR zones from max HR, custom zones for subscribers (no overlaps). 7 power zones from FTP.

  1. On strava.com: Settings > My Performance, and enter your max heart rate.
  2. Subscribers can set custom heart rate zones there. Zones cannot overlap and must differ by at least 1 bpm.
  3. Power zones are calculated from the FTP you enter (subscription feature).
Max heart rate
enter above
FTP
enter above

Enter max HR (or age), resting HR or LTHR above to see heart rate zones.

Official help: Strava: Training zones · Strava: Heart rate zones

Why your watch and your calculator disagree

Most devices start from an age formula. Garmin and Polar both default to five zones starting at 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 % of a max heart rate they estimate, and an age formula can miss your real max by 10 bpm or more. Two devices with two different max values will label the same run as different zones, and neither is wrong.

The fix is one reference number, set everywhere. Measure or estimate your max heart rate, LTHR or FTP once, then enter the same value and the same zone limits on every device and app you use. The numbers on this page come from the same functions as the site's calculators, so they match what those pages show.

Which zone model to use

% of max HR is the simplest and the default on most watches. % of heart rate reserve (Karvonen) adds your resting heart rate, which puts each boundary higher than the same percentage of max HR, most of all in the easy zones. % of LTHR (Friel) anchors zones to your lactate threshold, the most individual of the three if you have tested it.

Pick one model and use it on every platform. The table on each card follows the model you choose above. Power zones are Coggan's seven levels from FTP on every platform that takes them.

What each platform accepts

Garmin lets you view and edit zones as bpm, % max HR, % HRR or % LTHR, and Edge computers take power zones in watts or % FTP. Wahoo edits each zone by its lower threshold. COROS picks a zone type (max HR, heart rate reserve or lactate threshold) and lets you adjust the percentages. Polar sport profiles switch to Free or Custom zones typed in bpm. Suunto sets five HR zones from max HR and asks you to put your FTP at the top of power zone 4.

Apple Watch allows manual limits for zones 2, 3 and 4. Strava accepts custom zones for subscribers only if they do not overlap, so each zone starts 1 bpm above the last. TrainingPeaks and Zwift calculate everything from thresholds you enter.

How it works

  1. 1Enter your numbers. Max HR (or age), resting HR, LTHR, FTP and threshold pace. Any subset works.
  2. 2Choose a zone model. % of max HR, % of heart rate reserve or % of LTHR. Use the same one on every device.
  3. 3Find your platform. Each card lists the menu path from the platform's own manual or support page.
  4. 4Type the numbers. Copy the values in the format that platform asks for: full ranges, lower limits, or percentages.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change heart rate zones on a Garmin watch?

Hold UP, select User Profile > Heart Rate & Power Zones > Heart Rate, enter max heart rate, LTHR and resting heart rate, then Zones > Based On to choose BPM, %Max. HR, %HRR or %LTHR, and enter a value for each zone. The path is from the Forerunner 265 manual and varies slightly by model.

Can I set custom heart rate zones on Apple Watch?

Yes. On the watch open Settings > Workout > Heart Rate Zones, tap Manual, then zone 2, 3 or 4, and enter the lower and upper limits. Otherwise Apple calculates zones from your health data.

Why does Strava show different zones from my watch?

Strava applies its own max heart rate setting to the uploaded data. If that value differs from your watch, the same run falls into different zones. Enter the same max HR in Strava under Settings > My Performance, and subscribers can type the same custom zones.

Where do I set my FTP in Zwift?

From the home screen select your initials > My profile, enter your FTP and save, or do the same at zwift.com/settings/profile. Zwift workouts, including .zwo files from the workout library, scale to that FTP.

Should I use % of max HR or % of LTHR zones?

If you have tested your lactate threshold heart rate, LTHR zones are more individual. If you only know your max heart rate, % of max HR is fine and is what most watches use by default. Whichever you pick, use it on every device.

Sources

Last updated 6 September 2026.

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