Max Heart Rate Calculator
The most accurate common estimate is the Tanaka formula: 208 minus 0.7 times your age. For a 35-year-old that gives about 184 bpm. The familiar '220 minus age' rule gives 185 at that age but grows less accurate as you get older. Real maximum heart rate varies by roughly 10–20 bpm between individuals of the same age.
What is Max Heart Rate Calculator?
Maximum heart rate is the fastest your heart can beat under maximum exertion. It sets the ceiling for every training zone you work in.
The old 220-minus-age rule came from a 1970 review that pooled mixed age groups — it was never intended as a precise equation. Later work produced better-fitting formulas, which is why several are shown side by side here.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your age.
- Select your sex so the Gulati row appears where it applies.
- Compare the formulas — Tanaka is the one to use for training zones.
- Note the fat-burning and cardio ranges below your result.
How maximum heart rate is estimated▾
Three published equations are shown. Tanaka (2001) was derived from a large pooled analysis and fits best across a wide age range. The traditional formula is still widely quoted but overestimates in younger people and underestimates in older adults. Gulati was derived specifically in women.
Tanaka: max HR = 208 − 0.7 × age
Traditional: max HR = 220 − age
Gulati: max HR = 206 − 0.88 × age (women)Source: Tanaka, Monahan & Seals (2001); Gulati et al. (2010).
Frequently asked questions
Why not just use 220 minus age?▾
It is easy to remember but systematically biased: it underestimates maximum heart rate in people over about 40 and overestimates it in younger adults. Tanaka is closer across the whole age range.
How much does max heart rate vary between people?▾
Substantially — the standard deviation is around 10–12 bpm, so two healthy 40-year-olds can differ by 20 bpm or more. Genetics drives most of that gap.
Does fitness raise your max heart rate?▾
No. Training lowers resting heart rate and improves stroke volume, but maximum heart rate is largely fixed and declines slowly with age regardless of how fit you are.
Should I train at max heart rate?▾
Only in short, structured intervals, and only if you are healthy and conditioned. Sustained maximum effort is unsafe without appropriate screening.
Related calculators
References & method
- Tanaka, Monahan & Seals (2001); Gulati et al. (2010).
Every formula, its published source and its assumptions are listed on our methodology page. This page is written for information and has not been reviewed by a clinician.
Read the methodology →These figures are estimates from population formulas, not medical advice. Individual needs vary. If you are pregnant, managing a medical condition, or under 18, talk to a doctor before changing your diet.