Max Heart Rate Calculator

Use this Max Heart Rate Calculator to compare four age-based estimates of maximum heart rate: Fox, Tanaka, Gellish, and Nes. Enter your age to see each result in beats per minute (bpm).

Important: These formulas provide general estimates. They do not measure your personal maximum heart rate or determine a medically safe exercise limit.

Maximum Heart Rate Formulas

Maximum heart rate, or HRmax, is the highest heart rate reached during maximal physical effort. Because directly measuring it can require demanding exercise testing, age-based formulas are often used for general fitness planning.

This calculator compares the following formulas:

Fox formula:

HRmax = 220 − age

Tanaka formula:

HRmax = 208 − (0.7 × age)

Gellish formula:

HRmax = 207 − (0.7 × age)

Nes formula:

HRmax = 211 − (0.64 × age)

Each formula was developed using different research data and statistical methods. Therefore, they can produce different estimates for the same person.

Worked Example

Suppose you are 40 years old.

Using the Fox formula:

220 − 40 = 180 bpm

Using the Tanaka formula:

208 − (0.7 × 40) = 180 bpm

Using the Gellish formula:

207 − (0.7 × 40) = 179 bpm

Using the Nes formula:

211 − (0.64 × 40) = 185.4 bpm

For a 40-year-old, these formulas produce estimates ranging from approximately 179 to 185 bpm.

This range shows the differences between the formulas. It should not be interpreted as proof that the person’s actual maximum heart rate falls within that range.

Using the Result

An estimated maximum heart rate can be used as a starting point for calculating exercise-intensity percentages:

Target heart rate = estimated HRmax × intensity percentage

For example, if estimated HRmax is 180 bpm:

70% intensity = 180 × 0.70 = 126 bpm

The American Heart Association describes moderate exercise as approximately 50–70% of age-predicted maximum heart rate and vigorous exercise as approximately 70–85%. These percentages are general guidance and may not be appropriate for every individual.

Estimated vs. Measured Maximum Heart Rate

An age-predicted HRmax is a population-based estimate. A measured HRmax is the highest heart rate observed during an appropriately performed maximal exercise test.

People of the same age can have substantially different measured maximum heart rates. An age formula may therefore overestimate or underestimate an individual’s actual value.

Do not average the four calculator results and treat that average as your true maximum. Use the formula required by your training plan, coach, fitness application, or healthcare professional.

Important Notes

• Age-based formulas estimate population averages and are not exact for individuals.
• The formulas were largely developed from adult research populations and may be less suitable for children and adolescents.
• Maximum heart rate is not a measure of cardiovascular fitness. A higher HRmax does not necessarily mean someone is fitter.
• Fitness training can change resting heart rate and exercise efficiency without substantially changing true maximum heart rate.
• Running, cycling, swimming, rowing, and other exercise modes may produce different peak heart-rate readings.
• Some heart and blood-pressure medicines can lower or otherwise alter exercise heart rate.
• Illness, fatigue, heat, dehydration, caffeine, stress, and measurement error can affect recorded heart rate.
• Wrist-based monitors may be less accurate during rapid movement, intense intervals, cold conditions, or poor sensor contact.
• Maximal testing can be physically demanding and may require professional supervision, particularly for people with medical risk factors.
• If you have cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, concerning symptoms, a chronic condition, recent surgery, or medication that affects heart rate, seek professional guidance before using an HRmax estimate to plan strenuous exercise.
• Stop exercising and seek medical assessment if you experience chest pain, fainting, severe dizziness, or unusual shortness of breath.

Sources

• American Heart Association — Target and Maximum Heart Rates
• Tanaka, Monahan and Seals — Age-Predicted Maximal Heart Rate Revisited
• Gellish et al. — Longitudinal Modeling of Age and Maximal Heart Rate
• Nes et al. — Age-Predicted Maximal Heart Rate in Healthy Subjects
• Mayo Clinic — Exercise Intensity and Heart Rate