HealthRider Cardio 95 English Manual - Page 7

6. ACCELERATE All Muscles Use any grip position. Accelerate your stroke rhythm every ten strokes for three or four sets (30 to 40 reps). 7. COOL DOWN Return to the wrist flex grip position. Decelerate and slow your strokes gradually .1 until your respiration and heart rate drop (approximately 50 strokes). If you are using the handlebar in the secondary position, return it to the less-strenuous standard position for the cool down. When you are comfortable with the beginning routines, able to do 40 strokes per minute for 15-20 minutes, you may want to advance to another level of intensity. Your goal is to sustain a minimum rhythm of 50 strokes per minute for 30 to 40 minutes. A minimum of three or four exercise sessions per week will give you measurable fitness benefits. If you are concerned with losing fat, increase the length of time you exercise (duration) before you increase intensity (number of strokes per minute). Remember: If you are out of breath, you are working too hard! Your goal is to give your body the benefits of aerobic exercise (with oxygen). Relax and enjoy the ride. 10 PROPER BREATHING Proper breathing is important. To begin, exhale slowly through the nostrils on the upstroke, bringing the handlebar towards your abdomen. Inhale through the mouth on the downstroke as the handlebar moves away from your body. 1. Deeper, slower breathing is preferred. 2. Breathe with labored breath, no gasping. At 35 to 50 strokes per minute, alternate your breathing pattern with every other upstroke. Never attempt to inhale and exhale with every stroke if you are exercising in an accelerated mode. ULTIMATE FITNESS GOALS Your HealthRider® is the easiest way to a personalized exercise program tailored to your needs. The three basic components of fitness are cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and strength. The HealthRider® addresses all three. Fat is burned only in the muscles. To achieve your optimum level of body fat, you need to develop lean, strong muscle. If one of your fitness goals is to raise your metabolic rate, exercising more frequently during each day will help you accomplish that goal. In the beginning, you may be able to exercise on your HealthRider® for ten minutes or less each session. To get your full half-hour workout, you may want to ride two or three times during a day. Normally, it takes about 12-16 weeks to progress through the Basic and Advanced routines. Even if you prefer to stay with the Basic Routine forever, you are still getting aerobic exercise and burning body fat. To achieve the ultimate level of fitness with your HealthRider®, your goal should be performing all positions and variations of the basic routine at 60 strokes per minute for 30-40 minutes, four to five times per week. If you achieve this level of fitness, you will be in the top percentile for your age group in the United States. 11