{
  "id": "max-heart-rate",
  "version": "e6f7e62d7215",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Max Heart Rate Calculator",
  "question": "What is my max heart rate?",
  "summary": "Estimates the maximum heart rate for an age with five published equations: 220 − age (Fox), Tanaka, Gellish, Nes, and Gulati for women.",
  "category": "health",
  "subcategory": "body",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/health/max-heart-rate-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/health/max-heart-rate-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Maximum heart rate = a − b × age, in beats per minute: 220 − age (Fox), 208 − 0.7 × age (Tanaka), 207 − 0.7 × age (Gellish), 211 − 0.64 × age (Nes), 206 − 0.88 × age (Gulati, women).",
  "assumptions": [
    "Each equation is a population average for healthy people. A person’s measured maximum can differ by 10 beats per minute or more (Nes 2013 reports a standard error of 10.8).",
    "The equations were fitted on adults. Gulati’s equation was fitted on women only.",
    "The estimate is for information. It is not medical advice and not a safe exercise limit."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "age": {
        "title": "Age",
        "description": "Your age in whole years.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 15,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "formula": {
        "title": "Formula",
        "description": "The equation for the headline answer. The other equations are listed below it.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "fox",
          "tanaka",
          "gellish",
          "nes",
          "gulati"
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "max": {
      "label": "Your max heart rate",
      "description": "The estimated maximum heart rate in beats per minute from the chosen formula.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "fox": {
      "label": "220 − age (Fox)",
      "description": "Maximum heart rate from 220 − age (Fox, Naughton and Haskell, 1971), in beats per minute.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "tanaka": {
      "label": "208 − 0.7 × age (Tanaka)",
      "description": "Maximum heart rate from 208 − 0.7 × age (Tanaka, Monahan and Seals, 2001).",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "gellish": {
      "label": "207 − 0.7 × age (Gellish)",
      "description": "Maximum heart rate from 207 − 0.7 × age (Gellish and others, 2007).",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "nes": {
      "label": "211 − 0.64 × age (Nes)",
      "description": "Maximum heart rate from 211 − 0.64 × age (Nes and others, 2013).",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "gulati": {
      "label": "206 − 0.88 × age (Gulati, women)",
      "description": "Peak heart rate for women from 206 − 0.88 × age (Gulati and others, 2010).",
      "format": "number"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "age": 40,
      "formula": "fox"
    },
    "outputs": {
      "max": 180,
      "fox": 180,
      "tanaka": 180,
      "gellish": 179,
      "nes": 185.4,
      "gulati": 170.8
    },
    "text": "At age 40, the formula 220 − age (Fox) gives a maximum heart rate of 180 beats per minute."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "age": 50,
        "formula": "fox"
      },
      "expect": {
        "max": 170,
        "fox": 170
      },
      "source": "CDC, Target Heart Rate and Estimated Maximum Heart Rate: 220 − 50 years = 170 beats per minute"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "age": 40,
        "formula": "tanaka"
      },
      "expect": {
        "max": 180,
        "fox": 180,
        "tanaka": 180,
        "gellish": 179,
        "nes": 185.4,
        "gulati": 170.8
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx from the published equations: Tanaka 2001 (208 − 0.7 × 40), Gellish 2007 (207 − 0.7 × 40), Nes 2013 (211 − 0.64 × 40), Gulati 2010 (206 − 0.88 × 40)"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "age": 60,
        "formula": "gulati"
      },
      "expect": {
        "max": 153.2
      },
      "source": "Gulati and others (2010), Circulation 122:130: peak heart rate = 206 − 0.88 × age; 206 − 52.8 = 153.2"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "age": 25,
        "formula": "nes"
      },
      "expect": {
        "max": 195,
        "tanaka": 190.5
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: Nes 2013, 211 − 0.64 × 25 = 195; Tanaka 2001, 208 − 17.5 = 190.5"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, How to Measure Physical Activity Intensity (last reviewed December 4, 2025). https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/measuring/index.html",
    "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Target Heart Rate and Estimated Maximum Heart Rate (last reviewed June 3, 2022; no longer on cdc.gov; archived copy). http://web.archive.org/web/20221225180518/https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/heartrate.htm",
    "Fox SM, Naughton JP, Haskell WL. Physical activity and the prevention of coronary heart disease. Annals of Clinical Research 1971;3:404–432.",
    "Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2001;37:153–156. doi:10.1016/s0735-1097(00)01054-8",
    "Gellish RL, Goslin BR, Olson RE, et al. Longitudinal modeling of the relationship between age and maximal heart rate. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2007;39:822–829. doi:10.1097/mss.0b013e31803349c6",
    "Nes BM, Janszky I, Wisløff U, et al. Age-predicted maximal heart rate in healthy subjects: the HUNT fitness study. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 2013;23:697–704. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2012.01445.x",
    "Gulati M, Shaw LJ, Thisted RA, et al. Heart rate response to exercise stress testing in asymptomatic women: the St. James Women Take Heart Project. Circulation 2010;122:130–137. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.110.939249"
  ],
  "related": [
    "target-heart-rate",
    "calories-burned-walking"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}