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Calculate Your Maximum Heart Rate by Age

❤️ Calculate your maximum heart rate using the Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7×age). More accurate than 220−age. Training zones + Karvonen method included. Fast and free.

🗓️ Updated June 2026 Reviewed by Martín Rodríguez

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Reviewed by: Martín Rodríguez (editorial policy ) · Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026

Age (years)*

Resting Heart Rate (bpm, optional)

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Maximum heart rate (HRmax) is the ceiling your heart can reach during all-out exertion. The Tanaka 2001 formula — validated on 18,712 subjects and endorsed by the ACSM — is more accurate than the legacy 220−age rule, especially for adults over 40. Enter your resting heart rate to also get Karvonen zones, which are more individualized because they account for your fitness level.

When to use this calculator

Prescribing training zones for running, cycling or triathlon using the 80/20 polarized model (Zone 2 at 60–70% HRmax)
Calibrating wearable HR zones (Garmin, Apple Watch, Polar, Whoop) when the manufacturer uses the outdated 220−age default
Masters athletes (40+): correcting Fox-based underestimates that systematically cap training intensity
Cardiac rehabilitation: setting a safe HR ceiling (70–85% HRmax) under medical supervision

Training Zones by % HRmax — ACSM/AHA Framework

Zone	% HRmax	Purpose	Talk Test
Zone 1	50–60%	Active recovery, warm-up	Full conversation
Zone 2	60–70%	Aerobic base, fat oxidation	Full sentences
Zone 3	70–80%	Aerobic capacity, tempo	Short sentences
Zone 4	80–90%	Lactate threshold	A few words
Zone 5	90–100%	VO2max, anaerobic	Single words / none

Fuente: ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 11th Ed. & American Heart Association — Target Heart Rates Chart (2026)

How it works

How It Works

Tanaka 2001 Formula (Recommended)

HRmax = 208 − 0.7 × age

Published by Tanaka, Monahan and Seals in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2001), derived from a meta-analysis of 351 studies involving 18,712 subjects. It is the current ACSM standard and outperforms Fox (220−age) for adults over 40, where Fox underestimates HRmax by up to 7 bpm.

Four HRmax Formulas Compared (35-Year-Old)

At age 35 the major equations converge closely:

Formula	Expression	Validation
Tanaka 2001	208 − 0.7 × age = 184 bpm	18,712 subjects
Fox 1971	220 − age = 185 bpm	Limited data
Gellish 2007	207 − 0.7 × age = 183 bpm	25-year cohort
Inbar 1994	205.8 − 0.685 × age ≈ 182 bpm	Trained athletes

By age 65 the Fox–Tanaka gap reaches 7 bpm, which shifts every downstream zone meaningfully.

Training Zones (% HRmax — ACSM/AHA Framework)

Zone	% HRmax	Purpose	Talk Test
Zone 1	50–60%	Active recovery, warm-up	Full conversation
Zone 2	60–70%	Aerobic base, fat oxidation	Full sentences
Zone 3	70–80%	Aerobic capacity, tempo	Short sentences
Zone 4	80–90%	Lactate threshold	A few words
Zone 5	90–100%	VO2max, anaerobic	Single words / none

Karvonen Heart Rate Reserve Method

When you enter your resting HR, the calculator applies the Karvonen formula, which is more individualized because it respects your fitness level:

Target HR = ((HRmax − HRrest) × intensity%) + HRrest

Example (35 years, HRmax 184 bpm, HRrest 60 bpm, Zone 2 at 70%):
→ ((184 − 60) × 0.70) + 60 = 147 bpm

As your resting HR drops with training, Karvonen zones auto-adjust upward — a direct measure of improved fitness.

Measuring Resting HR Correctly

Measure on waking, before getting up and before caffeine. Count beats for 60 seconds or use your wearable's overnight low. Sedentary adults: 65–80 bpm. Endurance-trained athletes: 40–55 bpm. A rise of 5–10 bpm above baseline often signals fatigue, illness or overtraining.

Individual Variability

Age-based formulas explain ~75% of HRmax variance; the remaining 25% comes from genetics, training history, medications and disease. β-blockers (metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol) reduce HRmax by 20–30 bpm — use Borg RPE (scale 6–20) instead of HR zones in that case.

Final Notes

This calculator returns estimates for training planning. It does not replace medical evaluation. Anyone with known cardiovascular disease, chest pain, syncope, or a family history of sudden cardiac death should consult a physician before maximal-effort testing or high-intensity training. All values reviewed against 2026 ACSM and AHA guidance.

Example: 35-year-old athlete, resting HR 60 bpm

Age 35 → HRmax (Tanaka): 208 − 0.7 × 35 = 183.5 → 184 bpm

Fox comparison (220 − 35): 185 bpm (gap is only 1 bpm here; widens to 7 bpm by age 65)

Zone 2 aerobic base (60–70% HRmax): 110–129 bpm

Karvonen Zone 2 with resting HR 60 bpm: HRR = 124 bpm → (124 × 0.60) + 60 = 134 bpm to (124 × 0.70) + 60 = 147 bpm

HRmax: 184 bpm | Zone 2 simple: 110–129 bpm | Zone 2 Karvonen: 134–147 bpm

Disclaimer: Los resultados son orientativos y no reemplazan la consulta médica profesional. Antes de tomar decisiones con impacto, consultá con un médico, nutricionista o profesional de la salud matriculado.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 220-minus-age formula accurate?

Not reliably. Fox (220 − age) was proposed in 1971 with limited evidence and overestimates HRmax in adults under 40 by 5–10 bpm and underestimates in those over 60. Tanaka 2001 (208 − 0.7×age) was validated on 18,712 subjects and is the current ACSM population-level standard. Use Fox only as a rough mental shortcut.

What is resting heart rate and how do I measure it correctly?

Resting heart rate (HRrest) is beats per minute during full rest. Measure on waking, before getting up and before caffeine. Count beats for 60 seconds, or read your wearable's overnight low. Sedentary adults average 65–80 bpm; trained endurance athletes 40–55 bpm. HRrest is useful because it reflects aerobic fitness and is required for the Karvonen formula.

Should Karvonen or percent-of-HRmax zones be used for training?

Karvonen (heart rate reserve) is more individualized because it accounts for resting heart rate, producing higher target HRs that correlate better with VO2max percentages. As resting HR drops with training, Karvonen zones adjust automatically. For most recreational athletes either method works if applied consistently. Cardiac rehab settings prefer Karvonen.

Do β-blockers affect my maximum heart rate?

Yes — meaningfully. Metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol and similar β-blockers typically reduce HRmax by 20–30 bpm. HR-based zones become unreliable on these medications. Use the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (6–20 scale) instead: target 12–14 for moderate intensity, 15–17 for vigorous. Always coordinate with your cardiologist.

How can I test my true HRmax safely?

The clinical gold standard is a graded exercise test (GXT) with ECG supervision — required if you have any cardiovascular risk factors. For asymptomatic adults cleared for vigorous exercise, a valid field test is 3–4 × 4-minute all-out hill repeats with 3-minute recoveries. The peak HR in the last repeat approximates true HRmax within 2–3 bpm. Do not attempt without medical clearance if you have chest pain, syncope, or known heart disease.

Does HRmax inevitably drop with age?

Yes, roughly 0.7 bpm per year on average (the coefficient in the Tanaka equation). Sinoatrial node fibrosis and reduced β-adrenergic responsiveness drive this decline. Sustained endurance training modestly attenuates the slope but cannot halt it. What you can preserve with training is VO2max and lactate threshold — both far more functionally important than HRmax itself.

Why should Zone 2 feel so easy?

Zone 2 (60–70% HRmax) should feel conversational — full sentences, comfortable nasal breathing. Most athletes underestimate how easy Zone 2 should feel and drift into Zone 3. The 80/20 polarized model (Seiler) shows elite endurance athletes spend ~80% of training volume in Zone 2 because it builds mitochondrial density and fat oxidation without CNS fatigue, allowing true high-intensity work in the remaining 20%.

Are wrist-based heart rate monitors accurate during workouts?

Optical wrist sensors (Apple Watch, Garmin, Polar, Whoop) are within ±5 bpm at rest and Zone 1–2, but lose accuracy at Zone 4–5, during interval transitions, and with wrist flexion. For threshold and VO2max work, a chest strap (Polar H10, Garmin HRM-Pro, Wahoo Tickr) reaches ≥95% accuracy vs lab ECG and is the correct tool. For Zone 2 endurance and daily HRV monitoring, wrist-based is adequate.

Is Zone 5 training dangerous?

Brief Zone 5 intervals (90–100% HRmax, typically 30 seconds to 4 minutes) are how healthy trained adults build VO2max and are well-tolerated in evidence-based programs. Risk rises with excessive weekly Zone 5 volume and with pre-existing cardiac disease. Most prescriptions cap Zone 5 at ~5–10% of total weekly training time. Anyone with cardiovascular risk factors should get medical clearance before high-intensity work.

Sources & references

Methodology & trust

Editorial

Calculadora de salud revisada por el equipo editorial de Hacé Cuentas, contrastada con Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37(1):153-156, según nuestra política editorial y metodología.

Updates

Última revisión: June 20, 2026. Los parámetros se verifican periódicamente con las fuentes citadas.

Privacy

Calculations run 100% in your browser. We do not store or transmit your data.

Limitations

Indicative results. For critical decisions, consult a professional.

📌 How to cite this calculator

Rodríguez, M. (2026). Calculate Your Maximum Heart Rate by Age. Hacé Cuentas. https://hacecuentas.com/maximum-heart-rate-by-age

Contenido bajo licencia CC-BY 4.0 — reutilizable citando la fuente con enlace a Hacé Cuentas.

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