Up the Intensity Factor ☆

So you have set aside gym time.. congrats, thats step number one. Now.. are you going to burn 200 calories or 800 calories today?

If you are there, why not make the most of it?  INTENSITY is what will make the difference.

Ok, so if you know me..he I can be fairly intense ;) (in all aspects of my life) .. why play small right!?!? But there are specific ways you can really pump it up and come out of the gym with amazing results. Some are mental, some physical...combining both is where you want to be.

~ PHYSICAL ~

1-don't get stuck in a routine... that word "routine" it makes my teeth grind :/ .. your body will get used to doing the same exercises and you wont see the gains/loses that you deserve.. plus it is so easy to get stuck in that repetitive motion.  Ideally 2-4 weeks is the longest you should maintain a regular workout schedule... personally, I change it up every week. That doesn't mean that tuesday cant be chest and back... sure it can! But the exercises you do should be different.

2- change from machines to free weights. Dont be intimidated by thise muscle heads in the free weight room. You paid the same amount of money for your membership.  You deserve that space too! You will use many many more muscles by using dumbells and bar bells rather then a cybex. Stability and balance and using your core to support the bar, you will burn more calories and see greater definition (and it is much more intense and takes greater concentration).

3- increase your weight.. ok I know this seems obvious.. but REALLY back to that routine thing again.. we often just grab the 15lb dumbells for hammer curl becasue thats what we have always done... up it! Struggle through the last few reps!

4- Superset. This is awesome and a great way to save time. You do your reps without rest between just changing up the exercise. You can superset in different ways.. opposite muscle groups (chest/ back → bench press/lat pull down) , you can superset a cardio move and weight lifting move (skipping 60seconds/squats) or you can superset the same muscle group ( abs → crunchies/plank)

5- forced reps or drop sets. Both of these really fatigue your muscles (which is what you want!) Forcing a rep is when you cant do any more, grab a spotter and try to get a couple more. Yes it will burn, but you will see awesome results :) . Drop sets are higher in reps becasue you perform a  set, the drop weight and keep going. (Biceps → hammer curls with 15lbs for 10 reps, drop to 12 lbs for 10 reps, drop to 10lbs for 10 reps and repeat 3x times) you will be amazed at how heavy that last set will feel. ♥ it!

6- try something new. Never been to a step class? Trx training?  Kickboxing?  Never had a trainer?  What about cross fit? Many classes have drop in rates.. try it out!  Your body will not know what hit it....in a good way! :D

~ Mental ~

7- finally.. some thing's I have touched on before but want to make sure I include : grab a partner. .nothing like someone cheering you on to complete that last set to get it done. Grab some music. .. my workouts are always nor intense when im lost in the sick beats of some 80/90's grunge band .   Go public with your goals...tell some friends, post to your facebook, send it out on your Twitter feed.. when you are held accountable, intensity in workouts goes ↑ . Watch your downtime.. dont spend your hour chitchatting, running back and forth to the fountain, or reading a fitness mag on the stationary bike. Sure, there is tine for all of those thing's. ..post workout.

Get In..... Get it done.....
Xo Kara