Not Getting Results? Rethink Your Intensity Level

Are you really working as hard as you should be? The three key components to working out are FREQUENCY, INTENSITY and DURATION.

Frequency = the number of times you work out each week.
Intensity = how HARD you are working out.
Duration = the amount of time you spend during each workout session.

If the intensity isn't where it needs to be then you could be burning half or less than half the amount of calories as you should be and not challenging your body to change.

How hard should you work? The perceived rating of exertion scale is a great way to start adding intensity into your workouts. Here's how it works...

While doing physical activity, we want you to rate your perception of exertion. This feeling should reflect how heavy and strenuous the exercise feels to you, combining all sensations and feelings of physical stress, effort, and fatigue. Do not concern yourself with any one factor such as leg pain or shortness of breath, but try to focus on your total feeling of exertion.
The rating scale ranges from 1 to 10, where 1 means "no exertion at all" and 10 means "maximal exertion." Which number best describes your level of exertion in your current workouts? This will give you a good idea of the intensity level of your activity, and you can use this information to speed up or slow down your movements to reach your desired range. Add in some of the higher intensity PRE intervals of an 8 or 9 to really challenge yourself. Intervals don't need to be more than 30 seconds to 1 minute at this high intensity range. In addition, intervals can be speed, load, resistance, incline or even a combination.
Try to appraise your feeling of exertion as honestly as possible, without thinking about what the actual physical load is. Your own feeling of effort and exertion is important, not how it compares to other people's.

Make sure to check with your doctor before beginning any new phyiscal fitness regimen. If you have questions at all about these types of workouts, please refer to one of your local fitness experts or Vita Vie Retreat for clarification before beginning this type of training.

To book your fitness retreat, go to http://www.bvretreat.com/.