Tips For Working Out Harder And Longer Part 2
5. Don’t Run on Empty
Should one eat a meal before going to the gym or afterwards? It’s a question many professional and amateur athletes struggle with on a daily basis. In many ways, the answer depends on your own personal preference, but it also has a lot to do with the amount of food you eat and the type of food you consume.
Generally speaking, though, to enjoy a longer and harder workout, you should avoid starting your routine on a completely empty stomach. At the same time, you should carefully avoid overeating prior to getting physical. Ideal pre-workout meals are actually closer to snacks, and include energy bars, smoothies, fruit, and salads. You could also benefit from a jolt of caffeine, so consider pairing your moderate meal or snack with a cup of coffee.
6. Try Intervals
Here’s a tough truth: you may not build up your endurance by enjoying slow or moderate workouts, whether that involves jogging, cycling, swimming, or hitting the machines. To truly build up your strength and give yourself the tools to work out longer and harder, you should consider trying high-intensity workouts, including intervals.
Intervals can include just about any type of exercise—the key is stepping up your pace to a point you can only maintain for a short period of time. By interchanging periods of high intensity exercise and rest, you can train your body to endure more, thereby helping you workout for longer.
7. Mix it Up
Building endurance and giving yourself the ability to work out longer and harder takes more than just pushing your cardio training. You also need to build strength, and that means you need to focus on mixing up your training. By incorporating strength training into your routine, you can build a wider variety of muscles and, perhaps most importantly, build lean muscle.
That said, by expanding your workouts to include both cardio and strength training, you’re putting more pressure on your body, including your muscles, lungs and heart. For that reason, it’s important to take rest days on a regular basis—at least a couple each week.
8. Change it Up
If you’re becoming bored with your workout routine and find yourself working out for less time in a less intense way, then there’s a good chance you haven’t changed up in a while. That means it’s time to try something new—it’s a critical part of working out longer and harder.
So, if you’ve been running a lot lately, and find yourself getting bored with it, try cycling, spinning, hot yoga, zumba, or even something radically different, like ballroom dancing. Check your local classifieds to see what physical activity classes and programs are available. Keep in mind that the change doesn’t have to be forever, but making some adjustments can help you stay interested in physical exercise and work towards building your overall endurance.
Tips For Working Out Part 1
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