Nautilus NS200 Owner's Manual - Defining Your  Goals

Defining Your  Goals

Your body will do what you train it to do. That’s why it’s important to define your goals and focus on those goals. Here are

some fitness components that will help you define your goals and choose your fitness program.

MUSCLE STRENGTH is the maximum force you can exert

against resistance at one time. Your muscle strength comes

into play when you pick up a heavy bag of groceries or lift

a small child. It is developed when a localized muscle is

worked both positively (concentric) and negatively

(eccentric) at a resistance great enough to perform only five

to eight repetitions of the exercise before the muscle fails.

Each set of repetitions is followed by a rest interval that

typically runs three times longer than the set. Later,

between exercise sessions, the muscle overcompensates for

the stress and usually increases in both strength and size.

MUSCLE ENDURANCE is the ability to perform repeated

contractions. It comes into play when you cross-country

ski or work on your feet all day. Endurance training

addresses the slow twitch, endurance muscle fibers, which

depend on oxygen for energy. To develop muscle

endurance, use low resistance and high repetitions — about

15-20 repetitions in each set, three sets to each exercise,

working the muscle only to fatigue.

MUSCLE POWER is the combination of strength and

speed of the muscular contraction. This is often

misinterpreted as:

a) Being directly associated with certain skill or sport

and/or 

b) Meaning that you must move fast.

Load is actually a more important factor than speed when

attempting to improve power. When training to achieve

muscular power, pick a resistance that fatigues you in the 3-

5 repetition range. When performing these reps, it is more

important to think of contracting the muscles faster rather

than attempting to move faster. Performing sport simulation

exercises usually results in a deterioration of the motor

pattern or skill. The biomechanically sound method of

improving power in your sport is to train for power using

the correct joint movements, as described in this manual.

Then practice the skill associated with your sport, learning

to apply this newly achieved power.

BODY COMPOSITION is the ratio of fat weight (fat) to

lean weight (muscles, bones and tissue). As you age, the

ratio shifts. The fat weight increases and the lean weight

decreases. Training for muscle strength will generally

increase muscle size and aerobic conditioning will help burn

extra calories. Performing these two forms of exercise, either

at different times or together, will create the greatest changes

in body fat weight.

BALANCED STRENGTH and alignment is the result of

equal strength developed in all parts of the body. It comes

into play in your standing and sitting posture, and in your

ability to perform just about any activity safely and

effectively. An over-development of the back will round the

shoulders; weak or stretched abdominals can cause lower

back pain. You want a balance of muscle strength in front

and back. In addition, you need a balance of strength

between your middle, lower, and upper body.

FLEXIBILITY is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles

to move the joint through a full range of motion. Flexibility

comes into play when you execute an overhand serve or

stretch for the top shelf in the kitchen. It is a cooperative

movement of opposite muscle groups. When a muscle

contracts, its opposite muscle group must relax for the

action to occur. Increased flexibility means an increased

range of motion, made possible by this simultaneous

contracting and relaxing. Good flexibility is important in

protecting the body from injury and can be achieved

through the balanced strength training programs included

in this manual.

CARDIOVASCULAR ENDURANCE is the ability of the

heart and lungs to supply oxygen and nutrients to

exercising muscles over an extended period of time. It

comes into play when you jog a mile or ride a bike. It is a

critical component of overall fitness and health. Any

exercise program must be supplemented with

cardiovascular training.

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