Understanding your maximum heart rate (MHR) is a crucial aspect of designing an effective and safe cardiovascular exercise program. Your MHR is the highest number of times your heart can beat per minute during maximal physical exertion. It's a key metric used to determine target heart rate zones for different training intensities, such as fat burning, aerobic fitness, and anaerobic conditioning.
Several formulas exist to estimate MHR, with the most common and widely accepted being the Tanaka formula. This formula is considered more accurate than older methods like the Karvonen formula or the simple "220 minus age" formula, especially for a broader age range.
The Tanaka Formula
The Tanaka formula is as follows:
Maximum Heart Rate = 208 – (0.7 x Age)
Where:
208 is a constant.
0.7 is a multiplier.
Age is your age in years.
Using this formula, you can estimate your MHR and then use it to calculate your target heart rate zones for various types of workouts. For example, a common target zone for moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is 60-70% of your MHR.