Empower Blog

How would you enhance a basic plan for intermediate or advanced workouts?

Once you have changed the way you feel about your body in motion (click here if you are just beginning your workout routine), you are ready to focus on your plan for your cardio-respiratory fitness.

A perfect place to start is to perform 20 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise (walking, swimming, bike riding) a few times a week. Moderate is key—to keep you feeling comfortable and coming back for more. On a self-perception scale of 1 to 10 (0 is resting intensity while 10 represents all out/breathless intensity) – you should keep your intensity 4 to 6. Continue to train there for a few weeks.

Once you are comfortable there you can progress towards the intermediate and advanced levels. This can be done in several ways, but first a quick exercise physiology overview. Our body condition will stay stagnant or stale when it comes to training if you don’t apply the principle of progressive overload to your fitness program. That simply means you need to shift things every few weeks in order to shock the body into improvement.

The FITT Principle is key to progression and variety in training (progressive overload).

• F for frequency
• I for intensity
• T for time or duration
• T for type or mode

Every week or two, you apply a positive shift to one or more of these factors to stimulate your body with a new challenge.

• First increase your training frequency. Instead of walking 3 days per week, you up it to 4.
• A few weeks later up the intensity. Instead of training at a moderate intensity (4 to 6) you up your pace for brief bouts (to 7 or 8) and get a bit winded for a minute here and there.
• A few more weeks go by and you feel the need for more, so you workout a bit more time.
• Last but not least you switch the type of workout you are doing (from walking to jumping rope or stair climbing), making it a whole new challenge to your body.

By applying these small gradual changes to your workout plan every few weeks you will see continual results. If you are looking for a great cardio tool to help you get your program going, try a fitness hoop or walking weights!

By Heather Hawk

The Fall is a beautiful time to get active outdoors. Many people enjoy walking, running, and hiking in local parks. These cardio sessions are invigorating by themselves however a few simple changes can take these workouts to a total body training session:

• Many parks have strength stations along the paths for push-ups, pull-ups, and other movements. Take advantage of these stations along the way.
• Create your own strength stations by doing circuits of body weight exercises every 5-8 minutes during your cardio session. Perform walking lunges or step-ups on a bench for the lower body, push-ups for the upperbody, or plank holds for the core.
• Bring your resistance cords to the park and stop every 8-10 minutes for a total body circuit. The resistance cords provide you numerous exercises for the upper and lower body

By Heather Hawk

You’ve probably heard that when it comes to getting in shape, every little bit counts.

Well, it’s true. For maximum results you want to take advantage of all opportunities. This is especially true on the days when life gets in the way of your regular exercise routine.

One way to increase your daily calorie burn is to walk everywhere you possibly can.

• Take the stairs whenever possible, this includes at home, at work, at the mall, or on your way to a doctor’s office.
• Instead of driving around the parking lot in search of the spot closest to the door, park farther away to add to your daily steps.
• At work, rather than calling a co-worker with a question, walk to their desk.

If you want to see just how many steps you’re able to add up in a day then buy an inexpensive pedometer to track your every move. Remember, to take full advantage of your daily activities, the mantra to keep in your head is “every little bit counts.”