What Are Heart Rate Zones?
Heart rate zones are ranges of heartbeats per minute (bpm) that correspond to different levels of exercise intensity. MySwimPro uses 5 heart rate zones, each targeting a specific training outcome:
Zone | Color | % of Max HR | What It Feels Like | Benefit |
Zone 1 | 🟢 Green | 0–60% | Very easy, light effort | Active recovery, warm-up |
Zone 2 | 🟡 Yellow | 60–70% | Comfortable, conversational | Builds endurance & fat burn |
Zone 3 | 🟠 Orange | 70–80% | Moderate, steady effort | Improves aerobic capacity |
Zone 4 | 🔴 Red | 80–90% | Hard, difficult to maintain | Increases lactate threshold |
Zone 5 | 🟣 Purple | 90–100% | All-out effort | Builds speed & peak power |
How to Set Up & Customize Your Heart Rate Zones
MySwimPro calculates your zones based on your maximum heart rate (Max HR), estimated as 220 minus your age by default. You can also set your Max HR manually for more accuracy.
Accessing Heart Rate Zones
Open the MySwimPro app and tap the Profile tab.
Tap Settings, then tap Account Settings.
Scroll down to the Training section and tap Heart Rate Zones.
Automatic Mode
By default, MySwimPro uses Automatic mode. Your zone boundaries are calculated automatically based on your Max HR.
On the Heart Rate Zones screen, make sure Automatic is selected.
Your current Max HR is displayed in the Max Heart Rate field (e.g., 189 bpm).
Your five zones and their bpm ranges are shown below — no further action needed.
Manual Mode
If you'd like to enter your own Max HR or customize individual zone boundaries:
On the Heart Rate Zones screen, tap Manual.
Tap the Max Heart Rate field and enter your known Max HR in bpm.
To adjust individual zone thresholds, tap the upper bpm value for any zone — it will become editable (highlighted in green).
Enter your preferred threshold and repeat for any other zones you'd like to adjust.
Note: Zone 5 automatically adjusts to cover everything above Zone 4's upper threshold.
How to View Heart Rate Zones During a Workout
To see your heart rate zones in real time while swimming, you'll need a compatible heart rate monitor connected to MySwimPro.
Start a Guided Workout or Free Swim session.
Your current zone is displayed on the active workout screen, color-coded to match your zone settings.
Tap the heart rate display at any time to see a full breakdown of time spent in each zone.
How to View Heart Rate Zones After a Workout
Tap Log in the bottom navigation and select the completed workout.
Scroll to the Heart Rate section.
You'll see:
A time-in-zone chart showing how long you spent in each zone (color-coded).
Your average and peak heart rate for the session.
A zone breakdown as a percentage of total workout time.
Use this data to evaluate your training — a recovery swim should show most time in Zones 1–2, while an interval set should show spikes into Zones 4–5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a heart rate monitor to use heart rate zones? Yes, a compatible heart rate monitor is required to capture real-time zone data during your swims. Without one, zone tracking won't be available.
Which heart rate monitors are compatible with MySwimPro? MySwimPro supports a range of devices. Visit our Compatible Devices page for the full list.
Why does my Max HR say 189 bpm by default? MySwimPro estimates your Max HR using the formula 220 minus your age. If you know your actual Max HR from a fitness test, switch to Manual mode and enter it for more accurate zone boundaries.
Why do my zones look different from other apps? Different apps may use different zone models. You can switch to Manual mode and customize your thresholds to align with your coach's methodology or another system you use.