are you really pushing yourself ?

[Midwest Fitness]

Many years ago I was really really into fitness, my background includes owning a gym, being a certified personal trainer, membership services manager for a large health club and managing a World's Gym. I got out of the business and the lifestyle when I became a bar manager. Bad idea, I know. But now I am getting back into it at age 45 and seeing better results than I ever have. Looking back I feel like I was doing a disservice to my clients and members at my gym by not pushing them harder. My workouts today are more intense than at age 25 and I am seeing results. I fell into the typical trap of recommending 3 sets of 10, 3 sets of 10, 3 sets of 10 to all of my clients. Not realizing that you really need to push yourself on every set, not stopping at 10 if you can do 15. Those last three reps should be the hardest you can do while keeping good form. I currently do pullups, push ups and dips to all out failure. When I do my cardio, I now keep track of my heart rate and use interval training to raise it a little higher in the zone for a short burst of time. When I get done with my workout, my shirt is drenched in sweat. Results motivate me. I am on a 90 day program and when I finish I know I will see my abs, which is something I never have done in the past. I encourage everyone, to really examine your workout program. Are you going through the motions or are you getting results ? Do your muscles feel like they are on fire at the end of the workout, are you drenched in sweat ? Are you walking or running further today than you did yesterday ? Make every workout count and really push yourself - don't stop when you have more in you. It may not be comfortable or easy but the results will be worth it.

 

[deviant]

This is awesome advise. One thing I have found is how few people know how far they can go. Thats one good thing about playing sports growing up when you got tired the coach would turn it up. Push your workouts and you will surprise yourself every day! The down side is the pain. But at this point in my life Im so sick of being fat the pain will all be worth it.

 

[Spinner19641]

I agree that you can do more than you think you can but I find there is a post exercise fatigue issue that also needs to be considered.

Over a period of 3+ years I have worked my way to my current programme of:

- 1 hour cardio on a spinner bike (high resistance, to fast pace, standing up)
- 800 core movements (sit ups, crunches, side lifts, push ups etc)
- 200 arm/body movements with 12kg weights (about to shift to 16kg)

It takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes and i do this 6 days a week - it is a fast routine and there are no rest periods. Sometimes I swap spinning for running.

I have made incremental but demanding changes over the 3+ year period but every shift takes time to adjust to and I have a day job and a home to run so I need to balance the demands on my energy.

Although I really enjoy working out often my job requires me to travel extensively (by car or overseas) and be on my feet presenting, running meeting/sessions/events and being intellectually alert. I can't afford to be fatigued for the rest of the day after my workout.

I am also nearly 47 and I think fatigue can be more of an issue particularly in peri-menopausal women.

I guess I am saying I agree with your point but there are other factors to consider when you are deciding which exercise programme will best suit you.

 

[Fitnessmom2]

You are right!

It is all abput going to failure(means until you can't do another reps)
and you need to challenge yourself in every workout by increase the reps or add some more weights

the best way is to be in between 10-15 reps

This is a comon problem most of people have, if it says "do 12 reps" they use a light weight and ONLY do 12 reps when it says 12 reps

but what that means is that you should use a heavy weight that allowes you to do max 12 reps to failure, If you can do more than 12 you have a too light weight

 

[Harold14370]

This reminds me of when I was a college freshman, many years ago. Incoming freshmen had to take a physical conditioning test. Those who passed could select from a variety of physical education classes. Those who failed, had to take PC - physical conditioning.

At the time I was thin, but not athletic, and quite out of shape. I flunked, so I had to take PC.

This class was run like a boot camp. They worked our butts off.
After the first class I puked in the grass outside of Rec Hall. I did get into shape by the end of the semester, the best condition I have been in before or since. The problem is it didn't stick. A few months later, I was out of shape again. Over the years, I put on weight, and became obese.

The point of this boring story is that a crash exercise program is not necessarily going to do your clients any good in the long term. They will be much better off if you help them find a sport they enjoy, or an exercise routine and healthy habits that they will keep up for a lifetime. Puking in the grass is not a fun memory that will draw them back in the years to come.

 

[Iain1974]

That'd be considered torture today.