Ok, so I know that was the biggest click-bait type headline ever but it just reminded me of those headlines you see like “this one weird trick that burns fat from your tummy”… and you know you still click on them!
Anyway, onto the post.
A good rule of thumb is that the more effort we put into something, the more we get out of it.
Put more effort into your job, then you might get a raise.
The same holds true for Exercise.
Sure, if you enjoy exercises that are fun and easy to do like walking etc that’s fine, but when it’s easy to do, you generally won’t get that much out of it.
Our bodies want to remain in “Homeostasis”; which is a fancy word for staying the same!
Unless we do something that’s going to give our body a stimulus to change, then chances are it won’t!
That’s what Exercise essentially is.
A stimulus or stress for the body to change and adapt to. That’s why our bodies don’t change in the gym.
They change after we’ve given them that stimulus in the gym, then we rest and recover from it, and repeat.
So, what stimulus should you give your body?
Well, for starters it should definitely involve some weight training.
Cardiovascular activity is fine, but for changing your body composition there’s nothing comparable to resistance training.
Proper resistance training that is. That’s not what you see in most gyms. People swinging weights around, lifting with terrible form isn’t going to do much except boost your ego.
However, when performed properly and with enough intensity, it can have a very positive impact on your body.
Most people just don’t push themselves anywhere near where they think they could.
I know, because I hadn’t for a long time.
Then, I learned about High intensity training. A type of minimal but intense, slow, controlled type training where you typically exercise to the point of muscular failure on each set. (The point where you can no longer lift the resistance with good form.)
If you’ve ever truly taken an exercise to muscular fatigue, then you know how it feels.
It can be an uncomfortable sensation and you want to stop the set before you get to that point, because it feels like you’ve done enough, where in reality you probably had another 2-3 reps left if in the tank.
Now, obviously, you don’t have to train this way all the time. There’s more than a few ways to skin a cat.
And most people can get results just focusing on lifting more weight than they did last week. (Progressive overload.)
But, if you’re like most people and are pressed for time and want to get the biggest bang for your buck, then High intensity training is the best way to do it.
If you need a push and you would like to book a trial workout with me then just click here and fill out the form at the bottom.