Bowflex TreadClimber 5000 - Manual (Page 20)

16 Owner’s Manual
Workout Instructions
Determining Your Fitness Level
Endurance is an important way to determine your fitness level. Before you begin exercising on your Bowflex ®
TreadClimber ® exercise machine, you will want to benchmark your current endurance level, based on how well you feel
after you take these quick tests on your TreadClimber ® machine. To do these tests, you’ll need to use your TreadClimber ®
machine in all exercise modes (TreadClimber ® , treadmill and stair-stepper modes).
CONSULT yOUR PhySICIAN BEFORE STARTING ANy ExERCISE PROGRAM. Only he or she can determine the
exercise program that is appropriate for your particular age and condition. If you are new to exercise, are
pregnant, have a heart condition or any physical limitation, failure to consult your physician before engaging in
physical exercise, such as using the Bowflex TreadClimber ® exercise machine, could result in serious injury or
death. If while using the Bowflex ® TreadClimber ® exercise machine you have any pain, tightness in your chest,
an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, feel faint, light-headed, dizzy or have any pain or discomfort, STOP and
consult your physician immediately.
These three quick tests should help you determine at what level you should start training:
Test 1
1. Start a TreadClimber ® workout (belts and treadles engaged) at 0.7 MPH (0.5 for TC1000), using the easiest
Workout Level Setting for your weight (see the Workout Level Settings table on Page 10), and gradually increase
your speed for the next 30 seconds until you reach 2 MPH or until you feel that you are at your personal maximum
exertion.
2. Continue for another 15 seconds at that speed, then step off the treadles onto the Side Foot Support Platforms
and press START/STOP to stop the belts.
3. Once the belts have stopped, breathe in and out slowly a few times, and then review your level of exertion based
on the below scale:
RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION SCALE
1. Sluggish – heart rate not raised
2. Comfortable – strolling rather than exercising
3. Alert and moving – not exerting yourself
4. Heart rate up – feel activated
5. Moderate exercise – feel aerobic and warmed up
6. Invigorated and healthy but could tire out soon
7. Breathing heavier – pushing yourself
8. Panting hard – feeling muscle burn
9. Sharp increase in exertion – almost at maximum effort
10. Maximum effort – could collapse if pace continued
Based on the above scale:
• Beginner Level perceives exertion at 8, 9 or 10
• Intermediate Level perceives their exertion at 4, 5, 6 or 7
• Advanced Level perceives exertion at 1, 2 or 3