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Intensity is a key to achieving natural strength gains and
muscle growth. Some people find that they get added training
intensity by visualizing a workout in their minds the night
before they go to the gym. This should be done in a quiet,
comfortable setting, such as a peaceful corner of your house
or when you’re in bed before falling asleep. The mental
imagery of going through the steps of a training session can
help your mind to focus on the task to come. It may even aid
the subconscious in preparing for the next day’s lifting.
To maximize the effectiveness of this method, you must push
all extraneous thoughts out of your mind so it can concentrate
on the task at hand. You can do this in a variety of ways
ranging from meditation to conventional relaxation techniques.
In each case the mind must be emptied of random thoughts and
all the static that usually bombards us. Focus in on one particular
thought and dwell on it until it dominates your entire mind.
This thought can be as simple as repeating the word “relax”
over and over, or it can be a mantra like those used in Eastern
meditation. Concentrating on your breathing may also help,
especially if you count to 10 while doing it. Another method
is to alternate flexing and relaxing each bodypart, starting
with your feet and continuing muscle by muscle until you reach
your neck.
| Experiment to find the technique that works
best for you, and then focus in on those words, breaths
or movements until they become the only things you think
about. You’ll probably find that thoughts pop into
your head even when you don’t want to think about
them, including thoughts that haven’t reached your
conscious mind yet. Don’t try to suppress them.
You can’t keep the genie in the bottle. Let all
of them out so they can escape. Then your mind will be
free to concentrate on the task at hand: tomorrow’s
workout. |
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Visualize all of the exercises you will do tomorrow. Imagine
yourself achieving the short-term goal you have set for that
day. If you have decided to go for an extra 10 pounds on an
exercise without reducing the number of repetitions you do,
picture yourself executing that movement in your mind. Count
the reps as you do them. Now visualize yourself pumping out
that final repetition, straining as you know you must against
a piece of iron that seems to get heavier by the instant.
Yet you don’t give in. No, you achieve the goal you
have set for yourself. Mission accomplished. Now all you have
to do is go to the gym and repeat the exercise!
In order to get the greatest benefit from aerobic training,
you should perform your aerobic activities at an intensity
level that is from 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart
rate. The body has two energy pathways for exercise: anaerobic
and aerobic.
The anaerobic system produces energy without oxygen, while
the aerobic system needs oxygen to provide energy. Anaerobic
energy is the type predominantly used for progressive-resistance
training. Aerobic activity, on the other hand, uses oxygen.
This is important because the fatty acids in the body can
only be burned in the presence of oxygen.
Doing your aerobics at an intensity that is more than 80 percent
of your maximum heart rate will bring the anaerobic energy
systems back into play, and anything less than 60 percent
will be so low that you’ll need to spend a lot longer
exercising to burn the fat you want to get rid of. It’s
also less exercise for your cardiovascular system.
To determine your maximum heart rate per minute, subtract
your age from 220. (Your maximum rate declines with age.)
Then multiply that rate by 60 and 80 percent to determine
your desired range of heart beats. You can measure your heart
rate by taking your pulse manually or by using one of the
machines now on the market.
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