Elliptical Trainer User Manual
BEFORE
YOU BEGIN
28
INTRODUCTION
IMPORTANT
PRECAUTIONS
ASSEMBLY
BEFORE
YOU BEGIN
ELLIPTICAL
OPERATION
LIMITED
WARRANTY
TROUBLESHOOTING
& MAINTENANCE
CONDITIONING
GUIDELINES
ASSEMBLY
CONDITIONING
GUIDELINES
BEFORE
YOU BEGIN
ASSEMBLY
29
INTRODUCTION
IMPORTANT
PRECAUTIONS
ELLIPTICAL
OPERATION
CONDITIONING
GUIDELINES
TROUBLESHOOTING
& MAINTENANCE
LIMITED
WARRANTY
CONDITIONING
GUIDELINES
ASSEMBLY
STRETCH FIRST
Before using your product, it is best to take a few minutes to do a few gentle stretching exercises.
Stretching prior to exercise will improve flexibility and reduce chances of exercise related injury. Ease
into each of these stretches with a slow gentle motion. Do not stretch to the point of pain. Make sure
not to bounce while doing these stretches.
1. STANDING CALF MUSCLE STRETCH
Stand near a wall with the toes of your left foot about 18" from the
wall, and the right foot about 12" behind the other foot. Lean forward,
pushing against the wall with your palms. Keep your heels flat and hold
this position for a count of 15 seconds. Make sure that you do not bounce
while stretching. Repeat on the other side.
2. STANDING QUADRICEP STRETCH
Using a wall to provide balance, grasp your right
ankle with your right hand and hold your foot against
the back of your thigh for 15 seconds. Repeat with
your left ankle and hand.
3. SITTING HAMSTRING & LOWER BACK MUSCLE STRETCH
Sit on the floor with your legs together and straight out in front of you.
Do not lock your knees. Extend your fingers towards your toes and
hold for a count of 15 seconds. Make sure that you do not bounce while
stretching. Sit upright again. Repeat one time.
STRETCHING
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WARM UP
The first 2 to 5 minutes of a workout should be devoted to warming up. The warm-up will limber your
muscles and prepare them for more strenuous exercise. Make sure that you warm-up on your product
at a slow pace. The warm up should gradually bring your heart rate into your Target Heart Rate Zone.
COOL DOWN
Never stop exercising suddenly! A cool-down period of 3-5 minutes allows your heart to readjust to
the decreased demand. Make sure that your cool down period consists of a very slow pace to allow
your heart rate to lower. After the cool-down, repeat the stretching exercises listed above to loosen
and relax your muscles.
An important step in developing a long term fitness program is to determine your goals. Is your primary
goal for exercising to lose weight? Improve muscle? Reduce stress? Prepare for the spring racing
schedule? Knowing what your goals are will help you develop a more successful exercise program. Below
are some common exercise goals:
• Weight Loss - lower intensity, longer duration workouts
• Improve Body Shape and Tone - interval workouts, alternate between high and low intensities
• Increased Energy Level - more frequent daily workouts
• Improved Sports Performance - high intensity workouts
• Improved Cardiovascular Endurance - moderate intensity, longer duration workouts
If possible try to define your personal goals in precise, measurable terms, and then put your goals in
writing. The more specific you can be, the easier it will be to track your progress. If your goals are
long term, divide them up into monthly and weekly segments. Longer term goals can lose some of the
immediate motivation benefits. Short term goals are easier to achieve. Your console provides you with
several readouts that can be used to record your progress. You can track Distance, Calories or Time.
KEEPING AN EXERCISE DIARY
To make your personal exercise log book, print the weekly and monthly log sheets off of your computer
by going to:
www.horizonfitness.com/guides/weeklylog.pdf
www.horizonfitness.com/guides/monthlylog.pdf
As your fitness improves, you can look back and see how far you’ve come!
THE IMPORTANCE OF WARM UP & COOL DOWN
ACHIEVING YOUR FITNESS GOALS
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