Max Heart Rate Calculator
Max heart rate is your highest safe heart rate during exercise, estimated as 220 minus your age (or 208 − 0.7 × age), and it anchors every heart-rate training zone.
verified_userReviewed by the Calculopedia editorial teamLast updated 2026-08-16
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quizExample
How this calculator works, with real numbers (no JavaScript needed):
Inputs
- Age
- 30
- Formula
- 220
Results
- Maximum heart rate
- 190
- Zone 2 range
- 114
- Formula used
- Standard formula (220 − age)
functionsThe formula
Your maximum heart rate is the ceiling your heart can reach during all-out effort. It is individual — but the only reliable ways to measure it precisely require a lab test, so the everyday method is a formula estimate. Understanding that trade-off is the key to using max HR well.
The formulas
Classic: Max HR = 220 − age
Tanaka: Max HR = 208 − 0.7 × age
The classic 220 − age is what most people know. Tanaka's formula fits real measured data better for most adults, especially after 40:
| Age | 220 − age | Tanaka |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 200 | 194 |
| 30 | 190 | 187 |
| 40 | 180 | 180 |
| 50 | 170 | 173 |
Where 220 − age came from
The "220 minus age" shortcut traces back to research in the 1970s, when physiologists compiled data to estimate how maximum heart rate declines with age. It is memorable and broadly right on average, but it was always a population average, not a personal measurement. Actual max heart rate varies a great deal between individuals of the same age; a healthy person's true max can easily sit a dozen or more beats above or below any formula's guess. That is a big deal for training-zone accuracy — if your real max is off by 10 bpm, your zones are off by 6–7 bpm too.
Individual variation and measurement
The most accurate way to find your true max is a maximal exercise test — pedalling or running to exhaustion under controlled conditions, usually with monitoring. More practical options include a hard interval session where you push to a genuine maximum and note the peak reading from a heart-rate strap. A wrist-based optical sensor tends to lag and under-read during spikes, so a chest strap is more reliable for this. For most recreational athletes, a formula is fine for casual zone work, but the closer you get to competitive training, the more a real measurement pays off.
Training zones
Once you have your max HR, zones are simple percentages:
| Zone | % of max | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Recovery | 50–60% | Warm-up, recovery |
| 2 — Fat burn | 60–70% | Steady aerobic base |
| 3 — Cardio | 70–80% | Endurance, tempo |
| 4 — High intensity | 80–90% | Threshold, speed |
| 5 — Max effort | 90–100% | Sprints, intervals |
Example
A 30-year-old runner: classic max HR = 190 bpm, so Zone 2 is 114–133 bpm.
A heart-rate strap or watch gives far more accurate numbers than any formula. If you are new to intense exercise or have heart conditions, check with a doctor first.
helpFrequently asked questions
question_markHow do I calculate my maximum heart rate?
The simplest estimate is 220 minus your age. The more accurate Tanaka formula is 208 − 0.7 × age. For a 30-year-old that gives 190 bpm and 187 bpm respectively.
question_markWhat is the best formula for max heart rate?
Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) is closer to measured values for most adults than 220 − age, which tends to overestimate max HR in younger people and underestimate it in older people.
question_markWhat heart rate zone should I train in?
Zone 2 (60–70% of max HR) builds your aerobic base and burns fat efficiently. Zone 3 (70–80%) improves endurance, and Zones 4–5 build speed and power but are much harder to sustain.