More Workouts - Nautilus EV9.16 Owner's Manual

C H A N G I N G T H E G A M E I N H E A LT H A N D F I T N E S S

MORE WORKOUTS

More Workouts
Press the More Workouts key for several
advanced program options outlined below. Press
the LEVEL UP or DOWN keys to scroll through
the MORE WORKOUTS program options. Press
ENTER when desired program is displayed.
The Nautilus Fit Test Program
®
Understanding Sub-Maximal Exercise Testing
Before using the Nautilus EV9.16 or E9.16 for sub-
®
maximal exercise testing, it should be noted that all
sub-maximal tests make several assumptions:
• That a steady-state heart rate is obtained for
each exercise workload.
• That a linear relationship exists between heart
rate, oxygen uptake and workload.
• That the maximal heart rate for a given age is
uniform.
• That the mechanical efficiency of the physical
activity performed (i.e., oxygen uptake at a
given workload) is the same for everyone.
It should be kept in mind that any one or all of the
above mentioned assumptions may not be met during
a sub-maximal exercise test. If for any reason one of
the assumptions is not met, then errors in predicting
VO2 max will occur.
Unfortunately, it is often quite difficult to meet all of
the requirements for the four listed assumptions. For
example, exercising at a given workload for only a few
minutes can involve an insufficient amount of time for
many individuals to achieve a true steady-state. To
ensure that a steady-state has been achieved, the
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heart rate should be measured after two minutes
of exercise at a given workload and again after the
third minute of exercise at that workload. These two
heart rates should then be compared. If a difference
of more than five beats per minute between the two
is found, the subject should continue to exercise at
one-minute intervals at the same workload until two
successive heart rates differ by less than five beats
per minute.
It is also important that the sub-maximal heart rates
obtained be between 115 and 150 beats per minute,
because it is within this heart rate range that a linear
relationship tends to exist between heart rate and
oxygen uptake or workload for most adults. When
the heart rate is less than 115, many external factors
(e.g., talking, laughing, apprehension, etc.) can greatly
influence heart rate. Once the heart rate reaches a
level between 115 and 150, external factors no longer
influence heart rate, and a linear relationship exists.
As the heart rate rises above 150, the heart-rate/
oxygen uptake relationship becomes curvilinear.
The third assumption involves maximal heart rate.
Maximal heart rate is the greatest heart rate that can
be measured when an individual is exercising to the
point of volitional fatigue (i.e., exhaustion) during a
graded exercise test. The EV9.16 and E9.16 ellipticals
use the most current published equation developed to
estimate the average maximal heart rate as follows:
Maximal heart rate = 215 minus (0.75 x age)
Maximal heart rate can, however, vary greatly among
different individuals of the same age. One standard
deviation is ±12 bpm, which means that two-thirds of
the population varies an average of plus or minus 12
heart beats from the average given by a prediction
equation. If an individual's age-predicted maximal
heart rate is higher than that person's true maximal
heart rate, then his/her estimated VO2 max will be an
overestimation of the correct or actual value.
THE NAUTILUS FIT TEST PROGRAM
®
The final assumption addresses the issue of
mechanical efficiency. Oxygen uptake at any given
work rate can vary by approximately 15% between
different individuals. Therefore, individuals vary
in the amount of oxygen they require to perform a
certain exercise workload. Some individuals are more
efficient at performing a given task than others. As a
result, the average oxygen consumption associated
with a given workload may vary significantly from
one person to another. Thus, VO2 max predicted by
sub-maximal exercise tests tends to be overestimated
for those who are mechanically efficient and
underestimated for those who are inefficient.
The point to remember is that sub-maximal exercise
testing, though not as precise as maximal exercise
testing, is not without advantages. For example, the
results of such testing can provide a fairly accurate
reflection of an individual's fitness status without
the cost, risk, effort (on the part of the subject)
and time involved in max testing. If an individual is
given repeated sub-maximal exercise tests and that
person's heart rate response to a fixed workload is
found to decrease over time, it is reasonably safe to
conclude that the individual has made improvements
in aerobic (cardio-respiratory) fitness, irrespective of
the accuracy of the VO2 max prediction.
Pretest Screening
Prior to any exercise test (maximal or sub-maximal),
participants should complete a brief health/medical
questionnaire, have their resting blood pressure and
heart rate measured, and provide an informed consent
form. The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
(PAR-Q) is an example of a valid health/medical
questionnaire for screening individuals prior to
sub-maximal exercise testing. Canadian health and
fitness practitioners have extensively (and quite
successfully) used the PAR-Q to determine whether
individuals should be given an exercise test. A "yes"
answer to any of the following seven questions
taken from the PAR-Q would disqualify a participant
from taking part in an exercise test until appropriate
medical clearance was obtained.
Physical Activity Readiness
Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
1. Has your doctor ever said you have a heart
condition and recommended only medically
supervised physical activity?
2. Do you have chest pain brought on by physical
activity?
3. Have you developed chest pain within the past
month?
4. Do you tend to lose consciousness or fall over as
a result of dizziness?
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be
aggravated by the proposed physical activity?
6. Has a doctor ever recommended medication for
your blood pressure or a heart condition?
7. Are you aware, through your own experience
or a doctor's advice, of any other physical
reason against your exercising without medical
supervision?
Nautilus Sub-maximal Fit Test
®
The Nautilus Fit Test is a program that estimates
®
maximal aerobic capacity based on heart-rate
response to sub-maximal exercise.
The Nautilus branching protocol is a series of
®
3-minute stages of continuous exercise at
increasing intensity. The first stage is a warm-up
at approximately 4 METs. The intensity of the
remaining stages is based on the heart rate response
to the warm-up. The test is designed to raise the
steady state heart rate of the subject to at least
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