*
How to Workout With Intensity *
The biggest
mistake I see people make in the gym is they do not workout with
any intensity. They just go through the motions on a treadmill
or elliptical, maybe meander around the machines or free
weights, getting a set in now and then.
Some have a notebook
with their exercises written out and are very serious…but
seriously not getting much accomplished. This works OK when
first starting to exercise (say the first 4-6 weeks) because
exercise is new and the body is adapting. Once the body has
adapted to that level of intensity, you are basically just
maintaining after that, forget about much in the way of
improvement or continued weight loss.
Here’s a clue: if
you can read a magazine or watch TV while working out…it
isn’t nearly intense enough! The bad news is effective
workouts are tough, the good news is they are over quicker and
actually work! Why waste an hour working out at minimal
intensity when you can work hard for 30 minutes and get more
accomplished?
So, ramp up the
intensity level! On cardio equipment try doing intervals where
you run hard for a minute, then go at your normal pace for a
minute. Alternate like that for 20 minutes. On machines or free
weights, come up with 4-6 different exercises then see if you
can do each exercise back to back with no rest in between. Once
you finish the 4-6 exercises, rest for 1 minute then repeat the
circuit 3 more times.
Make sure to include
an upper body pushing exercise (bench press, chest press,
shoulder press), an upper body pull (row, lat pull down, pull
ups, deadlift) a lower body exercise (squat, leg press) and
perhaps an ab/core exercise (sit-ups, planks, leg lifts, back
extension). Do 10-15 reps of each exercise with a light to
medium weight in the beginning and adjust from there based on
your goals. You know your workout is intense enough when you
can’t carry on a conversation…i.e. “huffing and
puffing.”
For more ideas on
intense workouts, check out our reviews of Kettlebells
The Iron Core Way, Kettlebell
Goddess and Enter
The Kettlebell. Good luck, I know if you add some intensity
you will see improvements.
- Brian Stramel, CPT
* New and Featured Review *
Brian Stramel, CPT,
has just penned another review yo u'll
want to take a look at. Santa brought him Beyond
Bodybuilding, Muscle and Strength-Training Secrets for the
Renaissance Man, by Pavel
Tstatsouline. "It is 328, 8 ½ X 11” pages of
meat." Worth checking out not only for the bodybuilding
routines, but for plenty more.
*
Submit Your Questions for our Blog Series *
We have started
answering your frequently asked questions on our Weight
Loss and Fitness Blog. See our latest answer to your
question ...
What do I wear when working out with my kettlebell?
Submit your questions to us at info@fitkettlebell.com.
*
Shop Our Brand-New Online Catalog *
We have just added
a new Dragondoor Online Catalog to our website, which you can download
to your computer as a pdf. This is stocked full of articles and
products - eighty pages worth! Why mess with the phone or fax when
you can order online? Click on the product links in the catalog to
order directly from our website. And remember Dragondoor
offers a 100%
risk-free guarantee!
*
New and Featured Product *
“Watch The Kettlebell
Goddess Workout and you will know why Andrea DuCane is the leader
in women's kettlebell training.” —Pavel Tsatsouline
 How
can we be without anything that comes in a kit? Check out this new
package from Dragondoor, the Women's
Ultimate Kettlebell Workout Kit.
The kit includes Andrea Du Cane's Kettlebell Goddess DVD
and your choice of three sizes of Kettlebells! The Kettlebell
Goddess DVD is one of my favorites, so check out my detailed
review.
All of us at fitkettlebell.com
wish you a very Happy New Year!
- Rachel and Brian
To unsubscribe, email info@fitkettlebell.com. |
