I recently came across a research study. It talked about what the physical activity profile was for adults who were tying to lose weight.
They surveyed almost 15,000 people and determined that only half of those who include exercise as part of their program incorporate enough exercise to be effective. So, maybe the half that wasn’t exercising enough is doing it at higher intensity levels for those shorter exercise sessions. Then it’s plenty effective.
I doubt the subjects used in the study were doing high intensity training, but it’s what you should consider doing. Especially if you have a tight schedule and not a lot of time to exercise, it’s a great solution. 20-30 minutes is all it will take.
Guess what one of the greatest intensity factors is when it comes to strength training? There are a few key ones, but momentary muscle failure is at the top of the list.
This means pushing the muscle to the point where another repetition cannot be completed in good form. Then once you’re done with that muscle group, you move to the next one.
And the best way to do this is by lifting slow!
The great thing about it is that you can pick any exercise in your gym to do it with. Or you can even do it with your own bodyweight using exercises like pushups and do it from the convenience of your living room.
I’ve recently begun training some new clients and so they’ve done High Intensity Training (H.I.T.) a few times. One of them is a seasoned exerciser and told me this morning that he’s not felt his muscles work this way before. He loves the challenge of pushing himself during a workout as well as how it saves him so much time.
According to one of the guru’s of strength training, Wayne Westcott PhD, “The primary intent of high-intensity strength training is to fatigue additional muscle fibers during a more demanding exercise set. Based on the research studies reviewed, it appears that one good set of resistance exercise is as effective as two or three sets for providing a sufficient strength stimulus and producing significant strength gains.”
If you’re a busy professional and don’t have a lot of extra time to spend exercising then increasing the intensity of your strength training is a great solution to bring you excellent strength gains in half the time.
Michael Cordon invites you to receive his FREE e-zine that gives “how to” tips on becoming Healthy, Fit and Lean. A Free Report and Newsletter subscription to move you to action can be found at [http://www.MakeYourBodyLean.com] Learn how to lose body fat, gain strength, eat right and look great by following natural, principle based fitness programs.
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