Hill

The Life Fitness-patented HILL workout offers a variety of configurations for interval training. Intervals are periods of in- tense cardiovascular exercise separated by regular periods of lower-intensity exercise. The WORKOUT PROFILE window represents these high and low intervals as columns of illuminated LEDs, which together have the appearance of hills and valleys. The computerized interval training workout has been scientifically demonstrated to promote greater cardiorespira- tory improvement than steady-pace training.

The HILL workout goes through four phases, each marked by different intensity levels. The WORKOUT PROFILE window displays the progress of these phases. As noted in the descriptions below, the heart rate should be measured at two stages in the workout to gauge its effectiveness. Wear the Polar telemetry heart rate chest strap or continuously grip the LifepulseTM handles. The MESSAGE CENTER does not display a request for a heart rate measurement, as it does with CARDIO, FAT BURN and the HEART RATE ZONE TRAINING programs.

1.Warm-upis a phase of low, gradually rising resistance, which brings the heart rate into the lower end of the target zone and increases respiration and blood flow to working muscles.

2.Plateau increases the intensity slightly and keeps it steady, to bring the heart rate to the low end of the target zone. Check the heart rate at the end of this phase.

3.Interval Training is a series of increasingly steeper hills alternating with valleys or stints of recovery. The heart rate should rise to the high end of the target zone. Check the heart rate at the end of this phase.

4.Cool Down is a low-intensity phase that allows the body to begin removing lactic acid and other exercise by-products which build up in muscles and contribute to soreness.

Each column, as seen in the WORKOUT PROFILE WINDOW and the chart above, represents one interval. The overall duration of the workout determines the length of each interval. Each workout is made up of 20 intervals, so the duration of each interval is equal to the duration of the entire workout divided by 20.

1 to 9 minutes: A workout with a duration of less than 10 minutes is insufficient for the HILL program to complete all four phases adequately. The program therefore condenses a workout of this duration at various stages.

10 to 19 minutes: The interval durations initially are set at 30 seconds for a 10-minute workout. For every minute over 10, each interval increases by three seconds. A 15-minute workout consists of 20 intervals at 45 seconds each.

20 to 99 minutes: All intervals last 60 seconds. If the user adds minutes to the pre-set duration while the workout is in progress, the program adds hills and valleys that are identical to the first eight intervals of the Interval Training phase. This pattern repeats until the workout is completed.