The Joy of Interval Training

I think it is time for me to take my workouts to a different level.  Specifically, I am discovering the joys of interval training...  :-).  This means warming up with your cardio of choice, then alternating between your normal effort level and going as hard as you possibly can.  Then work to sustain intervals for your normal cardio period.

Since I am no longer a runner, I am doing this on the cross trainer, the spin bike and the reverse "escalator" stairmaster machine.  I promise you it is kick butt-alicious!  It certainly increases your heart rate.  It increases the amount of sweat.  It increases your breathing rate.  It also increases your desire to get to the end of the interval!!!  My cardio workout looks like this:  a 10 minute warm up, during which I go from easy level to medium exertion.  Then 2 minutes of "hard as I can go", then 3 minutes of medium/hard exertion.  Then I alternate between 2 kick ass minutes and 3 medium/hard minutes until I reach 60 minutes.  So far, I am enjoying the extra effort.  Try it, you may like it too!

I am on day 2 of a 3 day "fruit flush".  I spoke of this quite awhile ago.  I realized it had been too long since I had imposed this discipline on myself.  So, I jumped in yesterday.  IT IS REALLY HARD to apply different discipline.  If for no other reason, this gives me great empathy for anyone who has not yet begun their own healthy journey and is trying to find the motivation to do so.  Changing behavior is not easy.  It is a constant and continual lesson on my journey.  Fascinating, simply fascinating, how we humans want to cling to "what is" instead of running towards "what could be".  So, wish me luck that I make it through successfully to the end of day 3.  I will let you know next week.  SMILE!

Desire to keep learning and raising the bar of performance.  Dedication to understanding how hard this can be.  Discipline to stick with a commitment once it is made.