Conditioning Guidelines, Exercise Intensity

CONDITIONING GUIDELINES

WARNING: Before beginning this or any exercise program, consult your physician. This is especially important for persons over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems.

The following guidelines will help you to plan your exercise program. Remember that proper nutrition and adequate rest are essential for successful results.

EXERCISE INTENSITY

Whether your goal is to burn fat or to strengthen your cardiovascular system, the key to achieving the desired results is to exercise with the proper intensity. The proper intensity level can be found by using your heart rate as a guide. The chart below shows recom- mended heart rates for fat burning, maximum fat burning, and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise.

To find the proper heart rate for you, first find your age at the bottom line of the chart (ages are rounded off to the nearest ten years). Next, find the three numbers above your age. The three numbers are your “training zone.” The lowest number is the recommended heart rate for fat burning, the middle number is the recom- mended heart rate for maximum fat burning, and the highest number is the recommended heart rate for aerobic exercise.

Burning Fat

To burn fat effectively, you must exercise at a relative- ly low intensity level for a sustained period of time. During the first few minutes of exercise, your body uses easily accessible carbohydrate calories for ener- gy. Only after the first few minutes of exercise does your body begin to use stored fat calories for energy. If your goal is to burn fat, adjust the intensity of your exercise until your heart rate is near one of the lower two numbers in your training zone as you exercise.

Aerobic Exercise

If your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular sys- tem, your exercise must be “aerobic.” Aerobic exer- cise is activity that requires large amounts of oxygen for prolonged periods of time. This increases the demand on the heart to pump blood to the muscles, and on the lungs to oxygenate the blood. For aerobic exercise, adjust the intensity of your exercise until your heart rate is near the highest number in your training zone.

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE

To measure your heart rate, first exer-

cise for at least four minutes. Then, stop exercising and place

two fingers on your wrist as shown. Take a six-second heart- beat count, and multi-

ply the result by 10 to find your heart rate. For exam- ple, if your six-second heartbeat count is 14, your heart rate is 140 beats per minute. (A six-second count is used because your heart rate will drop rapidly when you stop exercising.)

WORKOUT GUIDELINES

Each workout should include the following three parts:

A warm-up, consisting of 5 to 10 minutes of stretching and light exercise. A proper warm-up increases your body temperature, heart rate, and circulation in prepa- ration for exercise.

Training zone exercise, consisting of 20 to 30 min- utes of exercising with your heart rate in your training zone. (During the first few weeks of your exercise pro- gram, do not keep your heart rate in your training zone for longer than 20 minutes.)

A cool-down, with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching. This will increase the flexibility of your muscles and will help to prevent post-exercise problems.

EXERCISE FREQUENCY

To maintain or improve your condition, plan three work- outs each week, with at least one day of rest between workouts. After a few months of regular exercise, you may complete up to five workouts each week, if desired. Remember, the key to success is make exer- cise a regular and enjoyable part of your everyday life.