It's not often we get to learn how to do cardio exercise. After all, don't we know how to exercise?
Not according to Sally Edwards, owner of Heart Zones USA and ZONING Fitness. I've worked with Sally a lot over the last couple decades. We've poured over volumes of fitness journals and books and have done exhaustive internet searches on the subject. We've talked to the experts in the physiology lab, P.E teachers in the schools, and the medical community. We've talked to dozens of manufacturers of fitness equipment and accessories.
Together, we've trained thousands of people to use their heart as their guide to exercising.
So, why their heart? Because, it's the heart that pumps blood throughout the body, supplying blood to the working muscles and organs of the body. It's the heart that responds to exercise by beating faster, and responds to rest by beating slower. The human heart is an amazing organ that can be trained to be stronger.
It's called cardiovascular fitness, and it can be measured by a simple device called a heart rate monitor. The heart rate monitor actually measures the activity of the heart, as measured in beats per minute. It's intensity is really the only way to know if you're working out hard enough.
For many people, just getting the heart pumping is the goal.
Here's how:
When you take your new heart rate monitor out of the box and strap it on (follow directions - it's pretty easy), take note of your heart rate. This is called Ambient heart rate and it is a measure of your current heart rate at rest, but in an awake and alert state. Now, walk around for the next couple minutes. Your heart rate should increase slightly. You're doing it! You're getting your heart to speed up and pump more blood throughout your entire body! That's the goal.
Now, Sally in her exercise video above, wants you to see how easy exercise really can be. Watch the video and you'll get a good idea.
But, here's what you do:
Strap on your heart rate monitor and get your heart rate to increase 5-10 beats if this is your first time exercising. If you've exercised before, maybe you can get your heart rate up 10-20 beats while doing an activity of your choice. Try to keep your heart rate elevated for 5-20 minutes. Try to keep going, though, even if you feel like stopping. It's better to slow down and lower your heart rate than to stop moving around completely.
Do this every day. Don't stop.
If you're moving around comfortably now, it's time for the second step, which is programming your new heart rate monitor to actually blink the right colors, and keep you in the right zone for exercising. To do this, you can program your monitor for YOUR zones. Watch this other video for those instructions which are pretty easy. Once you program your monitor, you're really ready for what ZONING Fitness is all about:
5 minutes Blue
20 minutes Yellow
5 minutes Blue
I'm here to help you if you need help figuring out how to exercise, put on a heart rate monitor, figure out your numbers, or how to get going. It's what I do, and I'm an expert.If' you'd like to order the heart rate monitor that is recommended in this video, and recommended by Sally and myself, order the Blink 2 from www.365fitt.com, or email me. I'll be happy to answer your questions.
