Exercise for Heart and Lungs Tearpad

Exercise for Your Heart and Lungs Exercise is good!

About exercise

Exercise can:

Different kinds of exercise can help you in different ways. Stretching helps your muscles stay loose.

Strength building exercises help make your muscles stronger and keep them toned. Aerobics help improve your blood flow and oxygen and are the best for your heart and lungs. Some examples are:

• make your heart and lungs stronger • l ower the amount of fat and cholesterol in your blood • improve

the circulation of blood and oxygen • l ower the stress in your life

• Walking

• Jogging

• Running

• Swimming

• give you more energy

• Dancing

• lower your risk of falling

• Doubles tennis

Always warm up and cool down

Exercise tips

Warming up before exercise gets your muscles ready to exercise. A good way to warm up is to walk slowly for 5-10 minutes.

• T ake your time, build up slowly and don’t overdo it.

You should be able to talk easily as you exercise.

Cooling down lets your muscles unwind after you exercise. A good way to cool down is to do the same things you did to warm up.

Then, take 10 minutes to stretch your muscles.

• K now your target heart rate zone.

• R est afterwards.

• It may be more fun to exercise with a friend or with a group.

Talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program.

Copyright © 2002-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.

• D rink water throughout.

Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Bringing Patients & Health Together ®

Atlanta, GA

800-241-4925

Product # 449

Exercise for Your Heart and Lungs Stretch your muscles after you cool down. Never stretch cold muscles and do not bounce during stretching. Ask your health care provider for some stretching exercises you can do.

Exercise so that your heart rate is within your targeted heart rate zone. To find your target heart rate zone, use this chart. Look for the age group that is closest to your age and read across.

Age

Target Heart Rate Zone

Age

Target Heart Rate Zone

20 years

100–150 beats per minute

50 years

85–127 beats per minute

25 years

98–146 beats per minute

55 years

83–123 beats per minute

30 years

95–142 beats per minute

60 years

80–120 beats per minute

35 years

93–138 beats per minute

65 years

78–116 beats per minute

40 years

90–135 beats per minute

70 years +

75–113 beats per minute

45 years

88–131 beats per minute

Note: If you have heart problems, your doctor needs to decide your zones.

My Target Heart Rate Zone is _____________ to _____________ .

Here’s how to check your heart rate: • As soon as you quit exercising, check your pulse. To do this:

1. find your pulse at your neck or wrist with your first two fingers

2. count the beats you feel in 15 seconds

3. multiply that number by 4 • This is your heart rate after exercising.

If you feel any chest pain, have trouble breathing or any other problem, stop and get help.

If your heart rate falls within your target zone, you are exercising as you should. If it is below your zone, you need to exercise a little harder next time. If it is above your zone, exercise a little easier next time.

Follow this program.

1. warm up for 5-10 minutes 2. exercise for 5 minutes (add 2 to 3 minutes a week to this time) 3. cool down for 5 minutes 4. stretch for 10 minutes

• Compare this rate to your target heart rate zone above.

Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Bringing Patients & Health Together ®

Atlanta, GA

800-241-4925

Copyright © 2002-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.