3
H
EART
R
ATE
Z
ONE
T
RAINING
E
XERCISE
3.1 W
HY
H
EART
R
ATE
Z
ONE
T
RAINING
E
XERCISE
?
Research shows that maintaining a specific heart rate while exercising is the optimal way to
monitor the intensity of a workout and to achieve maximum results. That is the idea behind the
Life Fitness heart rate zone training approach to exercise.
Zone training identifies an exerciser's ideal heart rate range, or zone, for burning fat or
increasing cardiovascular fitness. The values within the zone depend on the workout.
NOTE:
Consulting a fitness trainer is recommended for defining specific fitness goals and
designing a workout program.
The stairclimber features five exclusive workouts designed to take full advantage of the benefits
of heart rate zone training exercise:
FAT BURN
,
CARDIO
,
HEART RATE HILL
,
HEART RATE
INTERVAL
, and
EXTREME HEART RATE.
For detailed information about these workouts, see
Section 4, titled
The Workouts
.
During one of these workouts, wear the Polar heart rate chest strap to enable the stairclimbers on-
board computer to monitor the heart rate during a workout. The computer automatically adjusts the
resistance level to maintain the target heart rate* based on the actual heart rate. To change the tar-
get heart rate during a workout, use the ARROW keys.
178
170 161
153
144 136
127 119
110 102
85
75
65
55
Age
Heart Rate Interval
80% Max HR
Heart Rate Hill
80% Max HR
Extreme Heart Rate
85% Max HR
Cardio
80% Steady HR
Fat Burn
65% Steady HR
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Target Zones
157
150 142
135
127 120
112 105
97 90
136
130 123
117
110 104
97 91
84 78
115
110 104
99
93 88
82 77
71 66
%
%
%
%
13
* Target Heart Rate (THR) is a percentage of the theoretical maximum. For example, a 40-year-old user's THR for the
HEART
RATE HILL
workout is 144. This workout targets 80 percent of the maximum, so the equation would be (220-40)*.80=144.
A 20-year-old users THR is 160, so the equation would be (220-20)*.80=160.
