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6
getting fi t
Cardiovascular endurance is the most important component of physical fitness. There are two types of
cardiovascular training, these are interval training and steady state training.
Interval training varies the amount of effort required to workout. The LifeSpan EX3 comes with several
programs that automatically very the amount of resistance during the course of the workout. These include
Interval, Random, Mountain and Weight Loss programs. All of these programs vary the amount of effort
required during the workout by automatically adjusting the flywheel resistance.
Steady state training keeps the workload constant. The manual program on your LifeSpan elliptical
allows you to manually control the resistance of your elliptical providing you with a constant workout that
you completely control. The EX3 also supports Heart Rate training where you can preset the elliptical to a
target heart rate. The elliptical will then automatically adjust the resistance level to maintain your target
heart rate
If you have a requirement to maintain a steady heart rate during your workout, the manual or Target Heart
Rate Program is the best selection.
Regardless of your personal fitness goals and the program that you pursue, warming up and cooling down
before and after you workout will help reduce the risk of injury and improve the effectiveness of your workout.
Warming up is important to bring your body from its normal level of activity to a state where it is ready to
exercise by increasing the flow of blood to the muscle to raise the muscle temperature. This will increase
the muscle elasticity and protect the joints. The warm up period also helps to mentally prepare you for
your workout.
Warmups should be done at a low intensity level and last for at least five minutes.
Cooling down after your workout is required to gradually bring your cardiovascular system down to its
normal level.
Follow your workout with at least 10 minutes of stretching. Focus on the major muscle groups of the lower
extremity. When stretching, stretch the muscle until you feel gentle tension, hold it and wait for the tension
to relax while the muscle elongates, stretch the muscle again until you feel gentle tension.
Do not bounce when you stretch, bouncing is not an effective approach to stretching and can lead to injury.
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60%
75%
85%
100%
Increased Performance Range
Aerobic Training Range
Weight Loss Training Range
Low Intensity
20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
AGE
200200
170170
150150
120120
195195
166166
146146
117117
190190
162162
143143
114114
185185
157157
139139
111111
180180
153153
135135
108108
175175
149149
131131
105105
170170
145145
128128
102102
165165
140140
124124
9999
160160
136136
120120
9696
155155
132132
116116
9393
The three components of a successful cardiovascular exercise program are:
• Frequency
• Intensity
• Time
In terms of frequency, you should try and exercise at least three times per week. Preferably you should try
to exercise every other day to give your body a days rest in-between workouts.
The intensity of each workout refers to how hard you feel you are working and can be measured by your heart
rate. Depending on your fitness goals, exercise between 55% and 90% of your maximum heart rate. A sim-
ple way of estimating your maximum heart rate is by subtracting your age from 220. As a general rule of
thumb, if your fitness objective is to lose weight, you will want to keep your heart rate at between 60% and
75% of your maximum heart rate. If your objective is improved aerobic performance keep your heart rate
between 75% and 85% of your maximum heart rate.
To achieve benefits from your workout, your workout time should be at least 20 minutes per session. If you
are trying to lose weight focus on longer (45 - 60 minutes) less intense workouts, to improve your aerobic
performance focus on shorter more intense workouts.
As a rule of thumb when your exercising, if you are having trouble completing a sentence, you are working
too hard. When exercising, you should be able to speak freely without gasping for air.