Does Your Workout Pass the PE Test?

If only all my clients told me "you work me out harder than everyone one else!" In the end, I guess it really doesn't matter because the ones that don't say it are definitely thinking it. And if you're a client reading this and you have never had the thought cross your mind, then this article is for you.

Everyone should know that they are much tougher than they give themselves credit for. Women traditionally don't "push it" because of the fear of pain or injury. This mindset must be eliminated and people must learn to find their individual threshold. Just as your workouts need variation and consistency, they must also have INTENSITY!

Intensity is needed just as much as variety and consistency to give you results. If any training program is going to work, then you must find that special place you need to get to - pushing out extra reps, getting low when doing squats and lunges for extra range of motion, and not being afraid to pick up the heavier weights as you get stronger. Intensity is all about pushing it to that discomfort threshold without stepping over the line of pain (you never want to jeopardize form and increase the possibility of an injury). Under-training or giving up simply because you "can't" do it or saying "it's too heavy" before attempting to pick the weight up will never allow you to know what it's like to get back to the old you (the 20lb lighter version of you that is).

Secondly, there is an understanding that under-training and over-training both accomplish nothing. Doing the same routine with the same amount of weight, and the same intensity yields the kind of results sure to frustrate you - no results! The opposite is when you physically cannot complete the workout, the next 3 days your joints hurt, and you can't feed yourself. The soreness you experience should be in your muscles and not your joints. Vomiting after a workout is also not allowed.

Lastly, you should be able to carry on a conversation during your workout. Getting dizzy and lightheaded is not a good sign (although this could be a sign of not eating as well). Typically if you are experiencing this, you are overexerting yourself and should stop. We all have a perceived exertion that dictates how hard we are working out based on a scale of 1-10. This number should almost always be at least a 5 and should never be higher than a 8 for beginners. As you progress, you want this number to change from 5 to 7.

Think about the work you have been putting in at the gym lately...is it too low, too high, or are you being pushed to your limit? Make note that this does not apply to resistance training only. You're cardiovascular training is affected by intensity as well.