Zone 2 Training: Find Your Heart Rate Zone & Track It Free

Zone 2 training builds your aerobic base and improves fat oxidation. Here's how to calculate your Zone 2 range and log every session using just your iPhone.

7 min read
Beginner-friendly
ESC 2021 sourced
LIVE · 14 / 60s
9:41● ● ●
Measurement complete
Your HRV today.
68 ms
Heart-rate variability
Excellent
RMSSD
68 ms
+6% · parasympathetic
SDNN
91 ms
+3% · autonomic
7-day trend
↑ up 4%
What is HRV

The variation between heartbeats — your nervous system's report card.

RMSSD vs SDNN

Two metrics, one number. Why Pulse shows both — and which to watch.

TRIMP load

Training-impulse: your weekly training load, in one chart.

The protocol

4 steps. Sixty seconds. Done before your coffee.

  1. 01
    Morning

    Calculate Your Zone 2 Range

    Zone 2 = 60–70% of your maximum heart rate. A simple estimate: 220 minus your age. If you're 35, your max is ~185 bpm and your Zone 2 range is ~111–130 bpm.

  2. 02
    60 sec

    Log Your Resting HR Baseline

    Open Pulse Rate and take a resting measurement first thing in the morning. This baseline helps you track how your resting HR drops as your Zone 2 fitness improves over weeks.

  3. 03
    Read

    Record Post-Workout Recovery HR

    After a Zone 2 session (easy run, bike, or walk), measure your heart rate with the camera immediately after. How quickly it drops is a reliable marker of aerobic efficiency.

  4. 04
    Daily

    Watch Your Resting HR Trend

    Consistent Zone 2 training lowers resting heart rate over 6–12 weeks. Pulse Rate's trend charts let you visualize this progress clearly and stay motivated.

What you'll see in Pulse

Your progress, exactly how the app shows it.

The same chart that lives on your iPhone's Progress screen — rebuilt so you know what you're looking at.

Wellness Index trend
82 / 100 Excellent
Last 30 days
100 75 50 25
Excellent (80+) Borderline (40–60) Very low (0–40)
Excellent 80+

Outstanding score. Your key heart metrics are above normal.

Normal 60 – 80

Most healthy adults fall within this range.

Borderline 40 – 60

Not necessarily alarming — but worth monitoring.

Very Low 0 – 40

If this persists, please consult a healthcare professional.

Bonus · TRIMP

Training Impulse, decoded.

TRIMP = duration × intensity. A 60-minute easy run scores about 70 TRIMP. A 30-minute interval session scores 110. Pulse adds them up daily and tells you when your week is too light, just right, or about to overcook you.

80–140
Optimal weekly load
140–200
Stretch (watch HRV)
200+
Overreaching
More guides

Take your first reading.

You've already got the hardware — your iPhone. Pulse does the rest.

Free to download · Core tracking always free · iOS 15+

Download on the App Store