Tag Archives: programs

Layman’s Guide to METs

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I have been asked many times over the years about METS since they are displayed on most of today’s cardio machines, including our new Elegant and Touch consoles. Simply stated, METS is a good way to measure your exercise intensity and therefore the effectiveness of your exercise. MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent Task where one MET is equal to the rate you burn calories while you are sitting. As you begin to move or to exercise, you burn more calories and that increase can be measured or represented as an increase in METS.

I like to use a laymen’s translation for METS as a Metabolic Equivalent To Sitting, or how many times more calories a person is burning during an activity compared to if they were sitting around watching TV. So if your cardio machine states that you are working at five METS, you are burning calories 5 times faster than you would if you were watching television. Exercise at 10 METS and you will burn as many calories in a 20-minute cardio session as you would in over three hours and 20 minutes of watching TV.

While the number of calories you burn obviously goes up with an increase of METS, the actual number of calories a person burns still varies based on age, weight and fitness level and this is another subject which should be addressed separately. MET values will vary with combinations of change in speed and elevation on a treadmill or speed and resistance on a bike or elliptical. You can also use METS to determine if your workout on an exercise bike today is as efficient as it was yesterday on a treadmill or elliptical machine.

TIP: Since many people may not be able to maintain 10 METS or even five METS for extended periods of time try an interval based program like Sprint 8® that will take you to or near your individual tolerance and back down to something more comfortable and then back up and down again repeatedly. This type of fitness program has been shown over and over again to be extremely effective at increasing fitness levels.

Here is a chart showing the MET value of various common activities: METs chart

 

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/METs

Train with the Intervals Program on Your Exercise Bike for a Change of Pace

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Vision Fitness R40 Recumbent Exercise BikeThe Intervals program on a Vision Fitness® upright or recumbent bike can be a valuable tool in your fitness regimen. Bikes are a great way to get your cardio training in, while giving your skeletal system a break from the stress of a weight-bearing exercise like treadmill running. One of the keys to exercising on a bike is maintaining a sufficient level of intensity so you are maximizing your time spent exercising. Unlike a treadmill that forces a user to keep up, on a bike, the user must push himself/herself to keep the level of intensity up where he/she is truly benefiting from the workout. This is where a program like Intervals can really help.

What is interval training?
Interval training is a method of training where you increase and decrease the level of intensity of your workout between aerobic and anaerobic training. The goal for interval training is to push the body past the aerobic threshold for a few moments and then return to your aerobic conditioning level with the objective of improving your performance.

The aerobic threshold is the intensity where your body switches from burning a greater percentage of fat to a greater percentage of carbohydrates. A general parameter to measure where this threshold is would be 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. According to the web site www.medicinenet.com, train below 85 percent and it’s aerobic; train above 85 percent and it’s anaerobic. (For more info on monitoring your heart rate, click here.)

Using the preset Intervals program

After selecting the Intervals program on your console, you will be prompted to enter in your age, your desired time and your weight. Once you have done this, the console will then ask you to enter in the difficulty level. This may require a trial and error period as you figure out which level will best challenge you. The resistance level will automatically change from segment to segment, alternating between a higher level of resistance (the active phase) and a lower level of resistance (the rest phase). These changes in resistance are designed to push you past your aerobic zone and into your anaerobic zone during the active phase, as described in the paragraph above. The duration of each segment is determined by the total time you entered in the beginning.

The benefits of interval training are numerous, and it is becoming the preferred method of training for many of today’s elite athletes. Benefits such as burning more fat, decreasing your risk of high blood pressure, strengthening your immune system, and lowering cholesterol, are all attributed to interval training according to Dr. Joseph Mercola (www.mercola.com). Also, it can ultimately put less stress on your joints because you are exercising for shorter periods of time.

The beauty of this program, especially on a bike, is that anyone can start it and begin to reap the benefits immediately. Interval training can closely simulate participating in sports such as basketball, soccer and lacrosse. All are activities that include quick bursts of energy intermingled with periods of active rest.

Interval training has long been a favorite of coaches because it can be an effective means of improving an athlete’s cardiovascular capacity, thus helping their performance on the field. It can also help an individual burst through those dreaded “plateaus” we have all encountered at one time or another after performing the same exercise routines for an extended period of time.

For me personally, the active phase helps push me to workout harder, while reducing my perception of how long I have been working out, a big-time bonus in my opinion. So if you are looking for some variety and want to spice things up, I suggest you get off your feet, get on a bike and challenge yourself with an intense Intervals program.

 

Put Your iPhone or iPod to Good Use With New Vision Fitness Consoles

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Using an iPod or iPhone with your new Vision Fitness® console can open a whole variety of features you wouldn’t expect from a piece of fitness equipment!

The new Vision Touch console is able to transfer the audio and video from an iPod or iPhone through the iPod/iPhone cord to the console. This also allows you to control the device on the touch screen, and keep your eyes on the prize. A great undistracted workout means better results. Unable to stream video through your iPhone? Simply switch your iPhone to “Airplane” mode under Settings, and both the video and audio should stream just fine.

As you get into your workout, you may feel the urge to slow down, but your phone or iPod never has to! You can also charge your device using the USB port while you work out. Please note this is possible for devices that require 1 amp or less for charging. Simply plug your device into the USB port and watch your device charge as you work your way to a lean and mean fitness machine.

These are just a few new exciting features to check out that will help you use your Vision Fitness exercise equipment to its fullest potential!

Program Overview: Glute Burn

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The Glute Burn program is found on the state-of-the-art Vision Fitness® Suspension Elliptical™ Trainers S7100, S7200 and S70. This interval-based, muscle-targeting program is made possible by the adjustable incline feature, which is not available from every elliptical manufacturer. The program automatically varies incline settings in ranges that target the glutes and hamstrings throughout the pedaling motion.

On the S7100, you are given eight 45-second intervals, which provide progressively challenging incline and resistance changes. The S7200 and S70 use a combination of incline and directional changes, along with console prompts, to help maximize results.

Glute Burn delivers movement and results similar to that of running stairs, but without the potentially harmful impact on the knees and joints. By reducing the impact-induced injury and fatigue, you will be able to put more energy into the workout. Not only is this program great for toning the posterior, but because the glute muscles are among the largest group of muscles on our bodies, this program is also highly efficient at burning calories. Use higher levels of resistance and lower RPMs to increase the muscle shaping and toning effects of this workout.

Use the Watts program to stay challenged during your workouts

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“Watts” is defined as a measurement of power output that the user is exerting. Vision Fitness is one of the few manufacturers to offer a Watts program, which comes standard in the Deluxe and Premier Consoles for all cardio machines. The program works by setting a watts level (try 150 to start) which is used to calculate the user’s RPMs. The treadmill, bike or elliptical will then apply resistance or elevation accordingly. If the user moves at a faster RPM, the resistance will remain at a lower level, but if the user starts slowing down the product will increase the resistance. No slacking during your workout! Most users slow the pace after the first 15 minutes, but the Watts program will just apply more resistance to remind them to pick the pace back up. If the user would rather move at a slower pace, that’s fine too—the resistance will just be more difficult. The Watts program is great because you are keeping a consistent power output, which is the same as maintaining a consistent caloric expenditure, thus making your workout more efficient and productive. Try it out at your nearest Vision Fitness retailer today!

Already use the Watts program? Tell us what you think about it.