Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
Maximum heart rate (MHR) is the fastest your heart can beat. The classic estimate is 220 minus age, though this has significant individual variation (±10–15 bpm is common). More accurate estimates come from a maximal exercise test. MHR is used to set heart rate training zones — each zone is a percentage of your individual maximum. MHR itself does not predict fitness; what matters is how efficiently you use it.
- Rough estimate: 220 − age
- ±10–15 bpm individual variation is common
- Sets the anchor for all training zones
- MHR alone does not predict fitness
In practice
The old '220 minus age' formula for estimating max heart rate is widely used but notoriously inaccurate for individuals — actual max heart rate can vary by 10-20 beats per minute either side of the formula's estimate for people of the same age, which is why a properly conducted field or lab max-effort test gives far more reliable training zones than the formula alone.
FAQ
Is the 220-minus-age formula accurate for max heart rate?
It's a rough population average, but individual variation is large (often 10-20+ bpm either side), so it's considered an unreliable starting estimate rather than an accurate personal measurement.
How can I find my actual max heart rate?
A supervised maximal graded exercise test is most accurate, though a well-executed field test (such as an all-out effort after a thorough warm-up, finishing with a hard uphill sprint) can give a reasonably close practical estimate.