Conditioning Guidelines - Weslo CADENCE DX5 User Manual

CONDITIONING GUIDELINES

WARNING:
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.
The following guidelines will help you to plan your exer-
cise program. 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 "training
zone." 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.
Before beginning
Aerobic Exercise
If your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular sys-
tem, your exercise must be "aerobic." 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.
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-second heart-
beat count, and
multiply the result
by ten to find your
heart rate. (A six-second count is used because your
heart rate drops quickly when you stop exercising.) 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.
Training Zone Exercise
After warming up, increase the intensity of your exer-
cise until your pulse is in your training zone for 20 to 60
minutes. (During the first few weeks of your exercise
program, do not keep your pulse in your training zone
for longer than 20 minutes.) Breathe regularly and
deeply as you exercise—never hold your breath.
Cool-down
Finish each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching
to cool down. This will increase the flexibility of your
muscles and will help prevent post-exercise problems.
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