Zone 2 Heart Rate by Age

Your zone 2 heart rate for every age from 18 to 80, with the classic 220 − age formula and the Tanaka formula side by side. Find your age, then fine-tune it with your resting heart rate.

Zone 2 heart rate chart, ages 18–80

Zone 2 heart rate (60 to 70 percent of max heart rate) by age, in beats per minute
Age	Max HR 220 − age	Zone 2 60–70%	Max HR Tanaka	Zone 2 Tanaka	MAF 180 − age
18	202	121–141	195	117–137	162
19	201	121–141	195	117–137	161
20	200	120–140	194	116–136	160
21	199	119–139	193	116–135	159
22	198	119–139	193	116–135	158
23	197	118–138	192	115–134	157
24	196	118–137	191	115–134	156
25	195	117–137	191	115–134	155
26	194	116–136	190	114–133	154
27	193	116–135	189	113–132	153
28	192	115–134	188	113–132	152
29	191	115–134	188	113–132	151
30	190	114–133	187	112–131	150
31	189	113–132	186	112–130	149
32	188	113–132	186	112–130	148
33	187	112–131	185	111–130	147
34	186	112–130	184	110–129	146
35	185	111–130	184	110–129	145
36	184	110–129	183	110–128	144
37	183	110–128	182	109–127	143
38	182	109–127	181	109–127	142
39	181	109–127	181	109–127	141
40	180	108–126	180	108–126	140
41	179	107–125	179	107–125	139
42	178	107–125	179	107–125	138
43	177	106–124	178	107–125	137
44	176	106–123	177	106–124	136
45	175	105–122	177	106–124	135
46	174	104–122	176	106–123	134
47	173	104–121	175	105–122	133
48	172	103–120	174	104–122	132
49	171	103–120	174	104–122	131
50	170	102–119	173	104–121	130
51	169	101–118	172	103–120	129
52	168	101–118	172	103–120	128
53	167	100–117	171	103–120	127
54	166	100–116	170	102–119	126
55	165	99–115	170	102–119	125
56	164	98–115	169	101–118	124
57	163	98–114	168	101–118	123
58	162	97–113	167	100–117	122
59	161	97–113	167	100–117	121
60	160	96–112	166	100–116	120
61	159	95–111	165	99–115	119
62	158	95–111	165	99–115	118
63	157	94–110	164	98–115	117
64	156	94–109	163	98–114	116
65	155	93–109	163	98–114	115
66	154	92–108	162	97–113	114
67	153	92–107	161	97–113	113
68	152	91–106	160	96–112	112
69	151	91–106	160	96–112	111
70	150	90–105	159	95–111	110
71	149	89–104	158	95–111	109
72	148	89–104	158	95–111	108
73	147	88–103	157	94–110	107
74	146	88–102	156	94–109	106
75	145	87–102	156	94–109	105
76	144	86–101	155	93–109	104
77	143	86–100	154	92–108	103
78	142	85–99	153	92–107	102
79	141	85–99	153	92–107	101
80	140	84–98	152	91–106	100

All values in beats per minute, rounded. Tanaka = 208 − 0.7 × age (Tanaka et al., 2001). MAF = Maffetone’s 180 formula before personal adjustments, shown as a ceiling (Maffetone). These are population averages, not personal limits.

Make it personal

Add your resting heart rate and the calculator switches to the heart-rate reserve method, which reflects your fitness.

Open the calculator

How to read the chart

Find your age in the first column. The two green columns are your zone 2 range, 60–70% of your estimated maximum heart rate, with two different max-HR formulas. The classic 220 − age is the one used in the American Heart Association’s target heart rate chart (American Heart Association). The Tanaka formula, 208 − 0.7 × age, comes from a meta-analysis of 351 studies with 18,712 people and was confirmed in a lab study of 514 healthy adults (Tanaka et al., 2001).

The two formulas agree at age 40 (both 180 bpm). Below 40 the classic formula gives slightly higher numbers; above 40, Tanaka gives higher numbers, and the gap grows with age: at 70 it is 159 vs. 150 bpm. Tanaka and colleagues concluded that 220 − age underestimates maximum heart rate in older adults, so if you are over 50 and the classic range feels very easy, the Tanaka column is worth a try.

Why the same age can mean different zones

Two 50-year-olds can have very different hearts. Age predicts maximum heart rate well on average, but individuals still scatter around the average line. Resting heart rate varies even more: for most adults it is 60 to 100 bpm, and very active people can be as low as 40 (American Heart Association). The chart cannot see any of that. The zone 2 calculator can, if you enter your resting heart rate or a measured maximum.

Where MAF fits in

The last column is Phil Maffetone’s 180 formula: 180 − age as the top of your aerobic training range. Maffetone adjusts it by −10 to +5 depending on illness, medication, injuries and training history (Maffetone). For people in their 30s to 50s, MAF often lands near the top of zone 2 by heart-rate reserve, and above zone 2 by % of max. It is a separate method, which is why it is not merged into the zone 2 columns.

Ages under 18 and over 80

Max-HR formulas were built from adult data. For teenagers, younger children and people over 80, the talk test and perceived effort are more reliable than a chart. Maffetone, for example, uses a fixed 165 bpm for athletes 16 and under rather than his formula.

Next: learn the formulas in depth on zone 2 heart rate explained, or pick an activity from zone 2 cardio examples.

Frequently asked questions

What is the zone 2 heart rate for a 30-year-old?

About 114–133 bpm using 220 − age (max HR 190), or 112–131 bpm using the Tanaka formula (max HR 187). With a resting heart rate, the heart-rate reserve method in the calculator gives a more personal range.

What is the zone 2 heart rate for a 40-year-old?

About 108–126 bpm using 220 − age (max HR 180), or 108–126 bpm using the Tanaka formula (max HR 180). With a resting heart rate, the heart-rate reserve method in the calculator gives a more personal range.

What is the zone 2 heart rate for a 50-year-old?

About 102–119 bpm using 220 − age (max HR 170), or 104–121 bpm using the Tanaka formula (max HR 173). With a resting heart rate, the heart-rate reserve method in the calculator gives a more personal range.

What is the zone 2 heart rate for a 60-year-old?

About 96–112 bpm using 220 − age (max HR 160), or 100–116 bpm using the Tanaka formula (max HR 166). With a resting heart rate, the heart-rate reserve method in the calculator gives a more personal range.

What is the zone 2 heart rate for a 70-year-old?

About 90–105 bpm using 220 − age (max HR 150), or 95–111 bpm using the Tanaka formula (max HR 159). With a resting heart rate, the heart-rate reserve method in the calculator gives a more personal range.

Does zone 2 heart rate go down with age?

Yes, because estimated maximum heart rate falls with age: by 0.7 beats per minute per year in the Tanaka formula and 1 beat per year in the classic formula. In Tanaka’s data, max heart rate was not influenced by activity level, but training does lower your resting heart rate, which the heart-rate reserve method takes into account.

Sources

Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(1):153–156. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11153730/
American Heart Association. Target Heart Rates Chart (last reviewed August 12, 2024). https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates
Maffetone P. The MAF 180 Formula: Heart-rate monitoring for real aerobic training (updated July 2020). https://philmaffetone.com/180-formula/

All sources were checked on October 7, 2026. We only cite what we have read; if you spot a mistake, email info@zone2cardio.app.