Tunturi Aircycle E603 - Page 6

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■ BOHi
EXERCISE INTENSITY
The intensity necessary to reach
the training zone varies greatly
from individual to individual. For
example, one person at age fifty
may require only a moderate walk
to reach the appropriate training
zone, while another person of the
same age might have to maintain a
fast jog. You may need to begin
your exercise program at 50% to
60% of maximum heart rate and
work up to a level of 70% to 85%.
As you grow older, your max¬
imum heart rate lowers, and thus
your aerobic training zone lowers
too. This is true of everybody,
regardless of physical condition.
So don’t expect to always exercise
at the same intensity.
WARMING UP AND
COOLING DOWN
Even the well-conditioned
athlete’s muscles are generally
cold and stiff before exercise.
Muscles in such a condition are
vulnerable to injury; for this reason
it’s essential to warm up before any
exercise session —even before
stretching. Warming up also helps
stimulate your heart and lungs.
Your blood vessels dilate, increas¬
ing the necessary blood flow to the
muscles.
For aerobic exercises, you can
simply do a slower version of the
exercise you intend to do. For ex¬
ample, cycle at a lower intensity, or
walk or jog at a slower speed for
several minutes before beginning
your aerobic session.
After your exercise session,
gradually taper off from your exer¬
cise intensity and keep moving for
several minutes. Stopping abruptly
can allow blood to pool in the arms
and legs; if you keep moving, the
blood flow is directed back to the
heart and brain.
To complete the cool-down pro¬
cess, do some all-body stretching
exercises to relax the worked mus¬
cles. This post-exercise stretching
session helps prevent your mus¬
cles from being stiff and sore dur¬
ing the next day’s workout. Also it’s
easier to stretch muscles after
exercising when they’re still warm
and supple.
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