Exercise Tips

Get Better Results ... Enjoy your workout!

To assist you to plan and regulate your personal fitness program we have established these guidelines to help you on your way. Remember, ease into a new program and maintain good nutrition to achieve the best results. However it’s important, before beginning this or any exercise program to consult your physician.

Exercise Intensity

To achieve maximum benefit from exercise you need to exert yourself but without experiencing breathlessness and fatigue. Knowing your heart rate is the key to getting better results. Determine your target heart rate, based on your age and work within the range to achieve weight loss faster!
CardioTech treadmills have heart rate sensors built in. Just keep a check and work only as hard as you need to! It’s simple!

During the first few weeks of your exercise program, you should keep your heart rate near the low end of your target heart rate (THR) zone. Over the course of a few months, gradually increase your heart rate until it reaches the high end of your range. As your condition improves, a greater workload will be required in order to raise your heart rate to your zone.

To measure your heart rate place both hands around your CardioTech pulse sensor grips or wear your Polar chest strap. Compare your heart rate to your THR zone. If your heart rate is too low, increase you level of exertion. If your heart rate is too high, decrease your level of exertion. Better still, choose your Heart Rate Control Program and it does this automatically. The default THR zone is set for weight loss but if you want to change this to a General Health Zone or Aerobic Zone it's easy to do when you set the program before you press start.

Stretching

If you're new to exercise, start off with slow, short sessions and build your way up gradually. If you have any health concerns or medical conditions, be sure to check with your doctor for advice before you begin a routine.
Stretching is one of the most important elements of a good fitness; many users don't stretch enough, or stretch incorrectly. Stretching can be time consuming, but it is important for good exercise form and injury prevention.
Important Rules for Stretching
Always warm up prior to stretching.
Do not bounce. A stretch should be a gentle movement. Slowly go to the point where you feel tension in the muscle.
A good stretch should not hurt. If in pain, you are stretching too hard.
To lengthen the muscles hold the stretch for 30 to 40 seconds.

Stretching Routines

Toe points

Lift one foot off the floor and gently point the toe. Hold for a few seconds. Now, flex your foot pointing your toe up. Do about five of these on each foot.

Ankle circles

Stand with your weight on one foot. Lift one foot off the floor and gently point the toe. Rotate your ankle and do about ten circles in each direction. Then change feet. Do this two or three times with each foot.

Arm circles

Hold your arms straight out to the side. Make small circles going backward, gradually getting larger and larger. Rest for a second and do the same thing in the forward direction. Do this a couple of times until your arms, shoulders and upper back are warmed up.

Hamstring and lower back

Slowly bend forward from your waist with your knees slightly bent. Reach for the floor and hold. Only bend as far as comfortable.

Lower back

While lying on your back, bring both knees up towards the chest with the hands. Round the lower back and relax into the stretch. Don't do this stretch on a hard surface... use a stretching mat, which will provide the required support.

Shoulder stretch

Standing upright, cross left arm over chest. Place your right hand on your upper arm and pull arm in tight to chest. Be sure to keep shoulders down and do not pull at the elbow. Hold, and then repeat stretch with other arm.

Neck relax

Turn and look over your right shoulder and hold. Repeat on the left side. Don't hyper-extend the neck, or tilt it backward.