Beginner Heart-Rate Note (220 bpm – 192 bpm)
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A handwritten note in the source accompanying the ACSM recommendations table reading "beginner must be between 220 bpm – 192 bpm" — carried forward verbatim despite its apparent oddity.
Detail
A handwritten annotation appears at the bottom of the ACSM "Exercise Recommendations for Healthy Adults" table page. It reads, verbatim:
"beginner must be between 220 bpm – 192 bpm"
The note sits alongside the table's intensity guidance (55/65–90% of maximum heart rate; Max HR = 220 − Age). No further explanation of the figures is given in the source.
How to read it today
Do not use this note as a training target. 220 − 192 = 28, so the two numbers match the 220 − Age estimate of maximal heart rate for a 28-year-old: 192 bpm is that person's predicted maximum, and 220 bpm is not a heart rate anyone should train at. The current ACSM position stand (Garber et al., 2011) prescribes intensity as a band — for example moderate intensity is 64–76% of HRmax, which for an HRmax of 192 bpm is about 123–146 bpm. See Target Heart Rate and Intensity Zones.
Key facts
- Verbatim handwritten note: "beginner must be between 220 bpm – 192 bpm".
- Appears on the ACSM recommendations table page (page 56).
- Carried forward as-is. Most likely the 220 − Age maximum for a 28-year-old (220 − 28 = 192), not a target range; do not train at these rates.
- Current ACSM (2011): moderate intensity = 64–76% HRmax (≈123–146 bpm when HRmax is 192).
Connections
- Target Heart Rate and Intensity Zones — the intensity-zone concept this note appears to gloss.
- Maximum Heart Rate (220 − Age) — Max HR = 220 − Age, the formula on the same page.
- ACSM Exercise Recommendations for Healthy Adults (1998) — the table this note annotates.
Sources
- Position standPollock ML et al. ACSM Position Stand: The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998;30(6):975–991 (superseded by Garber et al. 2011) Published 1998 · DOI 10.1097/00005768-199806000-00032 · Accessed 2026-10-13
- Position standGarber CE et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011;43(7):1334–1359 Published 2011 · DOI 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb · Accessed 2026-10-13
Corrections (1)
- 2026-10-13 — Added a reading of the note and a safety correction. 220 − 192 = 28, so the figures match the 220 − Age maximum-heart-rate estimate for a 28-year-old: 192 bpm is a predicted MAXIMUM, not a training target, and 220 bpm is not a valid heart rate for anyone to train at. Current ACSM guidance (2011 position stand) sets intensity as a percentage band (moderate 64–76% HRmax), about 123–146 bpm for that example. The handwritten note itself is still preserved verbatim.
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Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.