Conditioning Guidelines, Exercise Intensity

CONDITIONING GUIDELINES

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

The following guidelines will help you to plan your ex- ercise program. Remember—these are general guide- lines. For more detailed information about exercise, obtain a book or consult your physician.

EXERCISE INTENSITY

Whether your goal is to burn fat or strengthen your car- diovascular 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. For effective exercise, your heart rate should be maintained at a level between 70% and 85% of your maximum heart rate as you exercise. This is known as your training zone.

You can find your training zone in the table below. Training zones are listed according to age and physical condition.

			Training Zone (Beats/Min.)


	Age		Unconditioned		Conditioned



20		138-167		133-162

25		136-166		132-160

30		135-164		130-158

35		134-162		129-156

40		132-161		127-155

45		131-159		125-153

50		129-156		124-150

55		127-155		122-149

60		126-153		121-147

65		125-151		119-145

70		123-150		118-144

75		122-147		117-142

80		120-146		115-140

85		118-144		114-139

Burning Fat

To burn fat, you must exercise at a 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 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 the low end of your training zone as you exercise.

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 intensity of your exercise until your heart rate is near the middle of your training zone.

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE

To measure your heart rate, place two fingers on your wrist as shown. Stop ex- ercising and take

asix-second heartbeat count. 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.) If your heart rate is too high, decrease the intensity of your exercise. If your heart rate is too low, increase the intensity of your exercise.

WORKOUT GUIDELINES

Each workout should include three basic parts: (1) a warm-up, (2) training zone exercise, and (3) a cool-down.

Warming Up

Warming up prepares the body for exercise by increas- ing circulation, delivering more oxygen to the muscles and raising the body temperature. Begin each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching and light exercise to warm up (see SUGGESTED STRETCHES on page 15).