proform 385ex - Fitness Equipment

CONDITIONING GUIDELINESWARNING: Before beginningthis or any exercise program, consult yourphysician. This is especially important for individualsover the age of 35 or individualswith pre-existing health problems.The following guidelines will help you to plan your exerciseprogram. RememberÑthese are general guidelinesonly. For more detailed exercise information, obtaina reputable book or consult your physician.EXERCISE INTENSITYWhether your goal is to burn fat or to strengthen yourcardiovascular system, the key to achieving the desiredresults is to exercise with the proper intensity.The proper intensity level can be found by using yourheart rate as a guide. The chart below shows recommendedheart rates for fat burning and aerobic exercise.(This chart is also found on the console.)training zone. It may also be helpful to set the speedcontrol on the console to FAT BURN to help you maintainthe proper intensity level. (See page 9.)Aerobic ExerciseIf your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular system,your exercise must be Òaerobic.Ó Aerobic exerciseis activity that requires large amounts of oxygen forprolonged periods of time. This increases the demandon the heart to pump blood to the muscles, and on thelungs to oxygenate the blood. For aerobic exercise,adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill until yourheart rate is near the highest number in your trainingzone. It may also be helpful to set the speed control onthe console to AEROBIC to help you maintain theproper intensity level. (See page 9.)High Performance Athletic ConditioningIf 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 yourexercise program, keep your heart rate near the lowend of your training zone.HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATETo find the proper heart rate for you, first find your ageat the bottom of the chart (ages are rounded off to thenearest ten years). Next, find the three numbers aboveyour age. The three numbers are your Òtraining zone.ÓThe lower two numbers are recommended heart ratesfor fat burning; the higher number is the recommendedheart rate for aerobic exercise.To measure yourheart rate, stop exercisingand placetwo fingers onyour wrist asshown. Take a sixsecondheartbeatcount, and multiplythe result by ten tofind your heartrate. (A six-second count is used because your heartrate drops quickly when you stop exercising.) If yourheart rate is too high or too low, adjust the speed or inclineof the treadmill accordingly.WORKOUT GUIDELINESFat BurningTo burn fat effectively, you must exercise at a relativelylow intensity level for a sustained period of time. Duringthe first few minutes of exercise, your body uses easilyaccessible carbohydrate calories for energy. Only afterthe first few minutes does your body begin to usestored fat calories for energy. If your goal is to burn fat,adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill until yourheart rate is near one of the lower two numbers in your14A well-rounded workout includes the following threeimportant parts:A Warm-upStart each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretchingand light exercise (see SUGGESTED STRETCHES onpage 15). A proper warm-up increases your bodytemperature, heart rate, and circulation in preparationfor exercise.