Max Heart Rate Calculator
Enter your age to estimate your maximum heart rate and see general moderate and vigorous exercise heart rate ranges.
Enter your age
Estimated maximum heart rate
0
beats per minute (bpm)
General exercise heart rate ranges
| Intensity | Percent of estimated max | Estimated range |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | 50% to 70% | |
| Vigorous | 70% to 85% |
These ranges are general guides, not personalized exercise prescriptions.
See how this was calculated
How the Max Heart Rate Calculator works
Maximum heart rate is the highest heart rate a person reaches during maximal physical effort. An age based equation can estimate this number, but it cannot measure your individual maximum heart rate directly.
This calculator uses the Tanaka equation by default. The equation was developed from a meta analysis of 351 studies involving 18,712 people and was then checked in a laboratory study of 514 healthy adults.
You can also choose the traditional 220 minus age equation. The American Heart Association uses this traditional calculation in its general target heart rate guidance.
Max heart rate formula
In plain English, multiply your age by 0.7 and subtract that number from 208.
The formula comes from the Tanaka, Monahan and Seals study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
For example, for a 50 year old:
The estimated maximum heart rate is therefore about 173 beats per minute.
Understanding your result
The result is an age predicted estimate. It should not be treated as the exact maximum your heart can reach.
In the laboratory portion of the Tanaka research, measured maximum heart rates still varied considerably between individuals of similar ages. This is one reason two people of the same age can have different measured maximum heart rates.
The published study reported standard deviations of roughly 7 to 11 beats per minute across the age range studied.
How the exercise heart rate ranges are calculated
The American Heart Association describes moderate intensity activity as roughly 50% to 70% of maximum heart rate and vigorous activity as roughly 70% to 85%.
This calculator applies those percentages to the maximum heart rate estimate you selected.
These percentages are general guides. The American Heart Association guidance notes that medications and heart conditions can affect heart rate.
Why might another calculator give a different result?
Max heart rate calculators do not all use the same equation. Two common methods are:
- Tanaka: 208 − (0.7 × age)
- Traditional: 220 − age
The formulas happen to produce the same result at about age 40. At other ages, their estimates can differ.
That difference does not mean one calculator measured your true maximum heart rate. Both methods predict it from age rather than measuring it during an exercise test.
Important limitations
The Tanaka equation was developed for healthy adults. Its laboratory validation group included adults aged 18 to 81 years. Results outside that range involve greater uncertainty because they extend beyond that validation sample.
Age alone cannot account for every factor that affects heart rate. Medications and certain heart conditions can change the heart rate reached during exercise.
Therefore, this calculator provides general information rather than a diagnosis, medical assessment, or individualized exercise prescription. If you have a heart condition or take medication that affects heart rate, ask a qualified health professional what exercise heart rate range is appropriate for you.
Methodology
The default result uses HRmax = 208 − (0.7 × age). The calculated value is rounded to the nearest whole beat per minute for display.
Moderate and vigorous ranges are calculated from the unrounded maximum heart rate estimate and then rounded to the nearest whole beat per minute. This avoids unnecessary rounding during intermediate calculations.
The optional traditional method uses HRmax = 220 − age. The calculator does not average the two formulas because they are separate prediction methods.
Sources
- Tanaka, Monahan and Seals, Age predicted maximal heart rate revisited
- Journal of the American College of Cardiology full study
- American Heart Association target heart rates guidance
Methodology last reviewed: September 23, 2026