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httpwww.nchpad.orgemailnchpad.orgToll-Free1-800-900-80864000RidgewayDriveBirminghamAL352098DeterminingExerciseIntensity1.HeartRateHRDetermineyourHRbyndingyourpulse.Placeangeronthethumbsideoftheboomofyourforearmnearyourwristoragainstthesideofyourneckandcountyourpulsebeatfor10seconds.MultiplythisgurebysixtocalculateyourHRperminute.Youshouldneveruseyourthumbtotakeyourpulseasithasapulseofitsown.2.MaximumHeartRateMHRSubtractyouragefrom220todetermineyourMHR.Forexamplea40-year-oldpersonwouldhaveanMHRof180220-401803.TargetHeartRateTHRCalculatedat60and80percentofyourMHR.FortherangeslowercutopointmultiplyyourMHRby0.6.Forthetopcut-opointmultiplyyourMHRby0.8.BasedontheaboveexampleMHR180theTHRrangeis108to144beatsperminute.WhendoingcardioexerciseyourgoalshouldbetomaintainthisTHRrange.ItisimportanttonotethatpeoplewithneurologicalconditionshighlevelspinalcordinjuriesorthosetakingbetablockersmayhavealterationsintheirHRsthereforethismethodmaybeinaccurateforthoseindividuals4.RatingsofPerceivedExertionRPEAnothermethodofmeasuringexerciseintensitythatmaybemoreappropriateforthosewhocannotusetheTHRmethod.Thisisascaleofhowhardyoufeelyouareexercising.TheBorgscalerangesfromsixto20withsixbeingnoexertionand20fullexertion.Tousethescalemonitorhowyoufeelwhileexercisingwithageneralgoalof12to13RPE.5.TalkTestAnotherwaytomeasureexerciseinten-sity.Ifyoucansingwhileperformingcardioexerciseyouarenotworkinghardenough.Ifyoucantalkwhilestoppingoccasionallytotakedeepbreathsthatisgood.Ifyoucannottalkatallyourintensityistoohigh.1.Warm-upEngageinatleastveminutesoflightacvitysuchaswalkingorwheeling.2.ExerciseThisincludescardioexerciseandstrengthtraining.3.CooldownFinishyourworkoutwithatleastveminutesofalightacvitythatwillbringyourheartratebackdown.Thisisalsoanopmalmetoperformexibilityexercises.READYTOBEGINYOUREXERCISEROUTINEGENERALEXERCISEGUIDELINES