Heart Rate by Age Calculator — Maximum and Training Zones
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Heart Rate by Age Calculator
Estimated maximum heart rate and moderate and high intensity zones in beats per minute
The moderate (55–74%) and high (75–90% of maximum heart rate) zones are those in the exercise intensity table of the 2020 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines on sports cardiology, which refer them to the maximum heart rate measured with an exercise stress test. The maximum heart rate calculated from age is an estimate: the real one varies from person to person, and some medicines, such as beta-blockers, can lower the heart rate. Before starting intense activity, especially if you have heart or blood pressure problems, talk to your doctor.
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Heart rate by age: how the calculator works
Maximum heart rate is the highest number of beats per minute the heart reaches during maximal effort. Actually measuring it requires an exercise stress test, but it can be estimated with an age-based formula. From this value the exercise intensity zones are derived: this free calculator shows them in beats per minute (bpm) and, if you enter the heart rate you measured during activity, tells you which zone you are in. The calculation runs in your browser.
The two maximum heart rate formulas
- Tanaka: 208 − 0.7 × age. This is the equation proposed by Tanaka, Monahan and Seals in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2001, derived from a meta-analysis of 351 studies (18,712 people) and verified in the laboratory on 514 healthy adults. According to the authors, maximum heart rate depends mainly on age, not on sex or fitness level, and the classic formula underestimates it in older people.
- Classic: 220 − age. This is the simplest formula; the same Tanaka study describes it as the one commonly used to set up exercise programmes.
The two formulas coincide at age 40 (180 bpm). Before 40 the classic formula gives higher values, after 40 lower ones: at 20, 200 bpm versus Tanaka's 194; at 70, 150 versus 159. The calculator rounds the maximum heart rate to the nearest whole number and calculates the zones on that value.
Intensity zones according to the ESC guidelines
The zones come from the table of exercise intensity indices in the 2020 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) on sports cardiology, published in the European Heart Journal. The table also expresses intensity as a percentage of maximum heart rate:
| Intensity | % of max HR | Perceived exertion (Borg scale 6–20) |
|---|---|---|
| Low | below 55% | 10–11 |
| Moderate | 55–74% | 12–13 |
| High | 75–90% | 14–16 |
| Very high | above 90% | 17–19 |
The thresholds are whole numbers, as in the table: the calculator shows your heart rate percentage with one decimal place, but only the whole part counts for assigning the zone (73.4% counts as 73%), and it derives the bpm ranges with the same rule, so the zone shown always matches the range displayed. The ESC refers these thresholds to the maximum heart rate measured with a stress test: with the age-based estimate they should be read as indicative.
Calculation example
A 45-year-old person measures 130 beats per minute during a brisk walk. With the Tanaka formula the maximum heart rate is 208 − 0.7 × 45 = 176.5, rounded to 177 bpm:
| Item | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated maximum heart rate | 208 − 0.7 × 45 | 177 bpm |
| Moderate zone | from 55% to 74% of 177 | 98–132 bpm |
| High zone | from 75% to 90% of 177 | 133–161 bpm |
| Measured heart rate | 130 ÷ 177 | 73.4% of maximum |
| Intensity | between 55% and 74% | moderate |
Heart rate by age table
Values calculated with the Tanaka formula (ESC zones) and, in the last column, the maximum heart rate with 220 − age. All values are in beats per minute.
| Age | Max HR (Tanaka) | Moderate zone | High zone | Max HR (220 − age) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 years | 194 | 107–145 | 146–176 | 200 |
| 25 years | 191 | 106–143 | 144–173 | 195 |
| 30 years | 187 | 103–140 | 141–170 | 190 |
| 35 years | 184 | 102–137 | 138–167 | 185 |
| 40 years | 180 | 99–134 | 135–163 | 180 |
| 45 years | 177 | 98–132 | 133–161 | 175 |
| 50 years | 173 | 96–129 | 130–157 | 170 |
| 55 years | 170 | 94–127 | 128–154 | 165 |
| 60 years | 166 | 92–124 | 125–151 | 160 |
| 65 years | 163 | 90–122 | 123–148 | 155 |
| 70 years | 159 | 88–119 | 120–144 | 150 |
| 75 years | 156 | 86–116 | 117–141 | 145 |
| 80 years | 152 | 84–113 | 114–138 | 140 |
How to measure your heart rate and limits of the estimate
You can use a heart rate monitor, a chest strap or a smartwatch, or count your pulse at the wrist. The formulas give an average estimate: the real maximum heart rate varies from person to person, and some medicines, such as beta-blockers, can lower the heart rate. The calculator is for information only and does not replace a medical examination: if you have heart disease, take medicines that affect your heart rate or are about to start intense training, ask your doctor first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most accurate formula for maximum heart rate?
No age-based formula is accurate for an individual: it gives an average value. The Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age) was derived from a meta-analysis of 351 studies and, according to its authors, corrects the underestimation of the 220 − age formula in older people. The real value can only be measured with an exercise stress test.
What are the heart rate zones?
According to the table in the 2020 ESC guidelines on sports cardiology, intensity is low below 55% of maximum heart rate, moderate between 55 and 74%, high between 75 and 90% and very high above 90%. The calculator converts these percentages into beats per minute for your age.
Can I gauge intensity without a heart rate monitor?
Yes, approximately. The same ESC table associates moderate intensity with a perceived exertion of 12–13 on the Borg scale from 6 to 20, and high intensity with 14–16. The US CDC also suggests the talk test: during moderate activity you can talk but not sing; during vigorous activity you cannot say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
Why does my heart rate exceed the calculated maximum?
Because the maximum heart rate calculated from age is an average: yours may be higher or lower. In that case the calculator flags it, and the age-based estimate does not apply to you. If you notice unusual symptoms during exertion, stop and talk to your doctor before resuming.
Related tools: the pace calculator for running, walking or cycling pace and the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) calculator.
