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 pulse sensor is not a medical device. Various factors, including your movement, may affect the accuracy of heart rate readings. The sensor is intended only as an exercise aid in determining heart rate trends in general.

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 reputable book or consult your physician.

EXERCISE INTENSITY

Whether you want to burn fat, strengthen your cardio- vascular system, or increase your athletic perfor- mance, you can tailor your exercise to your specific goals. The key to achieving the desired results is to ex- ercise with the proper intensity.

Burning Fat

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 en- ergy. 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 speed and incline of the treadmill until the FAT BURN indicator is lit. (See TRAINING ZONE MONITOR on page 13.)

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. The proper intensity level for aerobic exercise can be found by using your pulse as a guide. As you exercise, your pulse should be kept at a level between 70% and 85% of your maxi- mum possible heart rate. This is known as your train- ing zone. You can find your training zone in the table at the top of this page. Training zones are listed ac- cording to age and physical condition.

22During the first few months of your exercise program,

			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

keep your pulse near the low end of your training zone as you exercise. After a few months of regular exer- cise, your pulse can be gradually increased until it is near the middle of your training zone as you exercise. You can measure your pulse using the pulse sensor. Exercise for about four minutes, and then measure your pulse immediately. If your pulse is too high or too low, adjust the intensity of your exercise. It may also be helpful to adjust the speed and incline of the tread- mill until the AEROBIC indicator is lit. (See TRAINING ZONE MONITOR on page 13.)

Performance Training

If your goal is high performance athletic conditioning, adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill until the PERFORMANCE indicator is lit. (See TRAINING ZONE MONITOR on page 13.)

WORKOUT GUIDELINES

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

Warm-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 23).