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2. The Exercise Phase
This is the stage where you put the effort in. After regular use, the muscles in your legs will become
stronger. It is very important to maintain a steady tempo throughout. The rate of work should be sufficient to
raise your heart beat into the target zone shown on the graph below.
This stage should last for a minimum of 12 minutes.
3. The Cool Down Phase
This stage is to let your Cardio-vascular System and muscles wind down. This is a repeat of the warm
up exercise e.g. reduce your tempo, continue for approximately 5 minutes. The stretching exercises should
now be repeated, again remembering not to force or jerk your muscles into the stretch.
As you get fitter you may need to train longer and harder. It is advisable to train at least three times a week,
and if possible space your workouts evenly throughout the week.
To tone muscle while on your Treadmill you will need to have the resistance set quite high. This will put
more strain on our leg muscles and may mean you cannot train for as long as you would like. If you are also
trying to improve your fitness you need to alter your training program. You should train as normal during the
warm up and cool down phases, but towards the end of the exercise phase you should increase resistance,
making your legs work harden than normal. You may have to reduce your speed to keep your heart rate in
the target zone.
The important factor here is the amount of effort you put in. The harder and longer you work the more
calories you will burn. Effectively this is the same as if you were training to improve your fitness, the
difference is the goal.