In an exercise machine, when a measurement starts, an electrocardiographic
signal is detected by an electrocardiographic sensor 1 (ST33), a load
drive is started (ST4), and heartbeat rate intervals of the
electrocardiographic signal are sequentially obtained. A fluctuation of
heartbeat rate intervals PI(n)% is obtained from a calculation formula in
which the RR interval RR(n+1) of the current heartbeat is subtracted from
the RR interval RR(n) of the previous heartbeat, which is then divided by
RR(n) and multiplied by 100% (ST5). Entropy is calculated from 128 pieces
of such PI (ST6). From the change of the entropy under the gradually
increasing load (ST8), a minimum point of the entropy is obtained, which
point is designated as an anaerobic threshold point (ST7). The load of the
exercise machine is controlled employing this anaerobic threshold.