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Cool Down and Stretching
Every workout should be followed by a cool down. The cool down should consist of 5 to 10
minutes of easy exercise, followed by stretching. Refer to the stretches found on pages 14
and 15 of this manual. Never push yourself beyond a point of gentle tension on the muscle
being stretched. Keep your movements relaxed, rhythmic and controlled.
When to Exercise
The hour just before the evening meal is a popular time for exercise. The late afternoon
workout provides a welcome change of pace at the end of the work day and helps dissolve
the day’s worries and tensions.
Another popular time to work out is early morning, before the work day begins. Advocates of
the early start say it makes them more alert and energetic on the job.
Among the factors you should consider in developing your workout schedule are personal
preference, job and family responsibilities, availability of exercise facilities and weather. It’s
important to schedule your workouts for a time when there is little chance that you will have
to cancel or interrupt them because of other demands on your time.
You should not exercise strenuously during extremely hot, humid weather or within two hours
after eating. Heat and/or digestion both make heavy demands on the circulatory system,
and in combination with exercise can be an over-taxing double load.
Measuring Your Heart Rate
When checking Heart Rate during a workout, take your pulse within five seconds after
interrupting exercise because it starts to go down once you stop moving. Count pulse for 10
seconds and multiply by six to get the per-minute rate.
Target Heart Rate
Aerobic intensity guidelines for healthy adults are generally set at 60 to 85 percent of heart
rate. But, if you’re out of shape, remember that moderate to low level and consistent
cardiovascular training - well below the standard recommendations set forth - can result in
substantial and beneficial effects to your health and can greatly improve cardiovascular
endurance.
You can use the following calculation to determine what percentage of your heart rate you
are working at:
% heart rate = (220 - age) x %
Using this calculation, a 70% heart rate for a 40 year old would be (220 - 40) x 70% or 126.
Thus, this individual would need to reach 126 beats per minute to equal a 70% heart rate.
The above are guidelines; people with any medical limitations should discuss this formula
with their physician.
Clothing
All exercise clothing should be loose-fitting to permit freedom of movement, and should
make the wearer feel comfortable and self-assured.
Never wear rubberized or plastic clothing, garments like this can interfere with the
evaporation of perspiration and can cause body temperature to rise to dangerous levels.
The Pilates Workout may be performed with bare feet, or you may wear flexible athletic
shoes if you find that more comfortable. It is not recommended that you exercise with socks
or stockings only on the feet, wearing socks or stockings only may cause slippage of the feet
when using the Foot Rest Bar Assembly or the optional Push Up Bar Assembly.
Tips to Keep You Going