To become stronger and faster, athletes use a technique called interval training, in which they exercise very intensely, rest and then alternate intense bursts of exercise and rest until their muscles start to feel heavy. You can apply this principle to your own exercise program, but the rest period between intervals is not the same for every sport.
Rest periods are different for runners and weightlifters. Runners run intervals as fast as they can and recover enough to run the same fast pace several times. Research shows that runners need very short recoveries between intervals, usually only about 30 seconds. So a runner may run a quarter mile 12 times, averaging 1 minute, with a 110-yard slow jog between each. However, weight lifters need much longer recoveries between hard sets, at least two and a half minutes.
Runners become short of breath and feel a burning in their muscles when lactic acid starts to accumulate in muscles. It takes only a few seconds for a trained athlete to recover from hard running and clear lactic acid, so runners usually need short 30 second recoveries between each hard run. On the other hand, weight lifters feel a burning caused by a tearing of the muscle fibers and it can take a much longer time for their pain to disappear so they can lift very heavy weights again.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com
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For far too long we have believed that pleasure is something to be justified or earned. Pleasure, we are convinced, is only what we can allow ourselves to experience after we’ve lost weight, achieved a fitness goal, or competed and won.
So many people approach their workout as though it were an unpleasant chore. Sometimes it’s thought of as something that is to be endured, not enjoyed. You need to have a good time when you work out. Pleasure is vital if you want to stick with and succeed at a program.
The secret to a great workout is to take away boredom and bring contentment into it making the experience interesting and satisfying.
Our state of mind can never be kept a secret. It’s constantly reflected throughout the body. Frustrations about the past and worries about the future manifest themselves into muscle tension. The best way to deal with life stresses is to live in the moment. There’s no better, safer, more emotionally secure time to live in the moment then during your workout.
While it takes practice, living in the moment brings a new vitality to a workout program. Paying attention to your mind, body, and environment creates a new appreciation for the process of transformation you have devoted yourself to.
-Consider taking your workout as seriously as other areas of your life such as your job or relationships
-Consider taking the focus off of instant results and think about what changes you need to make to ensure your workouts are more enjoyable
-Consider making your workouts something special rather than treating them as though they were a separate part of your life
Your workout is a time for you to escape. Give yourself permission to give love and nurturing back to the person who deserves it the most-yourself.
There are three steps to take to prepare for your healthy escape. First, have a regular place to workout. Being in familiar surroundings that you enjoy to be in will help you to relax and to concentrate. Second, wear comfortable clothes you only wear for your workouts. It’s the same as using china on special occassions. The more meaning you put into the experience, the more you’ll gain from it. And finally, have all the equipment you may need ready to use so you won’t have to be interrupted during your workout.
Rather than rushing into a workout and then spending most of the time diverting your attention from the activity by watching TV, listening to music, or reading, be open to the idea of communicating with your body instead.
At the start of your workout begin by wakening the body through a simple breathing exercise. Sit on a chair or on the floor with your spine straight. Keep your eyes closed and breathe deeply. Hold for four counts. Release your breath slowly. Again, inhale deeply and hold. Repeat this exercise ten times.
Once you have restored your energy balance through breathing, move on to stress-reducing warm-up stretches to relax and energize the body.
Not enough can be said about the importance of stretching. Neck rolls, side stretching, shoulder stretching and numerous other soothing stretches not only relax your body, but they ground you mentally and physically leaving you more aware of being in the moment. That feeling of being in control, and your mind and body being as one, is the most wonderful peaceful feeling that you’ll want to sustain while you’re putting your body through the paces during the rest of your workout.
Most of us think of exercise as being as only means to an end.
Workouts do not have to be a boring regime of endless minutes we approach with resentment and dread. The mind works best when the body is in motion, and exercising is an excellent time to give both an adequate workout.
There are many ways to make a workout more interesting. Having a workout partner is effective as is adding the element of competition to your program. And of course, you can change your activity until you find one that you do find interesting.
Try visualization. During most aerobic activities you can allow your imagination to run wild. If you want to solve a dilemma, plan something for the future, or just enjoy a stream of consciousness, a workout is the best place to stimulate your mind. You forget about the repetitiveness of the exercise and you let your creative process do what it was meant to.
Before a workout, choose a question, a situation, or an issue to meditate on during your workout. While your body is in motion you may find yourself straying from your chosen reflection. Gently bring your mind back into focus. By the end of your program, you’ll have enough new thoughts to inspire change.
Always remember that fitness is a gift you are giving yourself. Treat that gift as a privilege rather than a burden. Take the time to really get into your workout and at the core of your experience you will find endless pleasure.
With a never-ending list of interests and a great deal of experience and knowledge, Wendy Wallace is an intuitive counselor offering sessions which combine psychic reading, life coaching and counseling–all to help heal your mind, body, and spirit. What changes might you make in life if you could know what the future holds? Sign up for a chance to win
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Elliptical trainers, sometimes also known as cross trainers, are very useful and effective exercise machines. Although they are not essentially complicated, as with all new types of equipment, it is a good idea to learn how to use elliptical trainers properly to get the maximum benefit from them. That way you are less likely to incur any injury or discomfort and achieve a fat fighting, body-toning workout at the same time.
When you a first learning how to use elliptical trainers, it is best to follow the manual that is supplied with the machinery and also to start slowly until you are sure of what you’re doing and what your tolerance levels are. Only then should you safely build up to a higher level and increase your activity. Although elliptical trainers are a very safe and low impact form of exercise, it is always best to check with your doctor before starting on the new exercise system. Elliptical trainers can subject you to a high level of aerobic activity and increased heart rate and although this is generally good for you, it is always worth checking with your doctor as to whether your health is good enough to start on a dynamic exercise program.
One of the best ways to learn how to use elliptical trainers, even if you have just bought your own machine, is to got to your local gym and use their machines. That way, you get used to using the machine into safe environment, where qualified instructors can tell you the best way to safely use the cross trainer and how to monitor your heart rate and extract the maximum benefits from your time on the machine. They can also tell you how long and what level you should start out at, how long you should exercise for, and also the best way to build up when your tolerance levels are higher and you want to progress further.
Another good way to learn how to use elliptical trainers, if you prefer to do it at home, is to buy an instructional video. Although you usually get instructions when you buy the machine, many people are much better at learning visually, and actually seeing somebody do the exercises and showing you how to use the equipment is the best way for some to learn the correct way of doing things. This is usually relevant to the cheaper machines as many of the more expensive ones are already supplied with a video to help you get started with your workouts.
No matter what method you choose to learn from it is a good idea to get some form of instruction so that you can safely get the best possible workout from your new cross trainer exercise equipment.
Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Elliptical-Trainer-Solutions.com. He provides more elliptical trainer ratings, recommendations and information on how to use elliptical trainers that you can research in your pajamas on his website.
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