14
CONDITIONING GUIDELINES
The following guidelines will help you to plan your exer-
cise program. RememberÑthese are general guide-
lines only. For more detailed exercise information,
obtain a reputable book or consult your physician.
EXERCISE INTENSITY
Whether your goal is to burn fat or to strengthen your
cardiovascular system, the key to achieving the desired
results is to exercise with the proper intensity. The prop-
er intensity level can be found by using your heart rate
as a guide. The chart below shows recommended heart
rates for fat burning and aerobic exercise.
To find the proper heart rate for you, first find your age
on the left side of the chart (ages are rounded off to the
nearest ten years). Next, find the three numbers to the
right of your age. The three numbers are your Òtraining
zone.Ó The lower two numbers are recommended heart
rates for fat burning; the higher number is the recom-
mended heart rate for aerobic exercise.
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 energy. Only after
the first few minutes does your body begin to use stored
fat calories
for energy. If your goal is to burn fat, adjust
the speed of the treadmill until your heart rate is near
one of the lower two numbers in your training zone. It
may also be helpful to set the speed control on the con-
sole to FAT BURN to help you maintain the proper
intensity level. (See page 8.)
Aerobic Exercise
If your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular sys-
tem, your exercise must be Òaerobic.Ó 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. For aerobic exercise,
adjust the speed of the treadmill until your heart rate is
near the higher number in your training zone. It may
also be helpful to set the speed control on the console
to AEROBIC to help you maintain the proper intensity
level. (See page 8.)
High Performance Athletic Conditioning
If your goal is high performance athletic conditioning,
set the speed control on the console to PERFOR-
MANCE to help you maintain the proper intensity level.
(See page 8.) Note: During the first few weeks of your
exercise program, keep your heart rate near the low
end of your training zone.
HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE
To measure
your heart rate,
stop exercising
and place two
fingers on your
wrist as shown.
Take a six-sec-
ond heartbeat
count, and mul-
tiply the result
by ten to find
your heart rate. (A six-second count is used because
your heart rate drops quickly when you stop exercis-
ing.) If your heart rate is too high or too low, adjust the
speed or incline of the treadmill accordingly.
WORKOUT GUIDELINES
Each workout should include the following three parts:
Warming Up
Start each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching
and light exercise. A proper warm-up increases your
body temperature, heart rate, and circulation in prepa-
ration for exercise.
WARNING:
Before beginning
this or any exercise program, consult your
physician. This is especially important for
individuals over the age of 35 or individuals
with pre-existing health problems.
