Estimating maximum heart rate
- 220 minus your age is the simple estimate the American Heart Association uses.
- 208 minus 0.7 x age (Tanaka, 2001) came from a meta-analysis of 351 studies and 18,712 people. The study found 220 minus age underestimates max heart rate in older adults, by about 10 beats per minute at age 70.
Both are averages. A lab test measures your real max.
Chart by age
| Age | Max HR (220 minus age) | Max HR (Tanaka) | Moderate (50 to 70%) | Vigorous (70 to 85%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 200 | 194 | 100 to 140 | 140 to 170 |
| 25 | 195 | 190 | 98 to 136 | 136 to 166 |
| 30 | 190 | 187 | 95 to 133 | 133 to 162 |
| 35 | 185 | 184 | 92 to 130 | 130 to 157 |
| 40 | 180 | 180 | 90 to 126 | 126 to 153 |
| 45 | 175 | 176 | 88 to 122 | 122 to 149 |
| 50 | 170 | 173 | 85 to 119 | 119 to 144 |
| 55 | 165 | 170 | 82 to 115 | 115 to 140 |
| 60 | 160 | 166 | 80 to 112 | 112 to 136 |
| 65 | 155 | 162 | 78 to 108 | 108 to 132 |
| 70 | 150 | 159 | 75 to 105 | 105 to 128 |
| 75 | 145 | 156 | 72 to 102 | 102 to 123 |
| 80 | 140 | 152 | 70 to 98 | 98 to 119 |
The AHA calls 50 to 70% of max moderate intensity and 70 to 85% vigorous.
The five training zones
| Zone | % of max | Feels like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 to 60% | Easy; you can hold a conversation |
| 2 | 60 to 70% | Moderate; light conversation with breaks |
| 3 | 70 to 80% | Comfortably hard; talking is minimal |
| 4 | 80 to 90% | Hard; talking takes effort |
| 5 | 90 to 100% | Maximum effort |
Cleveland Clinic suggests limiting zone 4 work to one or two times a week. Some medicines lower heart rate; if you take any, or have a heart condition, ask your doctor what your range should be.
Find yours with the heart rate zone calculator.
Sources: American Heart Association, "Target Heart Rates Chart" (reviewed Aug 12, 2024); Tanaka, Monahan and Seals, "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited," J Am Coll Cardiol 37(1):153-156 (2001); Cleveland Clinic, "Exercise Heart Rate Zones Explained" (Oct 6, 2025).
