Heart Rate Chart — Max HR & Training Zones by Age

Traditional: Max HR = 220 − age. Tanaka (more accurate for 50+): 208 − (0.7 × age). Gellish: 207 − (0.7 × age). For a 40-year-old: 220−40=180 bpm. For a 60-year-old: 220−60=160 bpm. Individual variation is ±10–15 bpm — the only accurate measurement is a maximal exercise test (treadmill or VO2max test). DNA genetics also influence HRmax — some individuals naturally have HRmax significantly above or below age-predicted values.

Z1 (50–60% HRmax): Very light — warm-up, active recovery. Z2 (60–70%): Aerobic base — fat burning, builds endurance. Z3 (70–80%): Moderate — aerobic capacity, tempo runs. Z4 (80–90%): Hard — lactate threshold, improves speed. Z5 (90–100%+): Maximum — VO2max intervals, sprints. The polarised training model (80% Z1/Z2, 20% Z4/Z5) is most evidence-supported for endurance athletes. Most recreational exercisers train in Z3 too much — the 'grey zone' that is too hard for aerobic adaptations but too easy for threshold improvements.

Normal range: 60–100 bpm. Athletic: 40–60 bpm. Elite endurance athletes: 30–50 bpm. Lower resting HR = higher stroke volume (heart ejects more blood per beat = more efficient cardiovascular system). Measure resting HR immediately on waking, lying still for 1–2 min. Persistent RHR above 100 bpm (tachycardia) or sudden increases of 5–10 bpm above normal can indicate overtraining, illness, or dehydration.

HRmax decreases ~1 bpm/year due to: reduced sinoatrial node activity, lower catecholamine sensitivity, and structural cardiac changes with age. This decline is not reversible by training — a fit 60-year-old and unfit 60-year-old will have similar HRmax. However, trained individuals have much higher stroke volume (more blood per beat), so their cardiac output and VO2max are significantly higher despite equivalent HRmax. Use Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age) for more accuracy above age 50.