The biggest thing missing from your workout: INTENSITY

I have been sitting here debating on what to bring to your dinner table discussion next. Then after talking to one of my clients she suggested I write about workout intensity. This came about because apparently she was in her cake class last week when a discussion broke out about working out. She went on to explain that it was a very irritating and frustrating discussion for her (by-the-way this is a MASSIVE understatement.) She said listening to her classmates talk about what they did for workouts blew her mind. Mainly because she was amazed at how misinformed they were about exercise and nutrition. She couldn't believe how little they did in their workouts while thinking they worked hard. She has pointed out on many occasions how much it bothers her when she sees people doing so little in their workouts at our club. When she is in training sessions with me she will constantly look around and shake her head when she sees it happening. Especially one guy in particular. He usually does one set of bench press then sits on the edge of the bench for about 5 minutes before doing another set. In fact, she despises his sloth like workouts so much she requested a different workout time for fear she might just kill him for occupying a piece of equipment for 40 min while wasting his time and keeping others from using it.

Whereas I can relate to her frustration with people like that in the club, I find it to be more of a confirmation that people still don't get it. My client has a legitimate point here in regards to people's ignorance with exercise. She also has first hand knowledge of what it is like to be in their shoes. When she started training with me she shared many of the same ideas on exercise as the people frustrating her now. It has been a hard fought battle for her to not continually get wrapped up in media hype or diet and exercise frenzies. I've personally watched her wade through trial and error and even denial until finally acceptance. In fact, she wanted me to stress the fact that she realizes how much misinformation she bought into and how misguided she was at that point. I want to point out what a BAMF she has become now though. She has gone from an out of shape mother of three to a lean, fit, exercise machine inside of 10 months. She just completed a Mini this spring, and has the warrior dash on her plate next month. So as a trainer/educator it has been really exciting to see such a transformation! I'm very proud of the hard work she continues to do to improve herself.

Getting results is one of the biggest obstacles for most people when it comes to working out. They have great intentions, big goals and lots of steam behind them when they start. Then they get in the club and hop on an elliptical or any other piece of cardio equipment and just go for 30min to and hour then leave feeling they really worked out. Some people become as I like to call them "cardio kings and queens". You've seen these people. They get in the club and spend 30 min on the treadmill, then they get on the elliptical and do another 30 min, then they move on to whatever piece of cardio equipment is left and do another 30 min! Whereas they think they are doing a great workout and really putting in an effort, they are only half right. I can't tell you how many cell phone walkers I see on a daily basis. I mean how intense is your cardio workout if you're able to chit chat on your cell while you're doing it? Sadly, after a few weeks to a few months of doing this with minimal to no results they quit.

This also goes for the "weight lifter" that is doing one set then talking for 5 minutes with some other "lifter" before doing another set. Where's the intensity? Where's the my heart might explode, I feel put through the ringer beat up intensity? Now I know that may scare some of you off. You're probably thinking "my god that sounds awful". Trust me, it is awful to some degree. It is also very rewarding in that fact that you really worked hard and KNOW it. I love when someone tells me how much a workout sucked, but that they really feel good they did it. Exercise is not easy. If it was you'd see a lot more fitness model looking people walking around, and a lot less stay puft marshmallow men waddling around. I realize that may be a bit harsh, but take a look around the next time you're sitting ANYWHERE, and count how many fit people are in the room. I bet you'll only need one hand.

Exercise doesn't have to be miserable or boring. I have a great time in my workouts. I always do my best to avoid routine by doing new and challenging combination of exercises. I'm also about efficiency. I don't spend 2 hours working out, and you don't need to either. My workouts general last anywhere from 15-30 minutes MAX. I try to push the intensity in my workouts so that my heart rate is elevated the whole time. I only rest when I ABSOLUTELY have to. By training like this I benefit in two different ways. One: I push my muscular endurance and increase my cardiovascular capacity. This means I don't have to do much IF any additional cardio work. Two: My workout time investment is low. Do you realize that three 30 minute workouts a week is less then 1% of your total week? That means over 99% of the time you're doing something that isn't working out.

I'm not going to sell you on the 8 min workout or the 20 min Pilates tape. The 30 min workouts I'm talking about are INTENSE. The reason those tapes and programs exist is primarily because as instantaneous, lazy Americans we want something that isn't going to be hard and require lifelong committment. No ab lounge will ever get you 6 pack abs. The perfect pushup/chinup, thigh master, gazelle, bowflex, reebok shoe are nothing but gimmicks designed to take advantage of our gimmicky society. I hate to tell you, but there is no such thing as quick, painless, and easy when it comes to getting and staying fit. Getting fit and staying fit comes from hard work, dedication and consistency. Sadly these are traits that are fast disappearing in society today.

When my workout partner and I enter the gym our conversation time is over. It's not a social gathering. We talk in the car or on the run to the club and we chat after. We are there to workout. Oh, we might say the occasional "this sucks" to each other joking around. But seriously, by the time we're done we have usually accomplished more in our 20 minute workout then that guy talking on his cell will accomplish in his entire 2hr workout/conversation.

Now don't get me wrong I understand that not everyone is an athlete. I also know a lot of you are just getting started with an exercise program. My suggestion to you would be to train to your experience and fitness level, but do it at a high intensity level. An example of this would be someone that isn't familiar with free weights, but feels comfortable with machines. I would advise that person to go into their club and pick 3-5 of those machines and do as many rounds as they can complete in say a 20 minute time frame resting only when they have to. This would be a very safe and easy technique workout for a beginner. The thing that kicks it up a notch is the fact that even though they are doing simple exercises the lack of rest time increases the difficulty and the effectiveness of the workout.

I'll leave you with a quote from one of the actors from the movie 300 (haven't seen it? Go rent it!). Craig Ballantyne was hired to come up with a training program to whip the actors into the Spartan warriors they would play. He was hired because of his unique and effective training motto: Train like your life depends on it! Michael Fassbender was interviewed about the intense and challenging workouts the actors were being put through to get ready for their roles. When asked how he felt about it he responded, "if your workout doesn't scare you a little bit, maybe you aren't training hard enough." I couldn't have said it better myself

I challenge my readers to step up your workouts by pushing yourself to what you think is your limit, then do 5 more!

For a fun, intense workout you can do the W.O.D in my club or go online to crossfit.com and try one of their workouts of the day. Try this for a week and see how much you change and grow, while best of all getting results! Now dance puppets!!

Mr. J