Pro-Form J4 User Manual page 14

CONDITIONING GUIDELINES
The followingguidelineswill help you to plan your ex-
ercise program. Remember--these are general guide-
lines only. For more detailed exercise information,ob-
tain a reputablebook or consultyour physician.
EXERCISE INTENSITY
Whether your goal is to burn fat or to strengthenyour
cardiovascularsystem, the key to achievingthe de-
sired resultsis to exercise with the proper intensity.
The proper intensitylevel can be found by using your
heart rate as a guide. The chart below shows recom-
mended heart rates for fat burningand aerobic exer-
cise.
HEART RATE TRAINING ZONE
C
"-l!
( 20
( 30 _._ "i
40 :
40
C60 _-- ,,
C7° =_
80 ,,
2O
50 --:: =-.
To find the proper heart rate for you, first find your age
on the left side of the chart (ages are roundedoff to
the nearest ten years). Next, find the three numbersto
the right of your age. The throe numbers are your
"training zone." The lower two numbers are recom-
mended heart rates for fat burning;the higher number
is the recommended heart rate for aerobic exercise.
Fat Burning
To burn fat effectively,you mustexercise at a relatively
low intensitylevel for a sustained periodof time. During
the first few minutesof exercise, your body uses easily
accessiblecarbohydrate calories for energy. Only after
the first few minutes does your body beginto use
storedfat caloriesfor energy. If your goal is to burn fat,
adjust the speed and inclineof the treadmilluntil your
heart rate is near one of the lowertwo numbers in your
trainingzone. It may also be helpfulto set the speed
controlon the console to FAT BURN to help you main-
tain the properintensitylevel. (See page 9.)
Aerobic Exercise
If your goal is to strengthenyour cardiovascularsys-
tem, your exercise must be "aerobic." Aerobic exercise
is activity that requireslarge amountsof oxygen for
prolonged periodsof time. This increasesthe demand
on the heart to pump bloodto the muscles, and on the
lungs to oxygenate the blood. For aerobic exercise,
adjust the speed and inclineof the treadmilluntil your
heart rate is near the highest number in your training
zone. It may also be helpfulto set the speed controlon
the console to AEROBIC to help you maintainthe
proper intensitylevel. (See page 9.)
High Performance Athletic Conditioning
If your goal is high performance athletic conditioning,
set the speed control on the console to PERFOR-
MANCE to help you maintain the proper intensity level.
(See page 9.) Note: During the first few weeks of your
exercise program, keep your heart rate near the low
end of your training zone.
HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE
To measure your
heart rate, stop ex-
ercisingand place
two fingers on
your wrist as
shown. Take a six-
second heartbeat
count, and multiply
the resultby ten to
find your heart
rate. (A six-second count is used because your heart
rate drops quicklywhen you stop exercising.) If your
heart rate is too high or too low, adjust the speed or in-
cline of the treadmillaccordingly.
WORKOUT GUIDELINES
A well-rounded workout includes the following three
important pads:
A Warm-up
Start each workout with 5 to 10 minutesof stretching
and light exercise (see SUGGESTED STRETCHES on
page 15). A proper warm-up increases your body
temperature, heart rate, and circulation in preparation
for exercise.
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