Health📅 18 March 2025⏱ 5 min read
How Accurate Is the 220 Minus Age Formula for Max Heart Rate?
The 220-age formula is widely used but systematically inaccurate for many people. Here are six alternative formulas, what determines true max HR, and how to measure it directly.
JW
James WhitfieldPersonal Finance & Maths WriterJames has written about personal finance, health metrics, and everyday mathematics for over six years. He holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Leeds.
The 220-age formula has been in use since 1971 and is the default in every piece of gym equipment. It was never intended as a precise formula -- it was a rough observation from a handful of studies. More accurate alternatives exist.
The 220-Age Formula and Its Error
220 - age (the classic formula)
Standard deviation: approximately +/- 12 beats per minute
This means for a 40-year-old (predicted MHR = 180):
68% of people: 168-192 bpm (within 1 SD)
95% of people: 156-204 bpm (within 2 SD)
A 40-year-old could have a true MHR anywhere from 155-205 bpm
and still be entirely normal.
The formula is systematically inaccurate:
- Overestimates MHR for fit older adults
- Underestimates MHR for unfit younger people
- Poorly calibrated for people outside the original study population
More Accurate Alternative Formulas
Tanaka formula (2001, 514 subjects, widely validated):
MHR = 208 - (0.7 x age)
40-year-old: 208 - 28 = 180 (same here, but different slope)
60-year-old: 208 - 42 = 166 (vs 160 from 220-age)
20-year-old: 208 - 14 = 194 (vs 200 from 220-age)
Gellish formula (2007, 3,320 subjects):
MHR = 206.9 - (0.67 x age)
40-year-old: 206.9 - 26.8 = 180.1
60-year-old: 206.9 - 40.2 = 166.7
20-year-old: 206.9 - 13.4 = 193.5
Both give similar results to 220-age for middle-aged adults
but diverge more at the extremes (very young, very old).
Gender and Fitness Adjustments
Women's MHR (Nes formula, 2013):
MHR = 211 - (0.64 x age)
Women aged 40: 211 - 25.6 = 185.4 (vs 180 for men)
Research suggests women's max HR is on average 5-8 bpm higher
than men's at the same age, though formulas often ignore this.
Highly trained athletes:
Often show 5-10 bpm lower MHR than age-predicted
Due to cardiac adaptation and slower intrinsic rate
Sedentary individuals:
Often show 5-10 bpm higher MHR than age-predicted
Training affects resting HR more than max HR
Directly Measuring Your Max Heart Rate
Most accurate: laboratory VO2 max test
Practical alternatives:
Running test:
Warm up 10-15 minutes at easy pace
Run at 85% effort for 3 minutes
Increase to 90% effort for 2 minutes
Sprint maximally for final 60-90 seconds
Highest HR recorded = estimated MHR
Cycling hill repeat test:
3 x 3-minute hill repeats with full recovery
Maximum HR at end of third repeat = estimated MHR
Note: you must be fit before attempting these tests.
Not recommended without medical clearance if previously sedentary,
over 45, or with any cardiovascular risk factors.