My Fitness Coach Blog

Are you getting tired of your same old exercise routine? Try renting workout videos via Netflix, from video rental stores, or from your local library. Exercise videos allow you to work out at home, are less expensive than most group classes or personal training, and add variety to your routine.

Netflix has hundreds of videos that have been reviewed by other users, so you won’t have to waste time on the bad ones. Also, you can keep them as long as you like.

Last, check out this article by Alisa Miller for recommendations:
100 Awesome Instructional Videos for Your Health and Wellness

According to the American Council on Exercise, interval training “involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with what is called active recovery, which is typically a less-intense form of the original activity. It can help you avoid injuries that often accompany non-stop, repetitive activity, and provides the opportunity to increase your intensity without burning yourself out in a matter of minutes.”

While typical cardio takes 30-45 minutes, you can complete an interval training session in 20-25 minutes. This is because you are working much harder, which also means that you are burning more calories in a shorter amount of time. Interval training also helps overcome weight loss plateaus and increases cardiovascular fitness more quickly. Try to include an interval training session 1-2 times per week, and you will see noticeable results.

What is an example of interval training? Consider this program for the stationary bike:

3 minutes: warm up with resistance at about 5-8 and RPM around 60-70.
15 minutes: for the 1st 15 seconds of each minute, increase the resistance to 12 and keep RPM in 70-85 range. For the last 45 seconds of each minute, recover at warm up intensity.
5 minutes: cool down at low intensity.