Heart rate reference table

Maximum heart rate by age — table for men and women

Age-predicted maximum heart rate from 18 to 80 across four published equations, with the training zones each maximum implies. Read your zones off a row, then test your real maximum when it matters.

Max heart rate by age

Age	220 − age	Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age)	Nes (211 − 0.64 × age)	Women, Gulati (206 − 0.88 × age)
18	202	195	199	190
20	200	194	198	188
25	195	191	195	184
30	190	187	192	180
35	185	184	189	175
40	180	180	185	171
45	175	177	182	166
50	170	173	179	162
55	165	170	176	158
60	160	166	173	153
65	155	163	169	149
70	150	159	166	144
75	145	156	163	140
80	140	152	160	136

Training zones by age (Tanaka)

Age	Max (Tanaka)	60% (easy)	70% (aerobic)	80% (threshold)	90% (hard)
18	195	117	137	156	176
20	194	116	136	155	175
25	191	115	134	153	172
30	187	112	131	150	168
35	184	110	129	147	166
40	180	108	126	144	162
45	177	106	124	142	159
50	173	104	121	138	156
55	170	102	119	136	153
60	166	100	116	133	149
65	163	98	114	130	147
70	159	95	111	127	143
75	156	94	109	125	140
80	152	91	106	122	137

How to test your real maximum heart rate

Every row is a population average with a spread of about ±7 to ±11 beats, so a 40-year-old told 180 may genuinely max anywhere from 170 to 190. To measure yours: warm up for 15 minutes, then run three 3-minute uphill efforts with 2 minutes easy between them, building so the last minute of the third is all-out, and read the highest value your monitor recorded. Do it rested, not alone if you are untrained or over 40, and stop if you feel unwell.

Maximum heart rate calculatorEnter your exact age and sex to get the four estimates side by side with the range you are most likely to fall in.

The coach can turn a measured or estimated maximum into zones for your runs and rides and keep them on your grid.

Why is the women's column lower?

Gulati's equation was derived on 5,437 women and slopes more steeply with age than 220 − age, which was fitted mostly on men. For a 50-year-old woman it predicts 162 rather than 170.

Which formula should I use?

Tanaka for men and Gulati for women are the best validated. 220 − age is shown because it is what most charts and gym machines print, and it overpredicts by 5 to 10 beats for most adults over 30.

Age	220 − age	Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age)	Nes (211 − 0.64 × age)	Women, Gulati (206 − 0.88 × age)
18	202	195	199	190
20	200	194	198	188
25	195	191	195	184
30	190	187	192	180
35	185	184	189	175
40	180	180	185	171
45	175	177	182	166
50	170	173	179	162
55	165	170	176	158
60	160	166	173	153
65	155	163	169	149
70	150	159	166	144
75	145	156	163	140
80	140	152	160	136

Age	Max (Tanaka)	60% (easy)	70% (aerobic)	80% (threshold)	90% (hard)
18	195	117	137	156	176
20	194	116	136	155	175
25	191	115	134	153	172
30	187	112	131	150	168
35	184	110	129	147	166
40	180	108	126	144	162
45	177	106	124	142	159
50	173	104	121	138	156
55	170	102	119	136	153
60	166	100	116	133	149
65	163	98	114	130	147
70	159	95	111	127	143
75	156	94	109	125	140
80	152	91	106	122	137

Age	220 − age	Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age)	Nes (211 − 0.64 × age)	Women, Gulati (206 − 0.88 × age)
18	202	195	199	190
20	200	194	198	188
25	195	191	195	184
30	190	187	192	180
35	185	184	189	175
40	180	180	185	171
45	175	177	182	166
50	170	173	179	162
55	165	170	176	158
60	160	166	173	153
65	155	163	169	149
70	150	159	166	144
75	145	156	163	140
80	140	152	160	136

Age	Max (Tanaka)	60% (easy)	70% (aerobic)	80% (threshold)	90% (hard)
18	195	117	137	156	176
20	194	116	136	155	175
25	191	115	134	153	172
30	187	112	131	150	168
35	184	110	129	147	166
40	180	108	126	144	162
45	177	106	124	142	159
50	173	104	121	138	156
55	170	102	119	136	153
60	166	100	116	133	149
65	163	98	114	130	147
70	159	95	111	127	143
75	156	94	109	125	140
80	152	91	106	122	137