ProForm PFTL05051 Conditioning Guidelines, Exercise Intensity, Burning Fat, Aerobic Exercise

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 pages 13 and 14.)

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.

During 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 pages 13 and 14.)
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 pages 13 and 14.)
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					21
warm up (see SUGGESTED STRETCHES on page 23).