Basic Pursuits

Here are five things you can do to enhance the results of your workout. These techniques cost little or nothing, they are all perfectly legal and they are based on scientific observation.

Cool the muscles

Just over three weeks ago I decided to devote my exercise program exclusively to Tabata Intervals. This technique is a high intensity interval training (HIIT) program developed by Japanese exercise physiologist, Izumi Tabata. I like it because, if Tabata's research is correct, you can get a lot done quickly.

I'm always searching for ways to get the most out of exercise in the shortest period of time. Like many people I don't have an hour and a half to two hours to devote to working out.

One thing I've found that's very effective is interval training. Basically, interval training involves periods of high energy output interlaced with periods of rest. The Swedes who discovered this method of training call it fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish. Interval training these days is often referred to as HIIT, or "High Energy Interval Training."

Complex training is a method of exercise in which you move from one exercise to the next without rest. It can be done with various different implements, including a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells, a sandbag, or abarbell

Interval training is great for a comprehensive workout. You get a lot done pretty fast. You work hard for a period and you rest for a period. Go to a boxing gym and the first thing you notice is the three minute timer that never stops. Boxers train hard for three minutes and rest for a minute. In my home workout, I work for a minute and rest for a minute.

Hard work will get you very far in life, but hard work plus proper and smart planning will get you even farther. This is what separates the achievers from the over-achievers. One of my favorite forms of training is High Frequency Training (HFT). HFT allows you to achieve multiple goals at once and gives you the freedom of changing various aspects of your routine as you see fit.

How about a cyber personal trainer?

Danish researchers found that soccer players burned more fat and grew more muscle mass than joggers.

I ran across this piece late last week. It reports on a study done in Japan which concludes that exercise burns fat more efficiently when there is a intervening rest period. In this case, 30 mins. of exercise followed by 20 mins. of rest followed by 30 mins. of exercise.

Being a great believer in not pushing too hard, I rejoiced inn the notion that more is accomplished (at least more fat burning) by resting than by just pushing through.