One of the members at the gym where I work said to me, “I don’t know what to do. My fitness level isn’t increasing.”
I noticed that he took long breaks between exercises and spent a lot of time socializing with friends. “Try keeping your heart rate up,” I told him. “Work a little faster, with a little less talking,” I smiled.
It’s easy to get into an exercising rut. We get too “casual” with our workouts. We’ve lose focus and intensity.
To get the most out of our workouts and increase our fitness level, we have to “work out with an attitude.” This means we plunge into our exercise session with energy and enthusiasm. We are ready to take on the challenge. We are ready to push ourselves to an uncomfortable level.
Here are five ways to work harder and get stronger:
- Shorten recovery times – don’t rest as long between sets. Keep your heart rate up and your breaks short.
- Add intervals – if you always walk, add jogging intervals. During weight training, add jump rope intervals. This will spike your heart rate, burn more calories, and place a greater demand on your body.
- Increase your time – add five or ten minutes onto your workout. Go past what you’re comfortable doing.
- Do something new – try a new exercise or class, such as boxing or spinning. Spring something new on your muscles to use them in different ways.
- Pick up your intensity – increase your speed when walking/jogging, lift a little heavier weights, and push harder in aerobics or other classes.
If you want to see results, you have to work for them!
