Heart rate data can be measured in training or racing with a heart rate monitor. To use it properly, you need to determine 2 parameters: your maximum heart rate (HRmax) and your resting heart rate.
We recommend determining them roughly every 6 months, because your body adapts to training and these parameters can change.
The short answer
- HRmax is the highest heart rate you can reach during a maximal effort.
- The 220 − age formula is only an estimate: your real HRmax can differ from it by more than 10 beats per minute. Other formulas, such as Tanaka’s (208 − 0.7 × age), are more recent but are still averages.
- The most reliable method is to measure it during a maximal effort, ideally with a chest strap.
- With your HRmax and resting heart rate, you can calculate your training zones.
Contents
Why determine your maximum heart rate (HRmax)?
Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. In running, it’s a real training tool: used well, it helps you run at the right intensity and makes your training more effective.
Knowing your HRmax lets you set your training zones. There are two ways to do the calculation, and they don’t give the same result:
- As a percentage of HRmax: with an HRmax of 200 beats per minute (bpm), 70% of your HRmax gives 140 bpm.
- As a percentage of heart rate reserve (Karvonen method), which takes your resting heart rate into account: with an HRmax of 200 bpm and a resting heart rate of 40 bpm, 70% gives 40 + 0.7 × (200 − 40) = 152 bpm.
The heart rate reserve method is more accurate, because your heart doesn’t beat at 0 at rest. Also check which method your watch uses. To do the calculation, use our calculator to convert % of MAS into heart rate.
Formulas to estimate your HRmax
The “220 − age” formula is the best known. It is sometimes attributed to a specific researcher, but it actually comes from an empirical estimate from the 1970s that was never validated by a dedicated study (Robergs and Landwehr, 2002). More recent formulas have been proposed based on larger data sets:
| Formula | Age 30 | Age 40 | Age 50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 220 − age | 190 bpm | 180 bpm | 170 bpm |
| Tanaka: 208 − 0.7 × age | 187 bpm | 180 bpm | 173 bpm |
| Gellish: 207 − 0.7 × age | 186 bpm | 179 bpm | 172 bpm |
| Nes: 211 − 0.64 × age | 192 bpm | 185 bpm | 179 bpm |
The Tanaka formula comes from a meta-analysis (Tanaka et al., 2001), the Gellish formula from a longitudinal follow-up of subjects tested several times (Gellish et al., 2007), and the Nes formula from a large Norwegian study of healthy adults (Nes et al., 2013).
They all give an average value for a given age: two runners of the same age can have very different HRmax values. These formulas are a starting point, not an individual truth.
How to determine your maximum heart rate (HRmax)?
Maximum heart rate is reached during a maximal effort. In practice, it can be hard to reach, because you really have to push yourself to your limit.
You can try to reach your maximum heart rate during a maximal treadmill stress test with a cardiologist or sports doctor, or during a MAS test. You can also do a maximal effort uphill (ideally on a moderate slope of around 4 to 5%). After a good warm-up, you can for example run flat out for 2 to 3 minutes, or do an interval session such as 12 × 1 minute uphill. The highest value recorded at the end of the effort gives a good approximation of your HRmax.
A maximal test is demanding on the heart: if you’re a beginner, are returning to sport after a long break, have a history of heart problems or have any doubts about your health, ask your doctor first and choose a supervised stress test.
To measure your maximum heart rate, you need a heart rate monitor, ideally a chest strap for greater accuracy, because optical sensors respond less well to sudden changes in heart rate, as in interval sessions. We actually compared a chest strap, a wrist optical sensor and an armband during an interval session.
Besides age, the maximum heart rate you measure can vary with fatigue, heat, diet or smoking.
What about the HRmax shown by your GPS watch?
By default, many watches start from an age-based formula. Some then adjust the value when they record a higher heart rate during a session.
It’s convenient, but watch out for outliers: a spike above 200 bpm during an easy run is often a sensor error, for example when the optical sensor locks onto your running cadence.
If your watch suggests an HRmax that seems inconsistent, measure it yourself during a maximal effort and enter the value manually.
HRmax and training zones
Once you know your HRmax and resting heart rate, you can set your intensity zones, from easy endurance running up to MAS.
Watches often use percentages of HRmax, but percentages of heart rate reserve are more accurate. We explain how to set them in our article on running intensity zones.
How to determine your resting heart rate?
As the name suggests, your resting heart rate (RHR) is your heart rate at rest. In practice, take your pulse preferably in the morning when you wake up, before any activity. Repeat the measurement over 2 or 3 days and keep the lowest value, as it can vary from day to day.
All you need is a stopwatch: take your pulse for 30 seconds and multiply the value by 2 to get the rate per minute.
You can also measure it with a heart rate monitor for greater accuracy, especially if you want to know your heart rate variability. Tracked over time, your resting heart rate is also a good indicator of fitness: we explain how to use your resting heart rate to check your form.
To learn more about using a heart rate monitor while running and knowing your limits, I strongly recommend reading the article How to use a heart rate monitor in training.
Frequently asked questions about HRmax
Does HRmax decrease with age?
Yes, on average, maximum heart rate decreases with age, which is why all the formulas take it into account. But differences between individuals are large: at the same age, your HRmax can be much higher or lower than average.
Does a high HRmax mean you’re fitter?
No. HRmax mainly depends on age and individual factors, and training doesn’t really increase it. It’s not an indicator of level: to track your progress, look instead at your MAS, your pace at a given heart rate or your resting heart rate.
What’s the difference between HRmax and heart rate reserve?
HRmax is your highest heart rate. Heart rate reserve is the difference between your HRmax and your resting heart rate. Calculating your zones as a percentage of the reserve (Karvonen method) is more accurate than calculating them as a percentage of HRmax alone.
Is it dangerous to reach your HRmax?
For a healthy, trained person, occasionally reaching HRmax during a maximal effort is part of training. However, if you have a history of heart problems, risk factors or are returning to sport, get a check-up with your doctor first. Chest pain, feeling faint or unusual palpitations should make you stop immediately and seek medical advice.
Sources
- Robergs RA, Landwehr R. The surprising history of the “HRmax = 220 − age” equation. Journal of Exercise Physiology online, 2002;5(2):1-10.
- 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
- Gellish RL et al. Longitudinal modeling of the relationship between age and maximal heart rate. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2007;39(5):822-829. DOI: 10.1097/mss.0b013e31803349c6
- Nes BM et al. Age-predicted maximal heart rate in healthy subjects: The HUNT fitness study. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2013. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2012.01445.x
