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GENERAL
EXERCISE GUIDELINES
WARM-UP
A warm-up activity should be a progressive aerobic activity that utilizes the
muscles you will be using during the workout. There is no set warm-up
intensity. A typical warm-up will produce a small amount of perspiration,
but not leave you feeling fatigued. Intensity and fitness level will affect the
duration of your warm-up, but 5-10 minutes is usually recommended.
EXERCISE DURATION
A common question asked is, how much exercise do I need? We
recommend following the guidelines set up by the American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM) for healthy aerobic activity.
• Exercise three to five days per week.
• Warm up for five to 10 minutes before aerobic activity.
• Maintain your exercise activity for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Gradually decrease the intensity of your workout, then stretch to
cool down during the last five to 10 minutes.
If weight loss is a major goal, participate in your aerobic activity at least
30 minutes for five days each week.
EXERCISE INTENSITY
The next question asked is, how hard do I need to workout? To reap the
most cardiovascular benefits from your workout, it is necessary to exercise
within a recommended intensity range. We recommend using one of two
methods to measure exercise intensity. These two methods are performed
by monitoring your exercise heart rate or by using the Rate of Perceived
Exertion (RPE). Please see pages 41 and 42 for the Target Heart Rate
Chart and RPE Scale.