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below. Each stretch should be held for approximately 30 seconds, do not force or jerk your muscles
into a stretch - if it hurts, STOP.
THE EXERCISE PHASE
This is the stage where you put the effort in. After regular use, the muscles in your legs will become
stronger. Work to your own pace but it is very important to maintain a steady tempo throughout. The
rate of work should be sufficient to raise your heart beat into the target zone shown on the graph
below.
This stage should last for a minimum of 12 minutes for most people though most people start
at about 15-20 minutes.
THE COOL DOWN PHASE
This stage is to let your cardio-vascular system and muscles wind down. This is a repeat of the warm
up exercise e.g. reduce your tempo, continue for approximately 5 minutes. The stretching exercises
should now be repeated, again remembering not to force or jerk your muscles into the stretch.
As you get fitter you may need to train longer and harder. It is advisable to train at least three times a
week, and if possible space your workouts evenly throughout the week.
MUSCLE TONING
To tone muscle while on your EXERCISE BIKE you will need to have the resistance set quite high.
This will put more strain on our leg muscles and may mean you cannot train for as long as you would
like. If you are also trying to improve your fitness you need to alter your training program. You should
train as normal during the warm up and cool down phases, but towards the end of the exercise phase
you should increase resistance, making your legs work harder than normal. You will have to reduce
your speed to keep your heart rate in the target zone.
WEIGHT LOSS
