12
Getting the Most Out of Your Workouts
A good exercise program is not complicated. There’s no mystery. Good ones are straightforward and make common sense.
There are three elements for setting up a sound exercise program. These are:
Intensity:
How hard you exercise
Duration:
How long you exercise
Frequency:
How often you exercise
INTENSITY OF EXERCISE
Intensity of exercise is best described by how it feels. What is your breathing rate like? How do your muscles feel? These are
the moment-to-moment sensations that you’re aware of while exercising.
If you find yourself getting “out of breath,” the intensity is far too difficult. Breathing is an excellent way to gauge intensity,
because you don’t have to stop to take a measure - you’re aware of it all the time.
If you want more guidance and precision, determining your safe exercise heart rate is another method. It’s a simple proce-
dure described below.
[1]
Find your pulse and count the number of beats for 10 seconds.
[2]
Multiply the number of beats by 6. This is your pulse rate.
[3]
Use the following chart to gauge your optimal target pulse range.
Age
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
Maximum Pulse
174
170
166
162
157
153
149
145
140
136
Minimum Pulse
137
133
130
126
123
119
116
112
109
105
Optimizing your workouts
WARNING: The use of this chart assumes no underlying heart or respiratory disease or other condition,
which could be adversely affected by exercise. Consult your doctor before using this chart!!!
Summary of Contents for Pro Sports Trainer
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