Articles

For each session, warm up with 10 minutes of light aerobic work and keep track of your Perceived Exertion (see related article on http://www.slimfit.uk2k.com) or monitor your heart rate.

Treadmill
Interval 1: Start with incline at zero and speed at a comfortable pace (walking or jogging). PE = Level 5. Every 15 seconds raise incline one percent for one full minute (you should be at 4 % at the end). Reduce the incline 1% every fifteen seconds for the next minute (you should be at zero). PE = 6-8.
Interval 2: Run/jog for 3 minutes. Alternate Intervals 1 and 2 until you've completed 30 minutes.
Approximate calories burned: 300.

Elliptical Trainer
Using manual program, enter workout time as 30 minutes.
Interval 1: For the first 6 minutes set your resistance at level 3. PE = 5
Interval 2: For the next 2 minutes increase your resistance by 1 every 30 seconds. PE = 6-8
Interval 3: For the next 6 minutes decrease your resistance to level 3, but go backwards.
Interval 4: For the next 2 minutes, repeat Interval 2.
Interval 5: For the next 6 minutes, repeat Interval 1.
Interval 6: For the next 2 minutes, repeat Interval 4.
Interval 7: For the last 6 minutes, repeat Interval 3.
Approximate calories burned: 250-300

Bike
Using the manual program, enter your workout time as 30 minutes.
Minutes 1 - 5: cycle at a comfortable level. PE=5.
Minutes 6-10 minutes: increase to level 10, then decrease a level each minute for the next four minutes until you're at level 6. PE=6-8.
Minutes 10-15: cycle at level 6.
Minutes 16-20: increase to level 12 and then decrease a level each minute for the next four minutes until you're at level 8.
Minutes 20-25: cycle at level 8.
Minutes 25-30: starting at level 8, increase a level each minute for the next five minutes. PE=7-8.
Approximate calories burned: 250

Road Running
Warm up with a brisk walk/slow jog for about 10 minutes. Jog for 3 minutes, sprint all-out for 30 seconds, then jog for 2 minutes. Repeat this cycle 6 times, making sure you keep track of your perceived exertion (6-8).

Perceived Exertion

When exercising, you should monitor your intensity to make sure you're not working too hard. One way to do this is by using a Perceived Exertion Scale. For most workouts, you should stay somewhere between Level 5 and Level 6. For high intensity interval workouts, your recovery should be around Level 4 or 5, and your intense interval should not go above 9. For longer, slower workouts, keep your PE at Level 5 or lower.

· Level 1: This is so easy I could do it all day.
· Level 2: I'm working up a little sweat, but could still maintain this pace for a long time.
· Level 3: My muscles are warming up and I'm sweating lightly (this is your warm up level)
· Level 4: I'm sweating, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly.
· Level 5: I'm sweating more now, am a little breathless, but could maintain this pace for a while
· Level 6: I can still talk, but am breathing harder.
· Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to.
· Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions. I can only keep this pace for a short time period.
· Level 9: I am probably going to die.
· Level 10: I am dead.

Article kindly provided by those nice people at www.slimfit.uk2k.com. - Click here to visit their site