Heart Rate Training For Your Workouts
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Three Ways to Mix Up Your Workout Routine

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Even working in the fitness industry, I catch myself getting bored of my workouts. Here are three things that are keeping me engaged and loving every workout!

1.) Heart Rate Training 

Heart Rate Training For Your WorkoutsI have used a heart rate monitor before, but simply to have the awareness of how hard I was working during my workouts. It was motivating! I have to admit, I took a long break from my watch and band because I got bored. Now, I’ve learned a new way to track my heart rate during workouts by working into three zones.

I purchased a new Polar heart rate monitor (bluetooth) and downloaded the Polar Beat app. Three to four times a week, I’ll use my monitor and app to track the intensity of my cardio and strength workouts. My goal: to stay at least 20 minutes in the yellow and red zone throughout the entire workout. Working up to this intensity can help create a metabolic disturbance so you’re metabolism is elevated 20-40 hours afterwards.

Example workout:

Pick your choice of cardio: increase to a challenging resistance/speed until you reach the red zone. Once you’ve reached the red zone, lower the intensity until you reach the green zone. Continue to go back and forth for 15-20 minutes.

Elliptical:

Warm up 1-2 minutes at a light resistance.

Resistance Level 14 until you reach the red zone.

Resistance Level 6 until you reach the green zone.

Metabolic Training

Warm up of your choice

20 Goblet Squats

40 Mountain Climbers (20 each leg)

20 KB Swings

15 Push Ups

20 Lateral Lunges (10 each side)

10 Push ups

10 Renegade Rows

20 Lunge Jumps (10 each side)

  • Complete as many exercises back to back until you reach the red zone then pause and wait until you reach the green zone. Once you’ve reached the green zone, continue where you left off in the circuit.

2.) Fitbit 

Use a fitbit for consistent exercise Pedometers have been around forever and I was never really interested in owning one until last month. I received one for Christmas and it has been motivating me more than ever. First of all, I thought I moved more than I actually did. I enjoy exercising daily for the mental clarity, whether it’s a short, leisure walk, yoga, weight training, or even doing a quick run to break a sweat. After owning a fitbit for a few weeks, I realized I don’t really get that many steps in naturally. I averaged about 5,000. It’s definitely helped me move more! I go for a few leisure walks a day and find other ways increase my steps. So far, I’ve been able to hit 10,000 steps most days, but it takes some effort. Exercising intensely can cause overtraining and can even stall results because you’re stressing your body too much. Leisure walking is a great low intensity exercise that you can do everyday because it doesn’t elevate your stress hormones.

3.) Try Something Completely New

I’ve always wanted to try boxing and finally I signed up to take a class. I love it. It has challenged me mentally (learning new skills) and physically. Trying something new for exercise can also be great for working out of a plateau, plus help you work through a mental block of exercise.