Sears 831.28782 - Manual (Page 12)

CONDITIONING GUIDELINES
The following guidelines will help you to plan your
exercise program. Remember that proper nutrition and
adequate rest are essential for successful results.
WARNING; Before beginning this or any exercise
program, consult your physician. This is especial­
ly Important for Individuals over the age of 35 or
individuals with pre-existing health problems.
WHY EXERCISE?
Exercise has proven essential for good health and
well-being. Participation in a well-rounded exercise
program helps to develop a stronger and more effi­
cient heart, improved respiratory function, increased
stamina, better weight management, increased ability
to handle stress, and greater seif-esteem.
EXERCISE INTENSITY
Whether your goal is to bum fat or to strengthen your
cardiovascular system, the key to adiieving the
desired results is to exercise with the proper intensity
and for the appropriate duration. The proper intensity
level can be found by using your heart rate as a guide.
For effective exercise, your heeut rate should be main­
tained at a level between 70% and 85% of your maxi­
mum 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 according to
age arrd physical condition.
AGE
TRAINING ZONE (BEATS/MIN.)
UNCONDmONED CONDITIONED
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
Burning Fat
To bum fat effectively, you must exerdse at a relative­
ly low intensity level for a sustained period of time.
During the first few minutes of exerdse, your body
uses easily accessible
carbohydrate calones
for ener­
gy. Only after the first few minutes does your body
begin to use stored fat calories for energy. If your goal
is to bum fat, adjust the intensity of your exercise until
your heart rate is near the lower end of your training
zone. The FAT BURN 1 and FAT BURN 2 programs
can also help you to reach your goal.
Aerobic Exercise
If your goal is to strengthen your cardiovascular sys­
tem, 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 ttie muscles, aid on the
lungs to oxygenate the blood. For aerobic exerdse,
adjust the intensity of your exercise until your heart
rate is near the middle of your training zone. You may
also want to use the AEROBIC 1 and AEROBIC 2 pro­
grams.
HOW TO MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE
To measure
your heart rate,
stop exercising
and place two
fingers on your
wrist as shown.
Take a six-sec­
ond heartbeat
count, and mul­
tiply tile result
by ten to find
your heart rate. (A six-second count is used because
your heart rate drops quickly when you stop exercis­
ing.) If your heart rate is too high, decrease the inten­
sity of your exerdse. If your heart rate is too low,
increase the intensity of your exerdse,
WORKOUT GUIDELINES
An proper workout must include the following phases:
A warm-up phase, lasting 5 to 10 minutes. Begin with
slow, controlled stretches, and progress to more rhyth­
mic stretdies. (See page 13.) This will increase the
body temperature, heart rate, and circulation in prepa­
ration for strenuous exercise.
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