This calculator uses the formula developed by Tanaka et al. (2001), 208 − 0.7 × age. Research shows it gives more reliable estimates than the traditional 220 − age formula for both younger and older people.
Maximum heart rate is the highest number of beats per minute your heart can reach during maximal exertion.
The most reliable way to determine your personal maximum heart rate is a fitness test supervised by a professional. This is because individual differences are large. Among people of the same age, the true maximum heart rate typically varies about 10 beats per minute either side of the calculated value, and for some people the difference is larger. A formula still gives you an estimate without a test, and it is accurate enough for setting your training heart rate zones, for example.
The most commonly used formula is 220 − age. However, it has been found to overestimate maximum heart rate in young people and underestimate it in older people. The two formulas agree at age 40, and the gap widens from there. At age 70 the difference is already about 10 beats per minute.
Published: 10.11.2024
Updated: 2.9.2026
The text is a translation from the original Finnish-language text.
Tanaka, H., Monahan, K. D., & Seals, D. R. (2001). Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 37(1), 153–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0735-1097(00)01054-8