{"id":372479,"date":"2026-04-03T05:52:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T05:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/372479\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T05:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T05:52:08","slug":"not-knowing-your-maximum-heart-rate-could-derail-your-running-performance-so-heres-how-to-calculate-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/372479\/","title":{"rendered":"Not knowing your maximum heart rate could derail your running performance \u2013 so here\u2019s how to calculate it"},"content":{"rendered":"

The more they train, the more runners become familiar with various statistics \u2013 mileage, pace<\/a> and elevation gain being among them. But one figure that should always be on every runner\u2019s radar? Maximum heart rate. Why? That\u2019s because knowing your maximum heart helps you to identify your training zones and know when to push hard and back off, leading to better progress with your fitness.<\/p>\n

\u2018Heart rate training allows you to monitor your effort, to keep the easy days easy, the hard days hard and the tempo sessions in the right \u2018effort\u2019,\u2019 says Terra Castro, owner and founder of Detroit Body Garage<\/a>. Without heart rate data, many people spend time in the \u2018grey zone\u2019, which means that it\u2019s harder to maximise the effects of their training. \u2018Plus, heart rate training is a way to make sure that you aren\u2019t overtraining and are recovering well,\u2019 she adds.<\/p>\n

To execute heart rate training<\/a> properly, you have to understand your maximum heart rate, or the highest heart rate that you can attain during exercise \u2013 so here\u2019s what you need to know. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best way to calculate your maximum heart rate?<\/p>\n

The most common way to find your maximum heart rate (MHR) is by using one of the many age-based equations. The most well-known of these is the very simple Fox formula: <\/p>\n

220 \u2013 age = MHR<\/p>\n

This means that the estimated MHR for a 30-year-old runner would be 190. As we\u2019ll go on to explain, heart rate zones can then be determined by calculating a given percentage of the 190 MHR. <\/p>\n

The trouble with the Fox formula is that it\u2019s not the most accurate, as numerous variables affect MHR, including genetics, the specific activity that you\u2019re doing (MHR varies between running and cycling due to the involvement of upper body musculature), medications, body size and altitude. Runners of the same age can also have drastically different MHR readings depending on how well-trained they are.<\/p>\n

Because of this, there are at least six other formulas, all claiming bragging rights for being the \u2018most accurate\u2019 for predicting MHR. <\/p>\n

Researchers are doing their best to validate the different formulas, but that gets tricky, too. For example, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine<\/a> sought to validate 13 MHR equations as an alternative to cardiopulmonary exercise testing in runners and cyclists. It found that MHR was overestimated by eight and underestimated by five formulas. But it also mentions that the Fox formula and Tanaka equation were the only two that didn\u2019t vary significantly from the measured values. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a breakdown of what those MHR formulas look like:<\/p>\n

Gellish2: 191.5 \u2013 0.007 x age^2 = MHRFairburn: 201 \u2013 0.63 x age for women = MHR, or, 208 \u2013 0.80 x age for men = MHRGellish: 206.9 \u2013 (o.67 x age) = MHRTanaka: 208 \u2013 (0.7 x age) = MHR<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s a problem for the general public when it comes to using these formulas: they\u2019re just a rough estimate of MHR, because differences between individuals can vary widely. For instance, a longitudinal study in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise<\/a> found that the older a person and the higher the person\u2019s body mass index (BMI), the less likely it is for age-predicted MHR readings (like all the formulas above) to be accurate. <\/p>\n

So what are you to do? It never hurts to get an estimate of your MHR based on any of the above formulas. But from there, just start paying attention to where your heart rate tracks during workouts to see if the estimates feel accurate. <\/p>\n

\u2018The heart rate tolerance is specific to each individual and is best determined by experience,\u2019 says William O. Roberts, M.D., M.S.<\/a>, a professor emeritus in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota. \u2018The role of MHR for runners is to provide a guide for training. The closer you are to your MHR during your workouts and races, the shorter the duration of exercise that you\u2019ll be able to maintain at that pace. So, if you can maintain a rate of 160 during your workouts and races, your MHR is well above that.\u2019<\/p>\n

What\u2018s the easiest way to track your heart rate?<\/p>\n

To apply heart rate training properly, you need an easy way to track your heart rate. Of course, you can always go \u2018old school\u2019 by using a timer and placing your fingers on your pulse to check beats per minute during your workouts. However, that can get challenging when your heart rate soars and you\u2019re trying to count beats while huffing and puffing.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, just about any GPS running watch<\/a> will track your heart rate instantly with at least moderate accuracy. However, if you\u2019re looking for the most accurate option available, studies<\/a> suggest that you\u2019ll be best served with a chest-strap monitor<\/a> \u2013 especially if you\u2019re doing more intense activity, according to newer research<\/a>. Another study<\/a>, also from 2023, backs this up: the research found that popular wrist-worn heart rate monitors \u2013 including Apple Watch<\/a>, Fitbit Charge, TomTom Runner Cardio and Samsung G2 \u2013 were \u2018reasonably accurate\u2019 at lower intensity levels, but less accurate when measuring high-intensity efforts (above 150 beats per minute). <\/p>\n

As per a review published in Nature<\/a>, wrist-worn wearables with green light technology have also been associated with reduced heart rate accuracy with darker skin tones and tattoos. The authors suggests that red light technology could be a better option, but more research is needed to confirm this. <\/p>\n

How do you train using heart rate data?<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve selected a heart rate monitor, the key is putting the information that you glean from the watch or strap to good use. After calculating your estimated MHR, determine your different target heart rate zones by multiplying your MHR by the percentage for each zone. For example, if you wanted to find 55% of your maximum, you multiply your MHR by 0.55. <\/p>\n

This corresponds to different effort zones:<\/p>\n

Zone 155-65% of your MHR \u2013 this is a very comfortable effort used for warming up and cooling down.Zone 265-75% of your MHR \u2013 used for the bulk of training, this relaxed effort allows you to hold a conversation.Zone 375-85% of your MHR \u2013 this is a comfortably hard effort during which you can only say short, broken sentences.Zone 485-95% of your MHR \u2013 often equating to your 5K pace<\/a>, this is a very hard effort that\u2019s sustainable, but which only lets you speak a few words at a time. <\/p>\n

This will give you ranges of beats per minute for each percentage of MHR. Then, pre-determine the target zone that you want to work in during each running workout. As you run, you can check your heart rate monitor to make sure that you\u2019re staying in the desired zone. <\/p>\n

Luckily, many apps help to manage this calculation for you. \u2018I love using Garmin Connect and Strava,\u2019 says Castro, who adds that these apps give you zone data directly.<\/p>\n

But remember, because MHR readings using age-predicted formulas are estimates, you may need to adjust your zones over time based on your own results and how each run feels. For example, if you calculate your 90% zone \u2013 a nearly all-out effort \u2013 to be 175, but you\u2019re able to maintain 175 beats per minute comfortably for several minutes, your MHR has probably been underestimated. <\/p>\n

In other words, don\u2019t forget to factor in your perceived effort<\/a> at each level of intensity, especially as time goes on and as you adapt to training.<\/p>\n

Related Story\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Tamanna K. Singh, M.D., is a board-certified adult clinical and sports cardiologist and RRCA-certified run coach. She earned her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Boston Medical Center. She completed her Cardiovascular Medicine fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York and her specialty training in Sports Cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is currently the codirector of the Sports Cardiology Center at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio and assistant professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. To date, she has held several council roles with the American College of Cardiology (ACC). As a sports cardiologist, Dr. Singh provides cardiovascular care for professional, competitive, and recreational athletes and describes herself as an advocate for safe participation in sports. Media and print contributions include the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, and others. Outside of her profession, she enjoys running marathons, hitting the weights in the gym, playing sous-chef to her wonderful husband while cooking plant-based meals, and playing with her four beautiful dogs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The more they train, the more runners become familiar with various statistics \u2013 mileage, pace and elevation gain…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":372480,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[85,46,178867,125],"class_list":{"0":"post-372479","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-il","9":"tag-israel","10":"tag-max-heart-rate","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=372479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372479\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/372480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=372479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=372479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=372479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}