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THE IMPORTANCE OF WARM UP AND COOL DOWN
WARM UP
The first 2 to 5 minutes of a workout should be devoted to warming up. The warm-up will limber your muscles and
prepare them for more strenuous exercise. Make sure that you warm-up on your Horizon Fitness product at a slow pace.
COOL DOWN
Never stop exercising suddenly! A cool down period allows your heart to readjust to the decreased demand. Make sure
that your cool down period consists of a very slow pace to allow your heart rate to lower. After the cool down, repeat the
stretching exercises to loosen and relax your muscles.
EXERCISE GUIDELINES
Always consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.
HOW Often
The American Heart Association recommends that you exercise at least 3 to days per week to maintain cardiovascular
fitness. If you have other goals such as weight or fat loss, you will achiever your goal faster with more frequent exercise.
Whether it's 3 days or 6 days, remember that your ultimate goal should be to make exercise a lifetime habit. Many people
are successful staying with a fitness program if they set aside a specific time of day to exercise. It doesn't matter
whether it's in the morning before your shower, during lunch hour to while watching the evening news. What's more
important is that it's a time that allows you to keep a schedule, and a time when you won't be interrupted. If you are to be
successful with your fitness program, you have to make it a priority in you life. So decide on a time, pull out your day
planner and pencil in your exercise times for the next month!
How Long?
For aerobic exercise benefits, it's recommended that you exercise from between 24 and 32 minutes per session. But start
slowly and gradually increase your exercise times. If you've been sedentary during the pass year, it may be a good idea to
keep your exercise times to as little as five minutes initially. Your body will need time to adjust to the new activity. If your
goal is weight loss, a longer exercise session at lower intensities has been found to be most effective. A workout time of
48 minutes or more is recommended for best weight loss results.
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How Hard?
How hard you work out is also determined by your goals. If you use your Horizon Fitness Stepper to prepare for a 5K run.
You will probably work out at a higher intensity than if your goal is general fitness. Regardless of your long term goals,
always begin an exercise program at low intensity. Aerobic exercise does not have to be painful to be beneficial! There are
two ways to measure your exercise mtensity. The first is by monitoring your heart rate, and the second is by evaluating your
perceived exertion level (this is simpler than is sounds!)
Perceived Exertion Level
The second and simpler way to gauge your exercise intensity is to evaluate your perceived exertion level. While exercising if
you are too winded to maintain a conversation without gasping. You are working out too hard A good rule of thumb is to
work to the point of exhilaration, not exhaustion. If you cannot catch your breath, it's time to slow down. Always be aware of
other warning signs of overexertion.
ACHIEVING YOUR FITNESS GOALS
An important step in developing a long term fitness program is to determine you goals. Is your primary goal for exercising
on your Horizon Fitness Stepper to lose weight? Improve muscle? Burn Stress? Prepare for the spring racing schedule?
Knowing what your goals are will help you develop a more successful exercise program. Below are some common exercise
goals.
. Weight Loss
. Weight Maintenance
. Improve Body Shape and Tone
. Strengthen Leg Muscles
. Increased Energy Level
. Improved Sleep Patterns
. Improved Sports Performance
. Stress Reduction
. Improved Cardiovascular Endurance
If possible try to define your personal goals in precise, measurable terms, and then put your goals in writing. The more
specific you can be, the easier it will be to track your progress. If your goals are long term, divide them up into monthly and
weekly segments. Longer term goals are easier to achieve. Your Horizon Fitness Stepper console provides you with several
read outs that can be used to record your progress. You can track Distance, Calories or Time. Time is the most important
and useful of test functions.
Keeping an exercise dairy
Photocopy the weekly and monthly log sheets on the following pages to make your personal exercise log book. As time goes
by you'll be able to look back with pride at the work you've done. As your fitness improves, you can look back and see how
far you've come.
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