Max Heart Rate by Age (4 formulas)
Compare Tanaka, Fox (220−age), Gulati (women), and Nes formulas for age-based max HR.
Result
Estimated max HR (avg)
183 bpm
Tanaka 184 · Fox 185 · Gulati 175 (women) · Nes 189.
- Age35
- Tanaka (208 − 0.7×age)184 bpm
- Fox (220 − age)185 bpm
- Gulati (women)175 bpm
- Nes (211 − 0.64×age)189 bpm
- Average183 bpm
Step-by-step
- Tanaka: 208 − 0.7 × 35 = 183.5.
- Fox (legacy): 220 − 35 = 185.0.
- Gulati (women-specific): 206 − 0.88 × 35 = 175.2.
- Nes: 211 − 0.64 × 35 = 188.6.
How to use this calculator
- Enter age.
- Use Tanaka or Nes for general estimation.
- Use Gulati if female.
- Verify with a max-effort test (last 4 min of an interval session, sprint to exhaustion).
About this calculator
The classic "220 − age" Fox formula was a quick clinical estimate, never validated against population data. Tanaka et al. (2001) re-derived from 18,712 subjects: 208 − 0.7 × age, accurate within ±10 bpm and unbiased across age groups. Gulati (2010) showed women have a different curve: 206 − 0.88 × age. Nes (2013, HUNT3) is similarly large-N. None is "right" for any individual — true max HR varies ±10-20 bpm at any age. Test it if you train by HR.
Frequently asked
Fox's formula was an off-the-cuff clinical estimate. It systematically overstates max HR for younger people and understates for older. Tanaka is more accurate.
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