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4.3 WORKOUT DESCRIPTIONS
Q
UICK START
QUICK START is the fastest way to begin exercising, and it bypasses the steps of selecting a specific workout program. The
intensity level for the workout is set automatically and remains the same unless manually changed. To change the level, press
the UP or DOWN ARROW keys or use the NUMERIC keypad to enter a higher or lower level number. If the METS display is
enabled, the MESSAGE CENTER displays “ENTER WEIGHT”, which is required to calculate this value. Using the ARROW
KEYS, increase or decrease the displayed weight to the correct value, or enter the weight using the NUMERIC keypad.
FAT BURN
The FAT BURN workout is designed to maintain a user’s heart rate at 65 percent of the theoretical maximum
†
for optimal
results. Throughout the workout, the user wears a Polar heart rate chest strap or grips the Lifepulse system sensors. If the user
is not wearing a chest strap, the WORKOUT PROFILE window displays a heart shape, and the MESSAGE CENTER displays
a prompt to grip the sensors. The console continuously monitors and displays the heart rate, adjusting the intensity level of the
Lifecycle exercise bike to reach and maintain the target*. This system eliminates over- and under-training, and it maximizes the
aerobic benefits of exercise by using the body's fat stores for fuel.
CARDIO
The CARDIO workout is virtually identical to FAT BURN; however the target heart rate is calculated at 80 percent of the
theoretical maximum. The user wears a chest strap or grips the Lifepulse system sensors.The higher target promotes
cardiovascular improvement by placing a heavier workload on the heart muscle.
HILL
The Life Fitness-patented HILL workout offers a variety of configurations for interval training. Intervals are periods of intense
aerobic exercise separated by regular periods of lower-intensity exercise. The WORKOUT PROFILE window represents
these high and low intervals as columns of light, which together have the appearance of hills and valleys. The computerized
interval training workout has been scientifically demonstrated to promote greater cardio-respiratory improvement than steady-
pace training.
Each HILL workout goes through four phases, each marked by different intensity levels. The WORKOUT PROFILE window
displays the progress of these phases, as seen in the chart following these descriptions below. As noted in the descriptions,
the heart rate should be measured at two stages in the workout to gauge its effectiveness. To do so, wear the Polar heart rate
chest strap or continuously grip the Lifepulse system sensors. Note that the MESSAGE CENTER does not display a request
for a heart rate measurement during a HILL workout.
1 Warm-up is a phase of low, gradually rising resistance, which brings the heart rate into the lower end of the target
zone and increases respiration and blood flow to working muscles.
2 Plateau increases the intensity slightly, and keeps it steady, to bring the heart rate to the low end of the target zone.
Check the heart rate at the end of this phase.
3 Interval Training is a series of increasingly steeper hills, alternating with valleys, or stints of recovery. The heart rate
should rise to the high end of the target* zone. Check the heart rate at the end of this phase.
4 Cool-down is a low-intensity phase that allows the body to begin removing lactic acid, and other exercise by-prod-
ucts, which build up in muscles and contribute to soreness.
†
Defined by the American College of Sports Medicine's "Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription" as equal to 220 minus an individual’s age.
* Target Heart Rate (THR) is a percentage of the theoretical maximum. For example, a 40-year-old user's THR for the CARDIO workout is 144. This workout
targets 80 percent of the maximum, so the equation would be (220-40)*.80=144.