# Heart rate zone chart by age

Last updated October 11, 2026

All five training zones for ages 20 to 80 on one page, worked out with Tanaka’s equation and with the classic 220 minus age. Print it for a gym wall, a running club or the fridge; every number is in beats per minute.

## What are the heart rate zones for my age?

Find your age in the first column. At 40, Tanaka’s equation puts maximum heart rate at 180 bpm, so the zones at 50–60, 60–70, 70–80, 80–90 and 90–100% of maximum are 90–107, 108–125, 126–143, 144–161, 162–180 bpm. With 220 − age the maximum is 180 and zone 2 becomes 108–125 bpm. For an age between two rows, use the nearer row, or the [zone calculator](https://whatsmypulse.com/heart-rate-zones/) for your exact age and resting rate.

## Zones by age, Tanaka equation (208 − 0.7 × age)

| Age | Max | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 | Zone 5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 20 | 194 | 97–115 | 116–135 | 136–154 | 155–174 | 175–194 |
| 25 | 191 | 96–114 | 115–133 | 134–152 | 153–171 | 172–191 |
| 30 | 187 | 94–111 | 112–130 | 131–149 | 150–167 | 168–187 |
| 35 | 184 | 92–109 | 110–128 | 129–146 | 147–165 | 166–184 |
| 40 | 180 | 90–107 | 108–125 | 126–143 | 144–161 | 162–180 |
| 45 | 177 | 89–105 | 106–123 | 124–141 | 142–158 | 159–177 |
| 50 | 173 | 87–103 | 104–120 | 121–137 | 138–155 | 156–173 |
| 55 | 170 | 85–101 | 102–118 | 119–135 | 136–152 | 153–170 |
| 60 | 166 | 83–99 | 100–115 | 116–132 | 133–148 | 149–166 |
| 65 | 163 | 82–97 | 98–113 | 114–129 | 130–146 | 147–163 |
| 70 | 159 | 80–94 | 95–110 | 111–126 | 127–142 | 143–159 |
| 75 | 156 | 78–93 | 94–108 | 109–124 | 125–139 | 140–156 |
| 80 | 152 | 76–90 | 91–105 | 106–121 | 122–136 | 137–152 |

## Zones by age, 220 − age

| Age | Max | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 | Zone 5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 20 | 200 | 100–119 | 120–139 | 140–159 | 160–179 | 180–200 |
| 25 | 195 | 98–116 | 117–136 | 137–155 | 156–175 | 176–195 |
| 30 | 190 | 95–113 | 114–132 | 133–151 | 152–170 | 171–190 |
| 35 | 185 | 93–110 | 111–129 | 130–147 | 148–166 | 167–185 |
| 40 | 180 | 90–107 | 108–125 | 126–143 | 144–161 | 162–180 |
| 45 | 175 | 88–104 | 105–122 | 123–139 | 140–157 | 158–175 |
| 50 | 170 | 85–101 | 102–118 | 119–135 | 136–152 | 153–170 |
| 55 | 165 | 83–98 | 99–115 | 116–131 | 132–148 | 149–165 |
| 60 | 160 | 80–95 | 96–111 | 112–127 | 128–143 | 144–160 |
| 65 | 155 | 78–92 | 93–108 | 109–123 | 124–139 | 140–155 |
| 70 | 150 | 75–89 | 90–104 | 105–119 | 120–134 | 135–150 |
| 75 | 145 | 73–86 | 87–101 | 102–115 | 116–130 | 131–145 |
| 80 | 140 | 70–83 | 84–97 | 98–111 | 112–125 | 126–140 |

## How the chart is calculated

Each row starts from an estimated maximum heart rate for that age and takes 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90% of it as the lower edge of zones 1 to 5; each zone ends one beat below the next one starts. The five 10-point zones are the convention heart rate monitor makers use: Polar calls them very light, light, moderate, hard and maximum[1], and Garmin’s default zones use the same percentages[2].

Tanaka’s equation came from a meta-analysis of 351 studies and a lab study of 514 adults[3]. The older 220 − age was drawn by eye through about 35 published data points in 1971 and was never fitted statistically[4][5], yet it is still the rule behind many printed charts. The two agree around age 40 and drift apart above and below it: at 20 Tanaka’s maximum is lower, from about 45 onwards it is higher.

## Worked example

A 60-year-old using the Tanaka table: 208 − 0.7 × 60 = 166, so the maximum row reads 166 bpm. Zone 2 runs from 60% (0.6 × 166 ≈ 100) to just under 70% (0.7 × 166 ≈ 116), which the chart shows as 100–115 bpm. A brisk walk that keeps this person around 105 to 115 beats per minute is zone 2 training.

## Reading it with care

- Every equation describes a group average. Individual maximums scatter around it by about 10 beats per minute or more[3], so your real zones may sit a row or two higher or lower.
- The chart uses percentages of maximum only. If you know your resting heart rate, the heart rate reserve (Karvonen) method gives different, usually higher numbers; the [Karvonen calculator](https://whatsmypulse.com/karvonen-formula/) works them out.
- Some medicines, beta blockers for example, slow the heart and make age-based zones misleading[6]. If you take such a medicine or have a heart condition, ask your clinician which targets suit you.
- A 2025 statement from the ACSM and ESSA notes that fixed percentages place different people at different real intensities[7]; how the effort feels is a useful check on any chart.

## Printing tips

Use your browser’s print command (Ctrl+P, or Share and then Print on a phone). The printout keeps only the title, the safety note, the two tables side by side and the sources, on one landscape sheet of A4 or Letter; the page asks the printer for landscape by itself.

## Questions people ask

### Which table should I use?

Either is a reasonable starting point. Tanaka’s equation is the better fitted one[3], while 220 − age matches many gym charts and older devices. Pick one and stay with it, since the zones only make sense on one scale.

### My age is not in the chart. What now?

Use the nearer row; neighbouring rows differ by only a few beats. For your exact age, and for the resting-rate method, the zone calculator on this site does the arithmetic.

### Why does my watch show different zones?

Watches often set zones from a measured or learned maximum, or from your heart rate reserve, and some use other percentages. Different starting points give different numbers; neither is wrong.

### Can I use the chart for children?

No. The equations were fitted to adults, and children’s heart rates follow different patterns. The chart starts at age 20 for that reason.

### Is it free to print and share?

Yes. Print it as often as you like and share the page address. The numbers come from published equations, cited below.

## Sources

1. Polar. Heart rate zones: the basics (training guide). [polar.com](https://www.polar.com/en/guide/heart-rate-zones). Checked 2026-10-09.
2. Garmin. How you can train by heart rate zones using Garmin (blog, Mar 28, 2025). [garmin.com](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/fitness/how-you-can-train-by-heart-rate-zones-using-garmin/). Checked 2026-10-09.
3. 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](https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(00)01054-8). Checked 2026-10-09.
4. Fox SM, Naughton JP, Haskell WL. *Ann Clin Res* 1971;3(6):404–432 (the origin of “220 − age”, as reproduced and analysed by Robergs & Landwehr 2002). [PubMed 4945367](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4945367/). Checked 2026-10-09.
5. Robergs RA, Landwehr R. The surprising history of the “HRmax = 220 − age” equation. *J Exerc Physiol Online* 2002;5(2):1–10. [asep.org](https://www.asep.org/asep/asep/Robergs2.pdf). Checked 2026-10-09.
6. American Heart Association. All About Heart Rate (Pulse) (last reviewed May 13, 2024). [heart.org](https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure/all-about-heart-rate-pulse). Checked 2026-10-09.
7. Bishop DJ, et al. Physical activity and exercise intensity terminology: a joint ACSM Expert Statement and ESSA Consensus Statement. *Med Sci Sports Exerc* 2025;57(11):2599–2613 — Table 1, column “ACSM (2020)”, i.e. *ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription*, 11th ed. [doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000003795](https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000003795). Checked 2026-10-09.

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Page: https://whatsmypulse.com/heart-rate-zone-chart/
Last updated: 2026-10-11
General wellness information from whatsmypulse.com, not medical advice and not a medical device. If you have chest pain, fainting or sudden shortness of breath, call 911 or your local emergency number. Contact: hello@whatsmypulse.com