ProForm 725c English Manual - Page 19

Burning Fat To burn fat effectively, you must exercise at a relatively low intensity level for a sustained period of time. During the first few minutes of exercise, your body uses easily accessible carbohydrate calories for energy. Only after the first few minutes of exercise does your body begin to use stored fat calories for energy. If your goal is to burn fat, adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill until the FAT BURN indicator is lit. (See TRAINING ZONE MONITOR on page 12.) Aerobic Exercise If your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular system, your exercise must be "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is activity that requires large amounts of oxygen for prolonged periods of time. This increases the demand on the heart to pump blood to the muscles, and on the lungs to oxygenate the blood. The proper intensity level for aerobic exercise can be found by using your pulse as a guide. As you exercise, your pulse should be kept at a level between 70% and 85% of your maximum possible heart rate. This is known as your training zone. You can find your training zone in the table below. Training zones are listed according to age and physical condition. You can measure your pulse using the pulse sensgt. Exercise for about four minutes, and then measure your pulse immediately. If your pulse is too high or too low, adjust the intensity of your exercise. It may also be helpful to adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill until the AEROBIC indicator is lit. (See TRAINING ZONE MONITOR on page 12.) Performance Training If your goal is high performance athletic conditioning, adjust the speed and incline of the treadmill until the PERFORMANCE indicator is lit. (See TRAINING ZONE MONITOR on page 12.) WORKOUT GUIDELINES Each workout should include three parts: (1) a warmup, (2) training zone exercise, and (3) a cool-down. Warm-up Warming up prepares the body for exercise by increasing circulation, delivering more oxygen to the muscles and raising the body temperature. Begin each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching and light exercise to warm up. Training Zone (Beats/Min.) Age Unconditioned Conditioned 20 138-167 25 136-166 30 135-164 35 134-162 40 132-161 45 131-159 50 129-156 55 127-155 60 126-153 65 125-151 70 123-150 75 122-147 80 120-146 85 118-144 133-162 132-160 130-158 129-156 127-155 125-153 124-150 122-149 121-147 119-145 118-144 117-142 115-140 114-139 Training Zone Exercise After warming up, increase the intensity of your exercise until your pulse is in your training zone for 20 to 60 minutes. (During the first few weeks of your exercise program, do not keep your pulse in your training zone for longer than 20 minutes.) Breathe regularly and deeply as you exercise-never hold your breath. Cool-down Finish each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching to cool down. This will increase the flexibility of your muscles and will help to prevent post-exercise problems. Exercise Frequency To maintain or improve your condition, complete three workouts each week, with at least one day of rest between workouts. After a few months, you may complete up to five workouts each week if desired. The key to success is to make exercise a regular and enjoyable part of your everyday life. During the first few months of your exercise program, keep your pulse near the low end of your training zone as you exercise. After a few months of regular exer- cise, your pulse can be gradually increased until it is near the middle of your training zone as you exercise. 19