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March 21, 2007 | Issue 108 |
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Getting the Most Out Of Your Workout
To maximize workout benefits, “our recommendations for most people are 30 to 90 minutes of total exercise 6 to 7 days per week, and that exercise can include aerobic conditioning, resistance training (2 to 3 times weekly), and/or flexibility,” counsels Pritikin Director of Exercise Scott Danberg, MS.
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Of course, you can break it up. A nice long walk in the morning, for example. A little stretching and a short walk at lunchtime. And maybe resistance training after work.
“Also,” says Scott, “it’s best if your aerobic workouts are in your Training Heart Rate range, or THR.”
Your THR, determined by the results of your Pritikin treadmill stress test and other factors, including blood pressure response, is the range in which your heart should be beating during aerobic exercise for optimal conditioning.
“Following your THR will allow you to burn more calories, exercise at a safe and comfortable level, and maximize cardiorespiratory benefits while minimizing the risk of fatigue and injury,” explains Scott Danberg.
To determine if you’re exercising at THR intensity, you can use any of the following:
1. Heart rate monitor (the most accurate way to monitor heart rate)
“Do keep in mind,” says exercise physiologist Scott Danberg, “that heart rate monitors on machines have a degree of error. They’re not as accurate as your own personal heart rate monitor.”
2. 6-second pulse check
(Count the number of heartbeats within a 6-second time frame, and multiply this number by 10 to determine your total beats per minute. This total should be within your Target Heart Rate range.)
Moderate Exercise
Moderate exercise – just a half-hour walk every day – appears to improve women’s chances of surviving breast cancer substantially, reported researcher Dr. Michelle Holmes at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Orlando, Florida, in April. The study, based on data from the Nurses Health Study, which has followed the health of more than 120,000 female nurses since 1976, found that women who exercised after breast cancer treatment reduced their chance from dying of the disease by one-quarter to one-half compared to women who did not exercise after treatment.
3. “Rating of Perceived Exertion,” or RPE. (See scale below)
Exercise exertion perceived as “Somewhat Hard” (12 to 14 on RPE) generally means you’re in the lower end of your Target Heart Rate range. An RPE of 15 to 16 usually means you’re in the upper end of your THR range.
“Working very hard (17 to 20) is not better and may be dangerous and/or counterproductive,” warns Scott.
“To maximize both health and fitness benefits, many guests at Pritikin (those without contraindications) are also encouraged to include interval training two to three times weekly as part of their aerobic workout,” says Scott Danberg.
Interval training alternates high and low exercise intensity, often using 1-to-1 time ratios (1 minute of high intensity; 1 minute of low intensity). Generally, you’re in the higher end of your THR zone during high intensity exercise and at the lower end during the low intensity part of your interval training.
Below are helpful RPE descriptions for gauging your exertion level:
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Copyright 2007 Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa. All rights reserved.
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Pritikin Perspective - Healthy Living Made Easier
Pritikin Perspective is a publication for Alumni of the Pritikin Longevity Center. It is dedicated to helping people make healthy changes in their lives. The articles in this publication should not be considered specific medical advice, as each individual circumstance is different. You are strongly encouraged to seek medical advice before beginning a program of diet and exercise.
Editor/Writer: Eugenia Killoran.
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