Hey there friend, hope your doing well!
Tis' the season for "getting back in shape!"
Many people are looking for quick, intense workouts that will help them shed those winter pounds, tone up and get ready for beach weather!
AtCalgary Corporate Fitness ![calgary_corporate_fitness_running.bmp]( "calgary_corporate_fitness_running")
, we always try to make fitness easy by giving you tips on how to fit effective workouts in inspite of a busy work schedule and family life! So today I am going to share with you some cooltraining tipson how to turn keyworkoutsup a notch or two, for betterfitnessand faster results!
I am going to userunningas the key training topic in today's blog, because it is such a common sport in thecity ofCalgary, not to mention it's an easy way to get a quick workout in on a regular basis!
Whether your goal is to lose 25lbs, tone up and get a 6 pack or qualify for Boston Marathon, how you train has a dramatic effect on your performance and the results you will achieve. As Yogi Bear once said "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where your going because you might not get there." And he was right! Of course there's more than one way to get where your going, but without a planed route that is most effective and efficient based on where your coming from, you could end up wasting a lot of time.
When it comes to yourfitness routine, a good place to start is running regularly forfitness, since the most important building block of running or with any training program, is consistency. A better approach, once you have a solid base, is to addone quality workoutper week to increase yourfitness intensity. But ultimately, in order to take your fitness goal to the highest level, it's best to follow a training plan design to fit your strengths.
For instance, if your training for a marathon, and endurance is your strong suit, find a plan that focus on more mileage and tempo runs and less on interval training. If speed is your specialty, focus on interval training and less on mileage. Applying the principles ofgood, better, bestto your workouts will help you improve your fitness, avoid plateaus and get closer to where you want to go-wherever that is.
Tip: Running at a faster pace for longer trains your body to rely on fat for fuel; you don't run out of carbs as soon and can hold your pace longer
The following are someKey Workouttips that you can apply to your training routine to help you achieve thegood, better, bestprinciples mentioned above.
Workout:quality workout
Tempo training increases your lactate threshold velocity, the running speed at which fatigue sets in quickly (beginners 10-15 secs per mile pace)
Good: Run 3 miles over rolling terrain, changing your pace from slightly faster than easy, to comfortably hard. Mixing it up teaches you to run at different speeds.
Better: Do 4 to 5 x 1 mile on flat terrain at tempo pace with a 1 minute recovery jog between each effort. This will improve your ability to hold a hard pace longer.
Best: Run 4-5 miles at tempo pace, don't allow your pace to fluctuate more than 1/2 mile per hour. Continuous tempo runs are an excellent way to build stamina, confidence, and a sense of pace.
Workout: Intervals:
Of all training runs, intervals are the most effective for improving your fitness. Short, hard efforts beef up your cardiovascular system by increasing the volume of oxygen feeding the muscles, they can work harder.
Good: Run repeats by time , rather than distance and them hard ( it should be difficult to talk). For example 4 X 3 minutes hard with 2 minutes easy running between each effort.
Better: Run 4-6 by 800 meters at 5-k race pace. More formal workouts help you practice running at race pace.
Best: Run 8 X 400 meters fast with a two minute recovery jog, or 5 X 400 meters very fast with a 3 minute recovery jog.
Workout: Long Runs
Running long drains your muscle supply of carbohydrates (glycogen). Nearing empty signals your body to stock up even more glycogen, so that you have more fuel to draw on in the future. Long runs also develop your ability to transport and use oxygen, which allows you to run longer before becoming fatigue.
Good: Run 1 1/2 to 2 times as long as your avarage run at an easier pace. When it comes to improving endurance time on your feet is more important than mileage.
Better: Log 10 miles at marathon pace (or moderate pace), this teaches you to run at a faster pace longer.
Best: Complete 15-16 miles, with the first 12 miles at an easy pace and te last 3-4 miles at temp pace.
Workout: Strength Training
Incorporating regular strength training workouts into your routine can help strengthen joints, build muscle and improve posture. Building muscle can increase metabolism and assist in weight loss more effectively than any other fitness discipline.
Good: Try body weight training. Choose about 5 exercises ( i.e. pushups, pull-up, triceps dips, lunges, burpees) and do 20 reps, as fast as you can. Rest for 1 min and repeat circuit 3-4 times.
Better: Use a resistance band, and incorporate a 10 min total body workout into your morning, lunch break and evening. Getting multiple bursts of exercise throughout the day keeps your metabolism up.
Best: 100-300 rep workout. Choose a series of 5 exercises and complete 10 reps (heavy weight) 2 -6 times, no rest between sets.
OK, that should be good to start! Once you start feeling am increase dose of energy, and an inner excitement about your daily workout, you'll know you're on the right path.
In Health,
Personal Trainer,Sarah Long
Calgary Corporate Fitness Inc .
