Although any kind of physical activity is better than nothing, some workout plans are better than others in terms of overall effectiveness, and progression and adaptation to them are important to keep progress moving forward. Ask yourself frequently; “am I training hard enough?”
ARE YOU MONITORING YOUR HEART RATE?
Whether you are on a cardio machine or doing some high-intensity interval training(HIIT), your heart rate should fluctuate between 75% of your maximum when you are just starting, eventually building to 100%.
To roughly determine your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.
An easy way to track your heart-rate is by using a heart-rate monitor which will let you know, in real time, what your rate is. Some people mistake sweating to be the only indicator of working out hard enough, when in reality some people may be more prone to sweating and environment your training in can have an effect, so this isn’t a good indicator.
CAN YOU HOLD A CONVERSATION?
Walking is something which is recommended as a minimum exercise we all should be doing, taking a stroll with a friend is a nice way to pass the time, but this is not an activity that helps you lose weight or gain muscle. So if you can hold a conversation during your workout, you are just not working hard enough.
When training, if all you can manage to get out are short phrases, then your muscle to mind connection is being focused elsewhere, specifically your workout – perfect!
ARE YOU SORE THE NEXT DAY?
No pain, no gain is what they say, and this is a good way to tell how hard you worked out, wait 24 hours and see how you feel.
When you exercise, you cause microscopic damage to your muscles, the muscles then adapt, repair themselves, and grow stronger.
You should feel moderate soreness known as muscle inflammation; if not, you probably didn’t stimulate your muscle enough to get results. You want to be sore, but not so sore that you can’t go about your routine. Give yourself a day in between to rest and rebuild those sore muscle groups while you work another, alternating days so you don’t overwork one particular group.
ARE YOU ALWAYS WORKING AT THE SAME INTENSITY?
Once you have been on a workout plan for a while and aren’t becoming as sore or tired, it might be time to up the intensity. If you want to gain lean muscle mass and definition, start adding more weight; if this isn’t possible, try squeezing out a few more reps.
If you are doing cardio, try going a little faster or start incorporating more interval training into the mix. Because your body is constantly adapting, if you do the same thing over and over again, your body won’t be challenged enough to make a change. Be mindful that the more you work out, the more effort you’ll have to expend to keep making progress.
Steve
