Max Heart Rate Calculator
Estimate your maximum heart rate from age with the Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age) and compare the classic 220 − age with Gellish and Nes.
The fastest your heart can beat, estimated from your age.
How the max heart rate calculator works
Maximum heart rate falls with age, and several equations fit that decline. Tanaka (2001), from a meta-analysis of 351 studies, gives 208 − 0.7 × age and is the one most exercize physiologists now recommend. The familiar 220 − age (Fox, 1971) is easy but runs low for older adults; Gellish (2007) and Nes (2013) are later fits with similar shapes.
All of them have a standard deviation of around 10 beats per minute, so your true maximum can sit anywhere in a 20-beat band. A supervized maximal test is the only way to measure it.
Formula: Tanaka: HRmax = 208 − 0.7 × age
Worked examples
| Inputs | Max heart rate (Tanaka) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Age 30 | 187 bpm | 208 − 21 |
| Age 50 | 173 bpm | Tanaka gives 173, Fox 170 |
| Age 65 | 163 bpm | the formulas diverge with age |
FAQFrequently asked questions
Which max heart rate formula is most accurate?
Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) is the usual recommendation because it came from a large meta-analysis and fits older adults better than 220 − age. All formulas carry roughly ±10 bpm of individual variation.
Why does 220 − age still appear everywhere?
It is simple and it is close enough for people in their twenties and thirties. It underestimates the maximum for people over about 40.
Is a high or low maximum heart rate better?
Neither — it is mostly set by age and genetics, not fitness. Training changes your resting heart rate and how much work you can do at a given heart rate, not the ceiling.
How do I find my real maximum?
A supervized maximal exercize test, or, for healthy trained people, the highest value seen in a hard interval session. Check with a doctor before any all-out effort.
Where these figures come from
- Mifflin MD et al., "A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals", Am J Clin Nutr 1990 — the BMR equation used here
- World Health Organization — Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio (2008 expert consultation) — waist-to-hip cut-offs
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR, "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited", J Am Coll Cardiol 2001 — 208 − 0.7 × age
- Nathan DM et al., "Translating the A1C assay into estimated average glucose values" (ADAG), Diabetes Care 2008 — eAG = 28.7 × A1c − 46.7
- Mosteller RD, "Simplified calculation of body-surface area", N Engl J Med 1987 — BSA = √(height × weight / 3600)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — national health guidance
Last checked: September 2026. The equations are fixed by their published papers and do not change with tax years or regulations; the thresholds quoted in verdicts name the body that set them.