Allure+ · Myths

“220 minus your age is your max heart rate.”

The idea

Your maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from 220.

What research says

The 220 − age formula is an approximation, popularised in the 1970s from little data. It is widely used, but its error can reach several beats per minute, in either direction, depending on the person.

Tanaka, Monahan and Seals (2001) pooled results from 351 studies, over 18,000 subjects, and propose 208 − 0.7 × age. On average, it is more reliable than 220 − age. The authors also note that the classic formula underestimates max heart rate in older people, and that the relationship does not differ between men and women.

What is still debated

A formula gives an average for a population. For an individual, the gap remains large, and only a maximal test really measures max heart rate. An estimate is a starting point for training zones, not a ceiling.

In Allure+

To calculate heart-rate zones, the app estimates max heart rate with Tanaka's formula (208 − 0.7 × age). If you know your measured max heart rate, enter it in your profile.

Source : Tanaka H., Monahan K. D., Seals D. R. (2001). “Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited”. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 37(1), 153-156. PubMed 11153730.