I have to say that without my regular workouts the rest of my life would feel out of balance. Working out keeps my body fit and my mind clear. I LOVE IT!!
Now…before…someone throws something at me….let me say this. I love it but even I need a swift kick in the pants from time to time.
I have to go back to my goals and give myself a good and honest evaluation. I find that once I tune back into my goals then this helps me to kick my intensity up a notch.
My favorite saying when I have a hard time getting into my zone is:
“If it were easy then everyone would be doing it.”
The acheivement of a kick butt body is a combination of nutrition, exercise, lifetsyle management and proper supplementation.
Today…I am putting the focus on exercise because I am deeply saddened to see people out there just going through the motions. They are doing their bodies a great diservice.
You will not reach your goals if you just coast and hope for the best. You need to challenge your body. You need to push your body out of its comfort zone. That is when the good stuff happens!!!
We are all guilty of hanging out in our comfort zones from time to time. If you stay there in your workouts then it is only a matter of time before you will observe stalled progress and even a loss of your already acheive physical fitness.
So how can you put the spark in your workouts to ingnite a new flame of intensity that will blaze you to the next level of super fitness??
Checking out my 10 tips below is a good start.
This list is intended to be a resource when you are feeling stale. It will help you refocus on where you need to be to get that great body you want. Take a few tips here and there to shock your training or use the whole list. Some of them may seem obvious but a refresher on the obvious is often needed as we tend to forget all about it!!!
10 Tips For To Speed Up Your Workout Results!:
1. Plan your workouts.
Walking into the gym and just deciding what to do then and there is not going to give you then intensity you need to reach your goals. You need to have a road map to success or you will hit a dead end!
Write your workouts out ahead of time so you know what bodyparts and exercises you will be doing that day. This will also allow your brain to think about what you plan to do that day. You can use the visualization to build excitement about hitting those muscle groups and exercises. This way your intensity meter will already be primed before you even hit the gym floor!!
2. Focus on your training.
Be honest here. Are you really focused on what you are doing? If you are thinkiing about what to have for supper or a work deadline that is looming then you will not be focused on your workouts. Intensity requires focus. Progress requires focus. The mind/muscle connection is a critical part of success when you are exercising. Your mind needs to be fully present to focus on the targeted muscle groups so you can feel them working. When you are in the realm of the mind/muscle connection then even thinking about increasing the intensity of an exercise can be enough to do it. Its amazing stuff!
Keep talking to a minimum and focus on your workouts. Life is busy and this is your precious time to get the results you deserve. Don’t waste it talking to others.
One of my outdoor boot camps for the ladies!!
3. Add something completely new to your training.
You need to shake things up when your intensity takes a nose dive. I suggest changing some aspects of your training program every 4-8 weeks and changing your training completely every 12 weeks. This will keep your body and your brain challenged. Keep your goals in mind when you are making these changes. If you are not skilled in this area then hire someone to design the programs for you. The variations could be a few new exercises, a whole new program or even just a change of scenery for your workouts. It does not need to be a huge change to boost that intensity.
Try things you have never done in cardio and in weights. Staying comfortable means no real progress can be made.
I like to change my scenery when I need a cardio boost. I will take may cardio to the trails via foot, bike or rollerblades. The fresh scenery feeds my motivation.
4. Take a class.
If you are getting bored in the weight room or with other parts of your routine then why not shake it up a little by taking a class. There are many classes to choose from so it should be easy to find on that interests you. The great thing about a class is that it forces you to put a certain amount of time into your exercise. Everyoen will see you if you cut out early. You will also tend to push a little harder with the influence of others around you. It can be a fabulous way to up the intensity in your workout program.
5. Train with a friend.
I would only suggest this as long as your friend is as committed to being in shape as you are. If not then this could be completely counter productive and you may kill each other. If they are committed then you can push and inspire each other. You will often lift more and challenge yourself more under the encouragement of someone else. It can be so worth it!
6. Use intensity principles when you train.
Instensity principles are a fabulous way to improve your physical fitness and to boost the challenge of your workouts.
If you are lifting weights and are used to to just doing standard sets then why not experiment with other popluar bodybuilding principles. They exist because they work.
A few of my favorites for boosting intensity are:
- Pyramiding- including reverse pyramiding
- Supersets
- Giantsets
- Dropsets
- Forced Reps
- Pre Exhaust Sets
An explanation for all the principles above can be found at http://www.muscleandfitness.com/training/other/weider-principles
7. Tabata Training is another great form of high intensity training that is gaining in popularity.
This link provides a good explanation of how Tabata works. http://www.thebodygenesis.com/tabata-training-the-ultimate-guide/
Plyometrics are also a great way to add intensity to your training. Superset them in with normal training sets or just put them in on their own. They are great for intensity but are also excellent for balance, speed and agility.
There are many others that are excellent to use. These ones are my favorites when more intensity is needed.
For cardio:
I love speed intervals such as what you see in HIIT.
Here is a link that explains HIIT but also touches on Tabata. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training
7. Vary your cardio equipment.
You don’t need to stay on the same piece of cardio equipement for your whole entire cardio session. Why not split your time between different pieces that will challenge your body in different ways.
Spend some time doing intervals on the stepmill, then jump on the treadmill for a jog on an incline and then take to the stepper where you can vary the step pace and intensity. The sky is the limit! Create some combos that make sense for you.
8. Listen to music.
Music has the ability to move us. It can make us laugh, make us cry but it can also make us hustle our buns when we need a swift kick in the pants. You cannot count on music in the gym to provide energy pumping tunes.
I have been in some gyms where I could have had a siesta with the music they were playing. It was just horrible for my motivation. I never leave home without my Ipod.
Load your Ipod full of tunes that inspire you. I like base pumping beats so I listen to house, dance and popular music variations. If it has a good beat thenI am in my zone.
9. Keep a training journal.
This goes back to the whole planning your workout thing. A journal serves to keep you present and focused on what you are doing. Even noting how you feel before, during and after your workout can help you keep progress on track. If it was a hard day to get into the gym then write that down. You may just be writing down how fabulous you feel and how glad you are that you came in by the end of it.
10. Take a day off.
You do need to commit to a program and work hard at it to acheive your fitness goals but rest is an important part of the equation too. If are constantly striving for new intensity and you just can’t seemto get there then a day off or even a week off may be in order to come back with renewed zest and focus. I usually suggest a week off every 16 weeks when you are training hard. This allows for recovery. You should also have one or two rest day in every week where you are not exercising. Your body and nervous system will have time to recover. It is also good to focus your mind on other things for a time. The distraction can do you good if you are hitting a wall.
I hope you have found these tips helpful.
I will be posting some great physique loving chicken and fish recipes on Tuesday so be sure to check in then.
Yours in health,
Tammy Strome
