Conditioning Guidelines, Exerciseintensity

CONDITIONING GUIDELINES

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

EXERCISEINTENSITY

Whether your goal is to bum fat or to strengthen your cardiovascular 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. The chart below shows recom- mended heart rates for fat buming and aerobic exercise,

HEART RATE TRAINING ZONES

Age

To find the proper heart rate for you, first find your age near the bottom of the chart (ages are rounded off to the nearest ten years). Next, find the three numbers above your age. The three numbers define your "train- ing zone." The lower two numbers are recommended

heart rates for fat burning; the higher number is the recommended heart rate for aerobic exercise.

To measure your heart rate during exercise, use the pulse sensor on the console, if your heart rate is too

high or too low, adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill.

Fat Burning

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 firstfew minutesdoes your body begin to use storedfat ca/odesfor energy, ff your goal is to bum fat, adjustthe speed and inclineof the treadmill untilyour heart rate is near the lowest number in your training zone. It may also be helpfulto use one of the console'sFAT BURN programs(see pages 10 and 11).

For maximum fat buming, adjustthe speed and incline

of the treadmill until your heart rate is near the middle number in your training zone.

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 pedods of time. This increases the demand on the heart to pump bloodto the muscles, and on the lungs to oxygenate the blood. For aerobic exercise, adjust the speed and inclineof the treadmill until your heart rate is near the highest number in your training zone. It may also be helpfulto use one of the console's

AEROBIC programs (see pages 10 and 11).

WORKOUT GUIDELINES

Each workout should include the following three parts:

A Warm-up---Start each workoutwith 5 to 10 minutes of stretching and light exercise. A proper warm-up in- creases your body temperature, heart rate and circula- tion in preparation for exercise.

Training Zone Exercis_After warming up, increase the intensityof your exemise until your pulse is in your training zone for 20 to 60 minutes. (During the first few weeks of your exercise program, do not keep your pulse in your training zone for longer than 20 minutes.) Breathe regularly and deeply as you exercise--never hold your breath.

A Cool-down---Finish each workout with 5 to 10 min- utes of stretchingto cool down. This will increase the flexibility of your muscles and will help prevent post-ex- ercise problems.

Exercise Frequency

To maintain or improve your condition,complete three workouts each week, with at least one day of rest be- tween workouts. After a few months, you may com- plete up to five workouts each week if desired. The key to success is to make exercise a regularand enjoyable part of your everyday life.