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The Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training
If you’ve ever belonged to a gym, you’ve no doubt noticed the cardio crowd—that group of people appearing on the same treadmill, elliptical or stationary bikes day after day, week after week.
These people (sadly, this crowd consists mainly of women) diligently spend 30 to 60 minutes three to five days a week on these machines, usually going at a steady pace, often reading a magazine, and never, ever leaving their sacred cardio area.
And yet, despite their dedication, this cardio crowd always seems to look the same.
While the weightlifters sculpt their bodies and gain strength and endurance in the process, the cardio crowd’s bodies have gotten used to their daily routine… and as a result are not changing at all.
Maybe it’s been months since they’ve seen a shift in their body mass or upped the speed on their machine.
But one thing’s for certain: 99% of this cardio crowd is experiencing a state of constant plateau.
OMG My Thighs Are Getting HUGE!
“Krista…”
My mom called me up the other day, noticeable worry in her voice.
“I have a problem.”
My mom then explained how after nearly five months of doing some type of resistance training four or five days a week, she was starting to notice her thighs getting bigger.
“And that wasn’t exactly the goal,” she said, obviously freaking out a little.
“Calm down,” I said. “Tell me exactly what’s happening.”
“Well,” she went on, “my waist is getting smaller and firmer, but my thighs are GROWING. It’s getting harder and harder to fit into my pants!”
I laughed, and proceeded to explain.
Here’s what happens when you begin a new exercise program:
You start to lose weight and gain strength almost immediately. This makes you happy and motivates you to keep exercising.
Then you hit your first plateau. Your strength and endurance gains start to slow, and you stop shedding the pounds as quickly as you were in the beginning.
And then… here’s the scary part for women… often certain body parts start getting BIGGER.
Sore Muscle Treatments That Really Work
Okay, a show of hands…
Who else has ever experienced any sort of muscle soreness or pain?
I’m going to take a wild guess and assume that each and every one of you has been sore at one point in your life—and maybe even on a daily/weekly basis (I know I am).
And if you’re like most people, here’s how the pattern typically goes:
You work out hard, and you know that all the pull ups, push ups, squats, and burpees are insanely good for you and that not only will they keep you fit now, they’ll keep you strong, independent and happy later on in life.
But sometimes, you wake up the next day and realize you can barely move. Your neck hurts. Your legs burn. You wonder how you’ll make it through the day… let alone get through the next workout.
Sound familiar?
Well, unfortunately, there’s no magic button you can push to magically erase all your aches and pains. But there are several different ways to reduce and relieve muscle pain.
Here are some of my favorites:
