esigning an Exercise | Program |
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More F.I.T. Concept Overview
seven : Designing an Exercise Program
As your fitness level improves, you will need to increase your workout intensity in order to reach your target heart rate. The first increase may be necessary after two to four weeks of regular exer- cise. Never exceed your target heart rate zone. Increase the speed and/or incline on the treadmill to raise your heart rate to the level recommended by your doctor. The incline feature can be used to greatly increase the workload without increasing speed. The chart below indicates how much the effort changes with each percent of incline at common speeds for a person weighing 155 pounds.
METs
One MET is the amount of energy your body uses when you're rest- ing. If a physical activity has an equivalent of 6 METs, its energy demands are 6 times that of your resting state. The MET is a useful measurement because it accounts for differences in body weight. See Appendix C for more details.
Time: How Long You Exercise
Sustained exercise conditions your heart, lungs, and muscles. The longer you are able to sustain exercise within your target heart range, the greater the aerobic benefits.
To begin, maintain two to three minutes of steady, rhythmic exercise and then check your heart rate.
The initial goal for aerobic training is 12 continuous minutes.
Increase your workout time approximately one or two minutes per week until you are able to maintain
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