Going to the gym is one thing, but how hard you workout when you’re there also plays a big part. After all, are you really working to your limit when you exercise, or could you give more? Exercising at the right intensity can really help you see results and ensure that you get the most from your gym sessions each week. Checking the level you work out at will also stop you from working out too hard, as well as too little, so that your risk of injury is reduced. So how do you know what level to work out at? Your exercise intensity should correlate to how hard the activity feels to you; in other words, how hard your body and heart has to work. How you feel is a subjective measure of how the exercise feels to your body, such as your exertion and fitness level – what is a heavy workout to someone may not feel the same to you, so you need to bear this in mind. Your heart rate also offers a fairly accurate reading of how hard you’re working, as the higher your heart rate, the higher the intensity. Either one of these measures will help you decipher how intense your workout is.
For most healthy and fit adults, the Department of Health and Human Services advises to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, and two sessions of strength training a week. The former can involve anything from swimming and walking to mowing the lawn – basically anything that gets your heart rate up. Strength training should include free weights, weight machines and activities that use your body weight, such as heavy gardening or rock climbing. How much time you devote to each session is up to you, taking into account your fitness level. But then you need to think about your reasons for exercising – are you just trying to improve your fitness or are you aiming to lose weight? Is it a combination of factors? These will determine how often and how hard you need to work out for. In order to get results and benefits from most exercises, you need to be exercising at a moderate or vigorous level. If you’re trying to lose weight, then you need to take into account that the longer you workout for the more calories you burn. But balance is key – you don’t want to overwork your body either. The best way to get balance is to begin slowly and build up so that your body has chance to get used to exercising.
You can gauge your exercise intensity by how you feel afterwards – are you breaking a sweat, out of breath or able to hold a conversation easily? Chances are you are only working out lightly, and need to up the pace a little if you want to see results. The harder you work out, the harder it will be to talk afterwards and your breathing will quicken. Staying in tune with your body is key as it will help you navigate a more successful workout routine, so you need to know what it normal for you and how your body feels after exercise. You’ll then be able to up the ante or lower the pace accordingly. If you’re unsure about exercise and what is best for you and your needs, speak to a personal trainer or the staff at the gym who can help you to create a workout plan that suits you.
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