Conditioning Guidelines, Exercise Intensity

CONDITIONING GUIDELINES

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

The following guidelines will help you to plan your exercise program. For more detailed exercise informa- tion, obtain a reputable book or consult your physician.

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 recommended heart rates for fat burning and aerobic exercise.

To find the proper heart rate for you, first find your age near the bottom 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 lower two numbers are recommended heart rates for fat burning; the higher number is the recom- mended heart rate for aerobic exercise.

Fat Burning

To burn fat effectively, you must exercise at a relatively low intensity level for a sustained period of time. During the first few minutes of exercise, your body uses easily accessible carbohydrate calories for energy. Only after the first few minutes does your body begin to use stored fat calories for energy. If your goal is to burn fat, adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill until your heart rate is near one of the lower two numbers in your training zone. It may also be helpful to set the speed control on the console to FAT BURN to help you main- tain the proper intensity level (see page 9).

Aerobic Exercise

If your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular sys- tem, your exercise must be “aerobic.” Aerobic exercise

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 speed and incline of the treadmill until your heart rate is near the higher number in your training zone. It may also be helpful to set the speed control on the console to AEROBIC to help you maintain the proper intensity level (see page 9).

High Performance Athletic Conditioning

If your goal is high performance athletic conditioning, set the speed control on the console to PERFOR- MANCE to help you maintain the proper intensity level (see page 9). Note: During the first few weeks of your exercise program, keep your heart rate near the low end of your training zone.

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE

To measure your heart rate, stop exercising

and place two fingers on your wrist as

shown. Take a six-sec- ond heartbeat count, and multiply the result by ten to find your

heart rate. (A six-second count is used because your heart rate drops quickly when you stop exercising.)

WORKOUT GUIDELINES

Each workout should include the following three parts:

Warming Up—Start each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching and light exercise. A proper warm-up increases your body temperature, heart rate, and circu- lation in preparation for exercise.

Training Zone Exercise—After warming up, increase the intensity of your exercise until your heart rate is in your training zone for 20 to 60 minutes. (During the first few weeks of your exercise program, do not keep your heart rate in your training zone for longer than 20 minutes.)

Cooling Down—Finish each workout with 5 to 10 min- utes of stretching to cool down. This will increase the flexibility of your muscles and will help to prevent post- exercise problems.