tips please!!!

[Goodsoulette]

I need some tips for pushing myself that extra mile in the gym. How do people get past that pain barrier. When I am doing the first bit of my cardio, to keep me going I imagine (this is gonna make me sound crazy) the fat dripping of me. Sometimes I just flake off it before i should. Does anyoneknow any good techniques to help me kind of forget where I am etc.

[snook]

Hi Goodsoulette! If you�re working hard to �get the fat off� all you need do is complete the amount of work you�ve set yourself. There�s really nothing to gain by pushing yourself really hard, or through the pain barrier. Just doing work will burn up energy, whether it�s fast or slow work makes no difference. Obviously you want to work fairly briskly in order to get your metabolism racing and so you get the aerobic benefits � I mean, you wouldn�t get the same benefit from doing all that work at a really slow, leisurely pace, right? But pushing yourself really hard will only really have negative effects; you�ll just get really sick of it real quick and then stop. Far better to pace yourself.

Take a look at marathon runners � invariably thin, and yet many of them (not the professionals, I grant you) go at a fairly slow, steady pace. In fact, even the pros go at a steady pace, and one which is fairly comfortable, for them. They�re still doing the work, still burning the calories, so the excess just burns off them. Same applies to you. Just do the work. Don�t punish yourself, just do the work. If you reckon you need to do, say, half an hour on the bike, or whatever, then do it, but don�t try to keep up a killing pace for 30 minutes, it�ll never work.

Also, you could try interval training, i.e. push yourself fairly hard for one or two minutes, then coast for five minutes or so, and keep repeating the process. Not so hard, but you�ll really feel you�re pushing yourself, and yet within reasonable limits. Also, it keeps you interested, since the biggest drawback in training is getting fed up with it, getting bored. But, I repeat, don�t punish yourself � there�s really nothing to be gained from it.

[Goodsoulette]

thanks snook.... i do the interval training already. I just get a big kick out of getting farther than I think I can, which is why I am after the tips.

[snook]

Try this: imagine you�re a world class athlete, in serious training for the next Olympics, and you�re so fired up, so absolutely fired up, that you can�t wait to get to the gym, can�t wait to put your heart and soul into your training, can�t wait to beat your own personal best. Really put yourself into that persona � you could choose an athlete you specially admire � and mentally put yourself right into that person�s body, become that person for the period of time you�re training. Imagine how that person thinks, how she feels, how she motivates herself. Train as though you are that athlete.

It might take a while to get the hang of it, but it�s a very powerful technique. And each time you do it you�ll become a little more adept at it. Your ability to visualise yourself as that person will be heightened. You will gradually get to the stage where it will be perfectly normal for you to train to your utmost (if you�re prepared to work that hard), since your training is gearing you up for it on a regular basis.

View doing this a challenge, just like your training, and if you're prepared to work hard at that, do this the same way.

I hope this works for you. I�d love it if you�d let us know the result. ;-)

[puzzled54]

Use a pulse rate moniter, you'll be able to see how hard you are working. If you're not in your training zone, it'll excourage you to push yourself a bit harder, if you are in your zone, you'll know you are working hard enough.

[El D]

I normally have a simple mantra which reminds why I'm doing it and just repeat it over and over in my head, something simple but powerful - this also distracts from the pain :)

For fat loss a good guide is that you should not be out of breath while exercising, otherwise your body is burning more carbs than fat. The other main fat burning alternative for someone who is hardcore is HIIT, high intensity interval training. Not many people can perform this because it relies on willpower to execute correctly. You find an activity where you can put in 100% (sprinting is the norm), then simply sprint for 10-20 seconds, walk for 30, and repeat until dead - the exercise must be performed with maximal intensity which is where most fall short. Beginners should handle about 6-8 reps, looking to build up to 12-15, but this is also quite draining on the nervous system and shouldn't be done more than twice a week.

[laurence2]

goodsoulette, i am always saying to myself when training your not beating me, mentally i pump myself right up as if i'm untouchable, its a challenge in itself you no mind over matter

good luck with the training