Heart Rate Zones for Training, Explained
How to find your maximum heart rate, what the five training zones mean, how the Karvonen method personalises them, and how to use them to train smarter for fitness and endurance.
Maximum Heart Rate Calculator
Verified formula Updated Jun 2026 Private — runs on your device
Verified formula
Private
Max HR (220 − age)
190
- Max HR (Tanaka)
- 187
- Max HR (Gulati, women)
- 180
For general information only — not financial, tax, legal or medical advice. Verify before you rely on it.
How to use the Maximum Heart Rate Calculator
The Maximum Heart Rate Calculator works out your max hr (220 − age), along with 2 related figures in an instant. Enter age and the result updates as you type — it is free, needs no sign-up, and runs entirely in your browser so your figures stay private.
- Enter the age.
- Read off your max hr (220 − age), together with max hr (tanaka) and max hr (gulati, women) — the calculator updates automatically, with no button to press.
Formula
The Maximum Heart Rate Calculator uses the formula:
Max HR (220 − age) = 220 - Age
Worked example
For example, with age of 30 years, the max hr (220 − age) is 190.
| Age | 30 years |
|---|
| Max HR (220 − age) | 190 |
|---|---|
| Max HR (Tanaka) | 187 |
| Max HR (Gulati, women) | 180 |
Results are estimates for educational use, not professional advice.
Frequently asked questions
The best-known rule is 220 minus your age, giving about 190 bpm at age 30. The Tanaka and Gulati formulas refine this estimate.
It estimates maximum heart rate as 208 − 0.7 × age, which research found more accurate across adult ages than the simple 220 − age rule.
It is 206 − 0.88 × age, developed specifically for women, who tend to have a slightly different maximum heart rate pattern.
No. Individual maximums vary by 10–20 bpm. For precise values, a supervised exercise test is needed.
Enter the age. Read off your max hr (220 − age), together with max hr (tanaka) and max hr (gulati, women) — the calculator updates automatically, with no button to press.
Related guides
Maximum Heart Rate Table: Max HR (220 − age) by Age
Reference table of max HR (220 − age) for Maximum Heart Rate across a range of age values — exact, engine-computed figures you can read off at a glance.
How to Calculate Maximum Heart Rate: Formula, Steps & Examples
Learn how to calculate Maximum Heart Rate — the formula explained step by step, with worked examples and a free calculator to check your answer.