INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING YOUR OWNERS MANUAL 1. Print out all pages. Do not shuffle pages. 2. Make sure all the pages lay "print-side" up with the cover page on the top of the stack. 3. Take the next page from the top of the stack and lay it "print-side" down. Return it to the same place in the stack. 4. Repeat Step 3 for every other page on the stack. 5. Fold the stack in half as shown. 6. Staple in the center if necessary. Dedication to Quality Fitness Quest warrants this product to be free from all defects in material and workmanship when used according to the manufacturer's instructions. See Limited Warranty Card for details. If you have any comments or questions contact our Customer Service Department, toll free at 1-800-321-9236, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, EST. Please record the following information and keep for reference. Serial #: ___________________ Date Of Purchase: ___________ Save your sales receipt. (You may wish to staple it into this manual.) For Maximum Effectiveness and Safety, Please Read This Owner's Manual Before Using Your Ab LoungeTM 2/18/05 WORKOUT PROGRESS CHART Every two weeks, measure yourself and use the chart below to record your progress. Before writing on it, make as many copies as you think you'll need. We suggest you keep these in a notebook. You will find it both informative and motivational to look back at what you've done. This data will help you chart future fitness goals as you continue to improve. Measuring Sights Waist Abdomen Hips Thighs (L/R) Calves (L/R) Date Weight Waist Abdomen Hips Thighs Calves CARE & STORAGE Care directions Your Ab Lounge has been carefully designed to require minimum maintenance. To ensure this, we recommend that you do the following: · Keep your Ab Lounge clean. Wipe sweat, dust or other residue off the seat, foot rest and handlebar with a soft, clean cloth after each use. · Periodically check the bands for signs of fraying. If you notice any wear, call our Customer Service Department at 1-800-321-9236, Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm, Eastern Standard Time for assistance. · To protect your Ab Lounge from stains and dirt, you may want to spray the fabric with any type of protective fabric spray. · Regularly check all nuts and bolts to be sure that they are tight. TABLE OF CONTENTS Important Safety Information ........................................2 Unit Warning and Caution Labels..............................2-3 Specifications & Parts....................................................3 Introduction .................................................................4 Exercise Guidelines ....................................................5-6 Stretches ...................................................................6-7 Getting Started.............................................................8 The Ab Lounge Workout ..............................................9 The Ab Lounge Exercises .......................................10-14 Ab Lounge Workout Progression ................................14 Cardiovascular Conditioning..................................15-18 Your Total Fitness Program..........................................19 Care & Storage...........................................................20 Workout Progress Chart .......................Inside back cover Storage directions · Store your equipment in a dry area away from children and high traffic areas. 20 ©2004 and ©2005 Fitness Quest ® Inc. All rights reserved. Ab LoungeTM is a trademark of Fitness Quest® Inc. No part of this booklet may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical or otherwise without the expressed written consent of the copyright holder. 2/18/05 IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Before starting this or any other exercise program, consult your physician. Certain exercise programs or types of equipment may not be appropriate for all people. This is especially important for people over the age of 35, pregnant women, or those with pre-existing health problems or balance impairments. Read all instructions in this manual for proper use, technique and motivation. Start out slowly and progress sensibly. Even if you are an experienced exerciser, start with the basic workout and become familiar with all of the exercises before moving on to the Bonus Exercises on pages 13 and 14 of this manual. Progress at a pace that is comfortable for you. Inspect the equipment. Before EACH use, visually inspect the unit including stitching, fabric, frame and pivot area. Do not use unit if you detect any tearing, fraying or cuts on fabric. Do not use unit if any pivoting assembly is not working properly. Do not overexert yourself with this or any other exercise program. Listen to your body and respond to any reactions you may be having. You must learn to distinguish "good" pain, like fatigue, from "bad" pain, which hurts. If you experience any pain or tightness in your chest, an irregular heartbeat or shortness of breath, stop exercising immediately. Consult your physician before continuing. Use care when getting on and off the equipment. Set up and use your Ab Lounge on a solid, level, carpeted surface. Follow the instructions demonstrated in your video and on page 9 in this manual for proper entry and exit techniques. Wear appropriate clothing when exercising. Workout clothing should be comfortable and lightweight. Wear athletic shoes, such as running or aerobic shoes. Do not use this product with bare feet or when wearing only socks or stockings. Have plenty of clearance behind and in front of your Ab Lounge. It is important to keep children, pets, furniture and other objects out of the way when using your unit. You should have a minimum of 3 feet of clearance both in front of and behind your unit. The Ab Lounge is not intended for use by children. Keep this and all fitness equipment out of the reach of children. REMEMBER - REVIEW THIS OWNER'S MANUAL AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO THOROUGHLY BEFORE STARTING YOUR WORKOUT! YOUR TOTAL FITNESS PROGRAM A Total Fitness Program is more than just exercise. It is a "fitness for life" plan that goes hand in hand with an overall healthy lifestyle. This includes regular check-ups, healthy eating habits and exercise for the rest of your life. Your total fitness program consists of four parts: · Aerobic exercise to burn fat and calories. · Strength conditioning exercises to tone and tighten your muscles, increase your metabolic rate, and strengthen your bones. · Stretching exercises to keep you moving freely and help prevent injuries. · A diet that is safe, sensible and healthy. (Refer to the enclosed Eating Plan booklet.) Today, all fitness research recommends both aerobic exercise and strength conditioning to achieve balanced fitness. By improving your aerobic fitness you will strengthen your heart and lungs, increase your stamina and endurance and help with weight loss. Strength conditioning adds lean muscle to your body, which increases your body's metabolism. In this process, your body burns more calories, even while you rest. When you combine aerobic workouts with strength conditioning, you can burn more fat and calories than with just aerobic exercises alone. The Ab Lounge workout will help you out with part of your Total Fitness Program by giving you a toning and stretching workout for your core abdominal muscles. Adding aerobic workouts at least three times per week and building to 30 minutes per session will accelerate results and benefits. Good examples of aerobic exercise include walking, hiking, swimming, jogging and stair stepping. Benefits of a progressive aerobic program can include weight loss and a decreased risk for heart disease and other chronic ailments. Strength training for your upper and lower body, and some total body stretching will round out your program. But, you also need to make healthy, low-fat eating a big priority. Consult with your physician about an eating plan that's right for you. Healthy eating habits and exercise will help you reach your goal! We recommend that you follow dietary guidelines approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These guidelines are contained in the Food Guide Pyramid. UNIT WARNING AND CAUTION LABELS IMPORTANT: SEE PAGE 3 FOR PLACEMENT OF FOLLOWING WARNING AND CAUTION LABELS ON UNIT. WARNING LABEL 1 Starting at the base of the pyramid, you should strive for 6 - 11 servings a day from the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta food group. You should eat 3 - 5 servings a day from the Vegetable group, and 2 - 4 servings from the Fruit group. You should also eat 2 - 3 servings a day from the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese group, and from the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs and Nuts food group. Lastly, use Fats, Oils and Sweets sparingly. Fats, Oils, & Sweets Milk, Yogurt & Cheese Meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs & Nuts WARNING FAILURE TO READ AND FOLLOW THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND VIDEO MAY RESULT IN POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.KEEP CHILDREN AWAY. MAXIMUM USER WEIGHT 275 LBS. REPLACE THIS LABEL IF DAMAGED, ILLEGIBLE OR REMOVED. Vegetable Group Fruit Group WARNING LABEL 2 (2 locations) WARNING DETACH THIS END OF BAND FROM FRAME BEFORE FOLDING. FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN INJURY. KEY Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group Sugar (added) Fat (naturally occurring and added) 2 19 Smart Progression In regard to progressing to a higher intensity level, longer duration, or more frequent sessions, it makes good sense to change only one of these elements at a time. You run a higher risk of overuse injury if you simultaneously increase more than one of these elements. A conservative yet effective guideline is to increase intensity or duration by no more than about 5 percent. You should adapt to this increase over a period of a week or two, and then consider changing one of the other variables (frequency, duration or intensity) or further progressing the one you've adapted to. WARNING & CAUTION LABELS CONTINUED WARNING LABEL 3 (4 locations) CAUTION LABEL 1 (4 locations) WARNING CRUSH HAZARD. Keep hands clear during folding. Failure to do so, could result in crushed fingers. CAUTION Place hand here when folding. Keep hand outside of tubes to prevent pinched fingers. Top Aerobic Exercise No one cardiovascular activity is better than another! Manipulating how hard (intensity), how often (duration), and how long (frequency) you participate in a particular aerobic activity determines its effectiveness or lack thereof. And of course, you have to like what you're doing. Choose the type of aerobic activity that is right for you by identifying one or more types of cardio exercise that you can see yourself sticking to, and enjoying, for the rest of your life. Often, the best aerobic exercise will be not one, but several activities that are fun and feel good to your body. Excellent cardiovascular activities include, but are not limited to, walking, swimming, water fitness, jogging, running, cross-country skiing, in-line skating, lateral movement training (slide), cycling, mountain biking, and step training. SPECIFICATIONS & PARTS AB LOUNGE Specifications: Product Weight: Approx. 36 lbs. Length: 54" Width: 31-3/4" Height: 45-1/2" Maximum user weight: 275 lbs. Includes Workout DVD or Video Featuring Rosalie Brown CARDIO WORKOUT TRACKING SHEET Use this chart to keep track of your progress over time. Before writing on it, make as many copies as you think you'll need. We suggest you keep these in a notebook. You will find it both informative and motivational to look back at what you've done. This data will help you chart future fitness goals as you continue to improve. Pull Up Bar Handlebar Foot Extension Tube Activity Date How Long (minutes) Heart Rate How Hard (RPE)* Foot Rest Grip WARNING LABEL 1 LOCATED ON BOTH SIDES OF FRAME WARNING LABEL 3 WARNING LABEL 2 CAUTION LABEL 1 Foot Tube Plug Adjustment Knob Short Band Locking Arm Long Band Seat Support Frame CAUTION LABEL 1 LOCATED ON BOTH SIDES OF FRAME LOCATED ON BOTH SIDES OF FRAME Back Frame *RPE = rating of perceived exertion; this means you match up a numerical rating (RPE) of 1-10, with how you feel (RPE descriptive rating in chart above). A rating of 2 -3 is equal to a warm-up or recovery level of effort; 4 - 5 equates to moderate to somewhat challenging; 6 -10 represents effort that is somewhat hard, to very hard. WARNING LABEL 2 Front Frame 18 3 INTRODUCTION Congratulations on your purchase of the Ab LoungeTM. You have taken an important step toward your fitness goals. Whether that means toning your abs, or strengthening and stretching your core abdominal muscles, the Ab Lounge can help you get the results you want. Working out on comfortable, efficient equipment that allows you to start and progress at the level that's appropriate for you is a vital element in sticking with a program of regular exercise. Wi ...