Work It, Right Way
The
#1 Watch your form, not your ipad
Using the ipad to read or watch a movie while working out on an elliptical or cross-trainer means we might just as well go home and put our feet up on the couch! In fact, we’ll probably be displaying poor form, our abs will be half-heartedly switched on (if at all) and our heartbeat will be not much above normal. So, we need to lose the device and focus on breathing, intensity and the muscles we’re using.
#2 Mix it to max it
Awesome results don’t just come solely from doing cardio; mixing up routines to include strength and conditioning is essential for an all-round workout. We begin losing muscle as we leave our 20s behind, so we need to keep building lean muscle tissue to burn more calories and increase our metabolism. We also need to make sure we add strength and conditioning programmes to our workouts at least twice a week.
#3 Don’t skip the warm up or cool down
We warm up to increase our heart rate and blood flow to the muscles; so, the better warmed up we are, the more productive and safer the workout. Failure to cool down adequately triggers a sudden drop in our heart rate, which allows blood to pool in the lower extremities causing dizziness and fainting. Stretching out properly is also important as it can help reduce stiffness.
#4 Where’s the water?
Why is it that we happily run outdoors with no means of rehydration, but religiously carry water bottles into our classes and the gym? I’m convinced it mostly boils down to laziness. With no handy stand or slot for the bottle, we just can’t be bothered. Sure, it may slightly affect our running style when it’s full, but we don’t need a huge bottle for a short run and in this heat and humidity we really should be hydrating regularly throughout. To not do so is frankly dangerous.
#5 Are you inclined to adjust the treadmill?
There are a dozen different viewpoints on how to get the best out of a treadmill run, and plenty of experts fall out on this point. Run on zero percent and the leg muscles work like they’re running outdoors on the flat. So, if you’re training for an outdoor race, an incline of one or 1.5 percent will help emulate outdoor conditions. Running on variable inclines also means the muscles work harder as more power is required to move the body forward and against gravity, thus burning more calories and building more muscle. Steeper isn’t always better, though. If you’re holding onto the rails it means the incline is too high! We should always be able to walk or run with hands free and our body in a straight line. Keeping the workout varied is key, but we don’t need to climb a mountain when our challenge is a small hill!