Determine your MHR and Training Zones for Garmin Connect
Please enter a valid age between 10 and 100.
Male
Female
Fox Formula (Standard: 220 – Age)
Tanaka Formula (More accurate for adults)
Gulati Formula (Women specific)
Hunt Formula (Active Individuals)
0bpm
Estimated Max Heart Rate based on
Garmin Heart Rate Zones
Enter these values into your Garmin Connect User Profile settings.
Zone
Intensity (%)
Range (bpm)
Benefit
How to Set Max Heart Rate on Garmin Devices
Knowing your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) is crucial for utilizing the training features on Garmin watches like the Forerunner, Fenix, or Epix series. Garmin uses MHR to define your five heart rate zones, which dictate training load, recovery time, and VO2 Max estimates.
While many devices attempt to "Auto-Detect" your max heart rate during intense activities, manual calculation often provides a safer starting point for setting up your zones in Garmin Connect.
Understanding the Formulas
This calculator provides four methods commonly used by athletes to estimate MHR:
Fox Formula (220 – Age): This is the default standard used by most fitness equipment and older Garmin defaults. It is simple but has a high margin of error for fit individuals or older adults.
Tanaka Formula (208 – 0.7 × Age): widely considered more accurate than the Fox formula for healthy adults of varying fitness levels.
Gulati Formula (206 – 0.88 × Age): Specifically derived from research on women, as the standard 220-age formula often overestimates MHR for females.
Hunt Formula (211 – 0.64 × Age): Often favored by active runners and trained individuals.
How to Update Zones in Garmin Connect
Once you have your calculated MHR from the tool above, follow these steps:
Open the Garmin Connect App on your phone.
Tap the menu icon (More) and select Garmin Devices.
Select your device.
Go to User Settings > Heart Rate Zones.
Enter your new Max Heart Rate at the top. The app will automatically recalculate the percentages for Zones 1 through 5 based on this number.
Why Zone 2 Matters
Garmin's "Zone 2" (typically 60-70% of MHR) is the "easy" aerobic zone where you build endurance and fat-burning efficiency. Using an incorrect Max Heart Rate calculation can shift your Zone 2 range, causing you to train too hard (entering Zone 3) or too easy, which reduces the effectiveness of your training plan.
function calculateGarminMHR() {
// Clear previous errors
var errorDiv = document.getElementById('garmin-error');
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('garmin-result-container');
errorDiv.style.display = 'none';
// Get Inputs
var ageInput = document.getElementById('garmin-age').value;
var gender = document.getElementById('garmin-gender').value;
var formula = document.getElementById('garmin-formula').value;
// Validation
var age = parseFloat(ageInput);
if (isNaN(age) || age 100) {
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
resultDiv.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
// Calculate MHR
var mhr = 0;
var formulaText = "";
if (formula === 'fox') {
mhr = 220 – age;
formulaText = "Fox Formula";
} else if (formula === 'tanaka') {
mhr = 208 – (0.7 * age);
formulaText = "Tanaka Formula";
} else if (formula === 'gulati') {
// Gulati is female specific, but if a male selects it, we apply the formula regardless
// usually 206 – (0.88 * age)
mhr = 206 – (0.88 * age);
formulaText = "Gulati Formula";
} else if (formula === 'hunt') {
mhr = 211 – (0.64 * age);
formulaText = "Hunt Formula";
}
// Round MHR to nearest whole number
mhr = Math.round(mhr);
// Display MHR
document.getElementById('result-mhr').innerHTML = mhr;
document.getElementById('formula-name').innerHTML = formulaText;
// Calculate Zones (Garmin Standard Defaults)
// Zone 5: 90-100%
// Zone 4: 80-90%
// Zone 3: 70-80%
// Zone 2: 60-70%
// Zone 1: 50-60%
var z5_min = Math.round(mhr * 0.90);
var z5_max = mhr;
var z4_min = Math.round(mhr * 0.80);
var z4_max = z5_min – 1;
var z3_min = Math.round(mhr * 0.70);
var z3_max = z4_min – 1;
var z2_min = Math.round(mhr * 0.60);
var z2_max = z3_min – 1;
var z1_min = Math.round(mhr * 0.50);
var z1_max = z2_min – 1;
// Generate Table HTML
var tableHTML = ";
// Zone 5
tableHTML += '