Hope that all of you were able to enjoy your Holiday. Mine was great! Still looking forward to New Years and working on my “Focus” for 2009, and some quarterly goals to go with it. I may even start a simple blog to help me stay focused on my goals for 09′.
The family all has the stomach flu including me. We’re putting our health first, and taking all the steps to get healthy again. The Hubby even took the day off to help. Lot’s of fluids, no dairy, and lots of sleep.
I’ve been reading up a lot about…well…about everything fitness related. But for today, Exercise related, and how to avoid hitting a plateau, and get the most from a workout with out over doing it and burning muscle instead of fat. A lot of this also came from my physical trainer.
5 Exercise Tips to Avoid a Plateau (or get over one)
1. Cardio: Keep your heart rate is in the Fat Burning Zone
How to calculate that…There is a formula, but i don’t know it off the top of my head, so i just found this link…heart rate calculator link
Scroll Down and use the second part of the calculator to find your Aerobic/Fat Burning heart Level 2. Once you have lost all the fat that you plan on losing, you can increase your aerobic activity to High Intensity Aerobic if you want to, or if you need to for some particular fitness goal.
You will be shocked that you really do have to take it easy. When you are above your fat burning zone and into the High Intensity Zone you risk burning muscle instead of fat. Muscle increases your metabolism and aids in fat loss. Not something you want to be losing…especially if your working hard to gain healthy muscle to increase your metabolism.
2. Cardio: high intensity interval training (HIIT)
While keeping your heart rate in the fat burning zone do high and low intervals of intensity in your workout. For example: 1.5 min walking 1 min jogging. For you runners…1.5 min running to 1 min sprinting.
In soccer the team would do this for fun. We would all run one behind each other and then the person in the back would sprint to the front. With roughly 20 players between JV and Varsity that would give each player a 1.5 min run then a 1 min sprint. This was all in the middle of a 5 mile run. I had no idea why we were doing it, I just knew it was fun to mix it up a bit.
On cardio days I do 50-60mins, and on Resistance Training days I do a 5 min warm up before my workout, and a 20-30min cardio after.
3. Mix it up
High rep low rep, high weight low weight, 1- 4 sets, even just holding it for 20-30 seconds will work a different part of the muscle. Do 3-4 different exercises for each muscle group. Completely change your type of exercises for that muscle group every week. Switch the type of resistance training each week. This last week I did free weights. Next week I’ll do machine, then the next week I’ll do pulleys, body weight exercises like push ups, and dips. There are always lots of variations, and different exercises to work different areas of the body. Make sure to mix up your type of cardio as well.
Here are some links with new ideas and exercises that will help you “mix it up”
I have changed my workout now and then to make sure I don’t get sick of the 3 set of 20. This last week I did 3 different exercises for each muscle group, and only did one set of 20 for each exercise. I used higher weight, and made sure that each rep was in good form. On the last exercise for each group my muscles were so maxed out that I had to lower the weight a little bit and even then I was still barely able to complete 20.
4. Proper Form
If your not doing it right you could injure your self. Make sure the your doing the exercises correctly. Those lovely mirrors that we often avoid at the gym or even at home. Use them to make sure your posture is correct and that your not over extending your joints or doing the exercise wrong.
I always struggle with the heal toe on the treadmill. My shins always give out before my heart rate gets too high.
5. Resistance Training: Intensity
That is the main key to resistance training. How intense are your workouts? Are you barley able to complete each set, focusing on your muscles as they contract, and constantly using your core to support your posture, back, and for added strength? Intensity doesn’t work when your watching TV, chatting, or talking on the cell. Make sure your breathing properly and at the right time. If your really pushing your self, your going to need to visualize your self completing the full set before you do the first rep. Then, throughout the workout coach and motivate your self.
“Good job! Only 10 more, you know you have it in you. Only 5 more….GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT! Don’t forget to use your core for extra strength….Two more, you know you can do it!”
These are the 5 things I’m using in my exercise routine to prevent hitting a plateau. So far they’ve worked great. I’m almost at my “Holiday Goal” of 20% Body Fat. Considering I was 27% before I started this blog, I very happy with the results I’m getting. Writing it all out helps me, and I hope that some of it helps you too.
I’m trying to gather as much free information i can. If you have any favorite sites, or links that help you please share. I’d love to check them out.
December 29th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Great post! I am ready for 2009 after my last couple of weeks!
Happy belated Christmas!
December 29th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I typed a long comment… did it get deleted?
December 29th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Stephenie:
Just sent you an email…Sorry. I’m not sure what happened. Sure it was good. I always look forward to your comments.
December 29th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Biz:
I can’t imagine how your Christmas was. I’m glad Tony’s back, and OK. He’s lucky to have you.
December 29th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Thanks for all the great tips!
December 29th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
okay… here I go again!
I love this list! I knew most of it, and am just learning about some like monitoring your heart rate so you burn fat not muscle =) And it’s true, you really do have to slow it down quite a bit! But I’m glad that I understand it now. Switching up the workouts is an awesome way to avoid hitting a plateau! I never thought about doing a week of body weight exercises, that is an excellent idea. There’s a great new workout on women’s health mag’s site… 7 minute workout using no weights.
Glad you’re back and sorry you were sick, that’s never fun!
December 30th, 2008 at 4:28 am
mix it up are words I need to tattoo on my forehead (or not. as then Id not see em unless I was already at gym looking in mirror
).
December 30th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Great tips! Am all about the proper form.
December 30th, 2008 at 10:47 am
I tried doing HIIT a while back, I really liked it! its a little harder than it seems, but it does change things up a bit
December 30th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Ugh, sorry to hear that you & your family have been sick. Stomach flu is miserable!
Love these tips! I’ve got to get better about mixing it up, I find it too easy to get into a rut. Your point about the intensity reminded me of my fitness pet peeve: my husband always gets chatty when I’m trying to count repetitions! Maybe he thinks it helps to focus on something else?
I was just looking for a good calculator for my husband to find his target heart rate. I liked this one; it takes into account both age and resting heart rate: http://www.ncprecisionfitness.com/hrcalculators.htm
December 30th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Time to reciprocate all of these great comments. I’ll be checking out all of your blogs and sharing the comment love right back at ya. Thanks again for your thoughtful comments.
Stephenie: Thanks for the tip on 7min workouts. Found it tagged it and will try it some time soon.
MixFit: LOL! Just make sure to tattoo then in reverse so you can read them in the mirror. Everyone else will try to read it and then you’ll remember. “PU TI XIM” OK all but the “P” works =)
Madison: HIIT seems even harder now that I’m trying to keep my heart rate in the right place, but it’s working good for me.
Pubsgal: Thanks for the great link. I guess i need to calculate my resting heart rate. I’m pretty sure mine is abnormally low for some genetic reason.
December 30th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Okay, I remember what else I said now… I read an blip about how you shouldn’t work out while dehydrated because it can cause the release of more cortisol and possible damage your muscles. So drink up! I know I need to =)
December 30th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Stephenie: Thanks for the great info. I know I’m never drinking enough. Except for the last few days. I’ve been drinking like crazy and i feel so much better.