Heart Rate Zone Calculator
This estimates your maximum heart rate from your age and works out target heart rate ranges for light, moderate and vigorous exercise. If you know your measured maximum from an exercise test, enter it for more accurate zones.
Source: Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37(1):153-156. (doi:10.1016/s0735-1097(00)01054-8); Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: quantity and quality of exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011;43(7):1334-1359. (doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Target Heart Rate and Estimated Maximum Heart Rate (reviewed 2022).
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Maximum heart rate formulas
- Tanaka (2001): max heart rate = 208 − 0.7 × age
- Traditional: max heart rate = 220 − age
The Tanaka formula came from a review of 351 studies covering 18,712 healthy adults, confirmed in a lab study of 514 people aged 18 to 81. The authors found that 220 minus age underestimates max heart rate after age 40. The two formulas give the same answer at 40 (180 bpm) and drift apart with age.
Both are population averages, and your own max can differ from either, so a measured max from an exercise test is always better.
Target heart rate zones
| Intensity | % of max heart rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 57% to 63% | American College of Sports Medicine (2011) |
| Moderate | 64% to 76% | CDC and ACSM |
| Vigorous | 77% to 93% | CDC; ACSM extends this to 95% |
Heart rate zone chart by age
Using the Tanaka max heart rate, in beats per minute:
| Age | Max HR | Light | Moderate | Vigorous | Max HR (220 − age) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 194 | 111 to 122 | 124 to 147 | 149 to 180 | 200 |
| 30 | 187 | 107 to 118 | 120 to 142 | 144 to 174 | 190 |
| 40 | 180 | 103 to 113 | 115 to 137 | 139 to 167 | 180 |
| 50 | 173 | 99 to 109 | 111 to 131 | 133 to 161 | 170 |
| 60 | 166 | 95 to 105 | 106 to 126 | 128 to 154 | 160 |
| 70 | 159 | 91 to 100 | 102 to 121 | 122 to 148 | 150 |
Limits worth knowing
- Medicines that slow the heart, such as beta-blockers, can make these zones too high. Your physician can suggest a target.
- The zones are a guide, not a rule. How hard the effort feels matters as well as the number on your watch.
FAQs
What is my max heart rate?
The Tanaka estimate is 208 − 0.7 × your age. For a 50-year-old that is 173 bpm. The older 220 − age formula would give 170.
What heart rate should I exercise at?
For moderate exercise, 64% to 76% of your max heart rate; for vigorous exercise, 77% to 93%. For a 50-year-old using the Tanaka max, that is about 111 to 131 bpm moderate and 133 to 161 bpm vigorous.
Which max heart rate formula is more accurate?
In healthy adults, Tanaka’s 208 − 0.7 × age matched measured max heart rate better than 220 − age, which underestimates it after age 40. Both are averages, and a measured max from an exercise test beats either one.