6
GUIDELINES
NAUTILUS EXERCISE EQUIPMENT MANUAL
Edmund R. Burke, Ph.D.
> Getting the Most Out of Your Home Fitness Program
The three main reasons for the increased popularity of home fitness gyms and exercise are convenience,
convenience and convenience. For any fitness program to be successful, it must be done on a regular, sustained
basis. With equipment in your home, you can roll out of bed, put on a pair of sweats, and start working out while
the coffee is brewing.
For many, home workouts are easier to fit into their hectic schedules. No getting in the car and having to
go to the health club. No standing in line to use the stair climber. Then there is the comfort and safety factor.
Who wants to run outdoors during a raging blizzard. Or, who wants to ride a bike on busy city streets during rush
hour in the heat of summer. It's much more comfortable to hop on your Nautilus fitness equipment and exercise
in the comfort and security
of your air-conditioned room.
Privacy and cleanliness are also important. Many feel intimidated in a gym, especially if they are carrying
around a few extra pounds. At home you can exercise without feeling as if you are being rushed or that any-
one is looking at you. No more lying down on a sweaty bench or wondering if you'll catch athlete's foot in the
shower.
Flexibility of time may be the biggest advantage. Work schedules vary for many people who work flex
shifts or have a family that has different schedules. Parents with children soon discover that exercising at home
turns out to be the only viable alternative if they want to stay fit. But parents and busy workers may not be the
only ones who benefit from exercising at home.
> The Stanford Home Exercise Study
Recently, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, conducted a year long study of over 350
individuals to examine the effectiveness and compliance of a group of supervised home exercisers versus a group
of individuals who reported for a group session at the university. The subject population included middle aged
men and women and included fit individuals as well as individuals who were overweight and smoked.
Individuals in both the high intensity (three 40-minute sessions per week on the treadmill at a 73 to 88
percent of max heart rate) and low intensity group (five 30-minute sessions at 60-71 percent of max heart rate)
reported significantly greater adherence than those in the university group based program.
Many at the beginning of the study thought that the university based group would have a greater compli-
ance rate than the home based group, because of the camaraderie of the group and the instruction given by the
instructors. But the study found the opposite to be true. The group program was just too inconvenient over the
12 month period for the subjects to justify the benefits.
But the good news was that all three groups showed fitness improvements. With the individuals in the low
intensity group achieving similar results as the high intensity group. Good news for those of you just starting out
in a moderate exercise program.
Perhaps most importantly, research has also shown that it's never too late to start exercising . . .and expe-
riencing the benefits. Studies conducted at Tufts University, for instance, show that even people in their 90's can
significantly increase their strength as a result of following a moderate, strength training program.
Exercise is one of life's joys. It energizes–it gives you a sense of well-being and accomplishment and it
keeps you healthy and fit. There is great pleasure in being able to set goals, accept your own challenges and
push yourself to a better life of health and fitness.
Once you have made the commitment to get started in a home fitness program, here are some suggestions
that you may want consider to help you:
