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high intensity workout

Why High-Intensity Workouts Are Important
Fitness

3 Reasons Why High-Intensity Workouts Are Essential

If your goal is to get fit this year, hopefully, you've been reading our tips on how to motivate yourself to go to the gym, and being inspired by readers in our Fit Community.
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If your goal is to get fit this year, hopefully, you've been reading our tips on how to motivate yourself to go to the gym, and being inspired by readers in our Fit Community. And now that you've gotten into a routine with your workouts, it's time to decide how you'll be switching it up to maximize your time in the gym or on the road.

Interval and high-intensity training are perfect ways to do just that, and are an important part of meeting your weight loss and fitness goals. Need more motivation for incorporating them into your weekly workout? Read on for three important reasons to add high-intensity training to your fitness sessions.

  • It helps you get out of a fitness rut. Adding some high-intensity muscle reps once a week or adding interval training to your cardio routine will help you get past boredom during your workouts.
  • It saves you time. You should be modifying your workout every two to three weeks, so upping the cardio intensity will mean you can fit in a fast, efficient workout into your busy schedule.
  • It targets belly fat. Faster-paced workouts help your body release fat-burning hormones, which burn fat both during your workouts as well as long after you've showered off the sweat. In addition, intense workouts target the fat we store around our midsections especially, which is important in lowering the risk of certain diseases.
Add High-Intensity Intervals to Your Workout
Fitness

Fit Tip: Do Five Minutes of Exercise That Winds You

Now that you're working regular exercise into your weekly schedule, you want to make sure you're getting the most out of it.
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Now that you're working regular exercise into your weekly schedule, you want to make sure you're getting the most out of it. For your heart's sake, spend at least five minutes of each workout doing something that makes you work at an intensity that leaves you winded. It's great for your respiratory system and also burns calories. Run up a hill, jump rope, do jumping jacks, dance, sprint up the stairs, or bike up a hill. Do anything for five minutes straight that leaves you huffing and puffing. I like to save this for the last five minutes of my workout. It makes me feel proud to push myself hard, and afterward, I always feel full of energy.

Fit's Tip: If you have asthma, ease into this type of high-intensity workout. You may want to keep your inhaler near by just in case, since breathing heavy can provoke an asthma attack.

Source

Don't Get in a Fitness Rut: Add a High Intensity Workout
fitness rut

Don't Get in a Fitness Rut: Add a High Intensity Workout

Are you getting into a fitness rut?
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Are you getting into a fitness rut? Doing 3 sets of 12 reps of everything you do getting a little old? If so, think about incorporating a single set workout (high intensity training) into your routine every now and again.

Single set strength training (high intensity training) stresses muscle exhaustion in less time than the typical 3 sets. You probably currently lift 75% of your max resistance 10 times for three reps, but high intensity means lifting a higher percentage of your max resistance for a shorter period of time. For example, if your max (amount you could only lift once) is 10 pounds, instead of lifting 7.5 pounds 10 times for three sets, lift 8.5 pounds (85% of your max) until muscle exhaustion (until you can't do it again). It could as little as one rep, as long as one rep completely exhausts the muscle, but most people can lift 85% of their max 6 times.

Be sure not to go above 85% of your max (if your max is 100 lbs, don't go about 85 lbs) because that could lead to injury. Remember to breathe during the concentric (lifting) part. Always give the muscles you worked at least 48 hours rest before working them again. Also, it is always a good idea to use a spotter. Remember the name of the game here is quality not quantity so make sure that you're using proper form. I do not recommend doing a high intensity workout daily, but rather adding it once a week or so to spice up your workout.

Fit's Tip: Working at higher intensities also shortens the duration of your workout.