Precor 5.21 manual Choosing a Program

Choosing a Program

•Determine your level of fitness: beginner, intermediate, or advanced.

•Determine your immediate goal: endurance training, cardio-conditioning, or weight loss.

If you are a beginner, start a cardio-conditioning program to slowly adjust your body to a comfortable level of exercise. Over a recommended 8-week period, you will increase your endurance and strength while improving flexibility.

For all fitness levels, plan to exercise at a comfortable pace for 20 to 30 minutes a day. To monitor your heart rate, use the touch-sensitive grips. Supplement your plans with fitness workouts from the Precor web site (www.precor.com).

Monitoring Your Heart Rate

The SmartRate and heart rate displays provide visual cues that help you adjust your fitness routine to reach your goals. Use these features to keep your heart rate within the target zones.

The EFX provides touch-sensitive heart rate grips on the handrails. If you wish to use the touch-sensitive grips and monitor your heart rate, use both hands. Make sure both hands are slightly moist (not dry) when you grasp the touch-sensitive grips.

SmartRate® Features

When you begin an exercise session, a blinking segment in the SmartRate display appears if you entered your age during the setup phase. The blinking segment indicates the current zone of your heart rate.

The calculation used for the heart rate target zone is your maximum aerobic heart rate:

(220 minus your age) multiplied by a percent.

For the ideal weight loss range, your heart rate should remain between 55% and 70% of your maximum aerobic heart rate. To improve your overall cardio-vascular and respiratory fitness level, maintain your heart rate between 70% and 87% of your maximum aerobic heart rate.

For the greatest benefits, maintain your heart rate in either zone for 30 minutes or more at least three times a week.

CAUTION: Your heart rate should never exceed 87% of your maximum aerobic heart rate or go above your target zone (Diagram A).

Heart Rate Target Zones

200

190

180

Rate

170

High

e

160

R

150

c

o

m

Heart

130

m

en

ul

140

de

d

ar

di

ov

a

sc

a

r

Z

Your

120

R

eco

mm

o

n

e

Peak

e

n

ded

110

We

ight

L

Cardio

oss

Z

100

one

90

Fatburn

80

Warmup

70

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

Your Age

Diagram A

Cooling Down After Your Workout

Cooling down is an important aspect of your workout because it helps reduce muscle stiffness and soreness by transporting excess lactic acid out of the working muscles. Cooling down for at least three minutes helps provide a smooth transition that allows your heart rate to return to its normal, non-exercising state.

Using a Chest Strap

Wearing a chest strap during your workout provides steady heart rate information. A chest strap is not included with this model.

Important: To receive an accurate reading, the strap needs to be in direct contact with the skin on the lower sternum (just below the bust line for women).

To use a chest strap:

1.Carefully dampen the back of the strap with tap water.

Important: Do not use deionized water. It does not have the proper minerals and salts to conduct electrical impulses.

2.Adjust the strap and fasten it around your chest. The strap should feel snug, not restrictive.

3.Make sure that the chest strap is right-side-up, lies horizontally across, and is centered in the middle of your chest.

4.Test the chest strap placement by checking the heart rate function on the equipment. If a heart rate is registering, your chest strap placement is correct. If the equipment does not register a heart rate, readjust the strap and recheck the heart rate function.

Precor Incorporated

20031 142nd Avenue NE

P.O. Box 7202

Woodinville, WA USA 98072-4002

www.precor.com

5.2x HR INFO 300090-102

©2010 Precor Incorporated