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CONDITIONING
GUIDELINES
The foltowlng guidelines will help you to plan your
exercise program. Remember that proper nutrition"and
adequate rest are essential for successfulresults.
WARNING: Before beginning this or any exercise
program, consult your physician. This is especially
important for persons over the age of 35 or
persons with pre-existing health problems.
EXERCISE INTENSITY
To maximize the benefitS of exercising, it is important
to exercise with the proper intensity. The proper
intensity level can be found by using your heart rate as
a guide. For effective aerobic exercise, your heart rate
should be maintained at a level between 70% and 85%
of your maximum heart rate as you exercise. This is
known as your training zone. You can find your training
zone in the table below, Training zones are listed for
both unconditioned and conditioned persons according
to age.
UNCONDITIONED
CONDITIONED
TRAINING ZONE
TRAINING ZONE
AGE
(BEATS/MIN
(BEATS/MIN
• 20
"138-167
.133-162
25 "" ! _"-. 136-'166
132-_160
30
'"
• 135-164
130-158
35
:
134-162
129"156
.40
.... 132"161 ........
127"155
45
131 "159
125"153
50
129-156
124-150
55
127"155
122"149
60
126-153
121 "147
65
125-151
119-145
' 70
123"150
118-144
75
122-147
117-142
80
120-146
115-140
85
118-144
114-139
....
...._
_.
........
.
_,_,. _'_._, "
Ounng the first few months of y_o_ur exemise program _..
keep your head rate near the low end of your tra_n=ng"r
zone as you exemise. After a few months, your heart
rate can be increased gradually until it is near the mid-
dle of your training zone as you exemise.
To measure
your heart rate,
stop exercising
and place two
fingers on your
wrist.Take a
six-second
heartbeat
count, and
multiply the
result by 10 to
find your heart rate. For example, if your six-second
heartbeat countis 14. your heart rate is 140 beats per
minute. {A six-second count is used because your
heart rate will drop rapidlywhen you stop exercising.)
Adjust the intensityof your exercise until your heart
rate is at the proper level.
WORKOUT GUIDELINES
Each workoutshould consist of three basic pads: a
warm-up, 20 to 30 miautes of training zone exercise,
and a cool-down. Warming up prepares the body for
exercise by increasingcirculation, delivering more oxy-
gen to the muscles and raising the body temperature.
Begin each workout with 6 to 10 minutes of stretching
and IIgh_exercise to warm up. Then, increase the
intensityof y(_urexercise to raise your heart rate to
your training zone for 20 to 30 minutes. B_eathe regu-
larly and deeply as you exercise--never
hold your
breath. Finish each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of
stret'ching to cool down. This will increase the flexibility
of the'muscles, and reduce soreness and other post-
exercise problems. To maintain or improve your
condition,complete three workouts each week, with at
least one day of rest between workouts. After a few
monthsof regularexercise, you may complete up to
five workoutseach week, if desired. The key to
success is to make exercise a regular and enjoyable
part of your everyday life.
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