The F.I.T. Formula

workload in order to reach your target heart rate. The first increase may be necessary after two to four weeks of regular exercise. Never exceed your target heart rate zone. Increase the speed and/or incline on the treadmill to raise your heart rate to the level recommended by your doctor. The incline feature can be used to greatly increase the workload without increasing speed. The chart below indicates how much the effort changes with each percent of grade at popular speeds for a person weighing 155 pounds.

METs

One MET is the amount of energy your body uses when you’re resting. If a physical activity has an equivalent of 6 METs, its energy demands are 6 times that of your resting state. The MET is a useful measurement, because it accounts for differences in body weight.

Time: How Long You Exercise

Sustained exercise conditions your heart, lungs, and muscles. The longer you are able to sustain exercise within your target heart range, the greater the aerobic benefits.

To begin, maintain two to three minutes of steady, rhythmic exercise and then check your heart rate.

The initial goal for aerobic training is 12 continuous minutes.

Increase your workout time approximately one or two minutes per week until you are able to maintain 20-30 continuous minutes at your training heart rate.

Using the F.I.T. Formula

The F.I.T. formula and chart are designed to help you begin a program tailored to your needs. You may wish to keep an

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True Fitness 400 manual METs, Time How Long You Exercise, Using the F.I.T. Formula