<p>Background. The formulas to predict maximum heart rate have been used for many years in different populations.</p><p><br />Objective. To verify the significance and the association<br />of formulas of Tanaka and 220-age when compared to real<br />maximum heart rate.</p><p><br />Materials and methods. 30 subjects –22 men, 8 women–<br />between 18 and 30 years of age were evaluated on a cycle<br />ergometer and their real MHR values were statistically compared with the values of formulas currently used to predict MHR.<br />Results. The results demonstrate that both Tanaka p=0.0026 and 220-age p=0.000003 do not predict real MHR, nor does a linear association exist between them.</p><p><br />Conclusions. Due to the overestimation with respect to real<br />MHR value that these formulas make, we suggest a correction<br />of 6 bpm to the final result. This value represents the median<br />of the difference between the Tanaka value and the real MHR.<br />Both Tanaka (r=0.272) and 220-age (r=0.276) are not adequate predictors of MHR during exercise at the elevation of Bogotá in subjects of 18 to 30 years of age, although more study with a larger sample size is suggested.</p>