MAF Heart Rate by Age: Full Chart + How to Calculate Your Number

Your MAF heart rate is the ceiling you train under. Get it right and every run builds your aerobic base. Get it wrong and you're either training too hard or leaving adaptation on the table.

This page gives you the full MAF heart rate chart by age, covers all four official Maffetone adjustments, and explains what to do with your number once you have it. If you want to skip the chart and get a personalised result, use the free MAF heart rate calculator.

The MAF Heart Rate Formula

Dr. Phil Maffetone developed the 180 Formula over decades of working with endurance athletes. The base calculation is simple:

MAF Heart Rate = 180 minus your age

A 38-year-old starts with a MAF heart rate of 142 bpm. A 52-year-old starts at 128 bpm. But the base number is just the starting point. Most people need to apply one of four adjustments before they have their actual training ceiling.

MAF Heart Rate by Age: Full Chart

The table below shows base MAF heart rates for ages 20 to 70. It also shows the most common adjusted values: plus 5 for well-trained athletes, and minus 5 for those returning from illness or inconsistent training.

| Age | Base MAF HR | With +5 (fit, consistent) | With -5 (returning, inconsistent) | |-----|-------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------------| | 20 | 160 | 165 | 155 | | 21 | 159 | 164 | 154 | | 22 | 158 | 163 | 153 | | 23 | 157 | 162 | 152 | | 24 | 156 | 161 | 151 | | 25 | 155 | 160 | 150 | | 26 | 154 | 159 | 149 | | 27 | 153 | 158 | 148 | | 28 | 152 | 157 | 147 | | 29 | 151 | 156 | 146 | | 30 | 150 | 155 | 145 | | 31 | 149 | 154 | 144 | | 32 | 148 | 153 | 143 | | 33 | 147 | 152 | 142 | | 34 | 146 | 151 | 141 | | 35 | 145 | 150 | 140 | | 36 | 144 | 149 | 139 | | 37 | 143 | 148 | 138 | | 38 | 142 | 147 | 137 | | 39 | 141 | 146 | 136 | | 40 | 140 | 145 | 135 | | 41 | 139 | 144 | 134 | | 42 | 138 | 143 | 133 | | 43 | 137 | 142 | 132 | | 44 | 136 | 141 | 131 | | 45 | 135 | 140 | 130 | | 46 | 134 | 139 | 129 | | 47 | 133 | 138 | 128 | | 48 | 132 | 137 | 127 | | 49 | 131 | 136 | 126 | | 50 | 130 | 135 | 125 | | 51 | 129 | 134 | 124 | | 52 | 128 | 133 | 123 | | 53 | 127 | 132 | 122 | | 54 | 126 | 131 | 121 | | 55 | 125 | 130 | 120 | | 56 | 124 | 129 | 119 | | 57 | 123 | 128 | 118 | | 58 | 122 | 127 | 117 | | 59 | 121 | 126 | 116 | | 60 | 120 | 125 | 115 | | 61 | 119 | 124 | 114 | | 62 | 118 | 123 | 113 | | 63 | 117 | 122 | 112 | | 64 | 116 | 121 | 111 | | 65 | 115 | 120 | 110 | | 66 | 114 | 119 | 109 | | 67 | 113 | 118 | 108 | | 68 | 112 | 117 | 107 | | 69 | 111 | 116 | 106 | | 70 | 110 | 115 | 105 |

Note for runners over 65: Maffetone recommends subtracting up to 10 additional bpm if you have any significant health concerns. If you're 65 or older and dealing with a health issue, your working MAF heart rate may be as low as 100 to 105 bpm. This isn't a problem. It's accurate.

The Four Maffetone Adjustments Explained

The base formula gives you a starting point. One of these four adjustments gives you your actual training ceiling. Apply only the one that most accurately describes your current situation.

Subtract 5 bpm if any of these apply

You've been sick more than once or twice in the past year. Your training has been inconsistent (more than two weeks off in the last six months). You're returning to training after injury or a break. You've been at it for less than two years. You feel like you're not recovering well between runs.

The minus 5 adjustment is the most commonly needed one for recreational runners. Most people who think they're in good shape are in this category.

No adjustment if this is you

You've been training consistently for at least two years, you're not dealing with recurring illness or injury, and your performance has been stable. The base formula (180 minus age) is your number.

Add 5 bpm if all of these apply

You've trained consistently for more than two years without significant breaks. You have no history of overtraining, illness, or injury in the past year. Your performance has been steadily improving. This adjustment is for a small percentage of well-adapted athletes.

Subtract 10 bpm if this applies

You're dealing with or recovering from a serious illness, major surgery, or a significant health condition. You've been sedentary for a prolonged period. This is a conservative starting point, and Maffetone recommends building slowly from here.

Which adjustment is right for you?

If you're uncertain, go with minus 5. Starting too low is far less costly than starting too high. You can always reassess after 8 to 12 weeks of consistent training using a MAF test.

The free calculator walks through each factor and gives you a personalised number based on your answers.

What Your MAF Heart Rate Actually Means

Your MAF heart rate is a ceiling, not a target. The goal is to stay at or below it for all easy runs. Most of your training volume (typically 80 to 90 percent) should happen in this zone.

When you first start, keeping your heart rate below your MAF ceiling will probably feel uncomfortably slow. That's expected. Runners who've been training above their aerobic threshold for months or years often find their initial MAF pace is one to two minutes per kilometre (about 1.5 to 3 minutes per mile) slower than their usual easy pace. This is the aerobic deficit that MAF training addresses.

Over weeks and months of consistent aerobic training, your pace at the same heart rate will improve. That improving pace at the same heart rate is the signal that your aerobic base is developing.

Does MAF Heart Rate Change Over Time?

Yes, in two ways.

First, as you age, your base MAF heart rate decreases by 1 bpm per year (since the formula is 180 minus age). A 40-year-old athlete training for ten years will have a base MAF heart rate of 130, not 140. Maffetone accounts for this with the formula itself.

Second, your adjustment category can change. If you spend two years training consistently with no illness or injury, you may move from the minus 5 adjustment to no adjustment or even the plus 5 adjustment. Re-evaluate your adjustment every 6 to 12 months.

MAF Heart Rate vs Zone 2

This is the most common question for runners who've encountered both approaches. They're similar but not identical.

Zone 2 definitions vary depending on who you ask. Dr. Iñigo San Millán defines it using lactate threshold data (typically around 1.5 to 2.0 mmol/L blood lactate). Coggan's 5-zone model places Zone 2 at 56 to 75 percent of FTP. These produce different numbers for different people.

The MAF 180 Formula produces a single, age-adjusted ceiling without requiring lab testing. For most recreational athletes, the MAF heart rate lands within or just below what lab-based Zone 2 testing would recommend. The practical overlap is significant enough that the methods are often used interchangeably, but the MAF formula is more accessible and more conservative. See the full comparison in our Zone 2 vs MAF training guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The base MAF heart rate for a 40-year-old is 140 bpm (180 minus 40). With the plus 5 adjustment for well-trained athletes, it's 145 bpm. With the minus 5 adjustment for inconsistent training or recent illness, it's 135 bpm. Use the MAF calculator to determine which adjustment applies to you.

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

The base MAF heart rate for a 50-year-old is 130 bpm. Adjusted for fitness and health factors, it ranges from 125 to 135 bpm for most people in this age group.

Is my MAF heart rate the same as Zone 2?

Roughly, yes. For most recreational athletes, the MAF 180 Formula produces a training ceiling that closely matches the upper end of lab-based Zone 2. The MAF formula tends to be slightly more conservative, which makes it a good starting point for anyone who hasn't done lactate testing.

Can I use my MAF heart rate for all training?

For pure MAF training, yes. You train at or below your MAF ceiling for every session. Some athletes incorporate faster work after building an aerobic base for 3 to 6 months, but the aerobic zone work remains the dominant portion of training volume.

What if I can't run without going over my MAF heart rate?

Walk. Seriously. If your aerobic system is underdeveloped, even very slow jogging may push you over your ceiling. Run-walk intervals are completely acceptable and often necessary at the start. Over weeks, the pace at your MAF heart rate will improve and you'll be able to run continuously.

Does the 180 Formula work for cycling and swimming?

Maffetone developed the formula primarily for running. For cycling, many athletes subtract 5 bpm from their running MAF heart rate. For swimming, heart rate zones are less reliable due to the horizontal body position. The MAF calculator is calibrated for running.

Start With Your Number

The chart above gives you the baseline. The adjustments tell you where to actually train. And consistent training at or below that ceiling is what builds the aerobic engine that makes everything else easier.

Use the free MAF heart rate calculator to get your personalised number in under two minutes, or connect your Strava to track how your pace at that heart rate improves over time.