Working out has always been a part of my routine. I started playing club soccer in elementary school and played all the way through college. Being active is a part of who I am and what keeps me moving every single day. I’ve always been a member of a gym, but making the trip there doesn’t always fit into my daily schedule. I wanted a way to get moving every day and my work outs at home weren’t cutting it for me. I needed to move more and I wanted an exercise that would get my heart rate up and my legs moving.
Every day, I started going on a walk through my neighborhood when my child took one of his naps. It would be around a 3 mile walk and after a month of a quiet boring walk, I decided I wanted to get back in to running. I have a love-hate relationship with running. I’m great at sprints but long distance running has never been my friend.
Even though my 3 mile walks were quite easy to me, I knew that I couldn’t just jump into running because I wouldn’t make it 30 yards without needed to stop for a breather. Even though I wish I could just jump into running a mile, my body wasn’t ready so I have started interval training which is one of my very favorite things.
How to Start Interval Training
Hydrate
No matter what type of workout you are doing, your body needs plenty of water to stay hydrated. I workout in the Texas heat and the sun blazes down on me. The sun makes workouts seem so much more difficult and sucks me dry. I sweat more and my body requires lots of water. I try not to drink too much before each workout but always drink as much as possible once my workout is complete.
Start Slow
The best thing to do is to start with walks and get your body used to getting it’s heart rate up and breath going fast. Get your body acclimated to working out and into a good habit of getting your steps in for the day.
Warmup
Before doing any work out, make sure to warm up your body. I like to do a few stretches and get my muscles moving before doing any activity, especially a high intensity workout. Before I start any type of jog or run, I make sure that my muscles are loose. I usually walk for about 5 minutes before I do any type of running to ensure they are ready. The last thing you want to do is tear a muscle when it’s something that can be prevented easily.
Use Landmarks To Plan Your Run
I always start my workout with a 5 minute walk then I will ease into a jog. Many times, people will time their walks and runs, instead of doing that I use landmarks around me for my intervals. So I’ll start with a walk and I’ll look ahead of where I’m going and will tell myself that I will start jogging once I get to the next mailbox. Once I get to that mailbox, I’ll plan when to stop by using another landmark such as a stop sign.
While using a timer is great also, I like to be able to see my end point. It makes me run harder and I love being able to see where I’m going to stop or start rather than looking at a stop watch.
Find Music That Will Keep Your Motivated
When I go for walks, I usually catch up on my favorite podcasts which range from Gary V to Oprah. It’s a great way to get my mind of things and to listen to insight from experts in their field. While I’m working out, I like to listen to something upbeat and fast. I usually turn on Pandora to get me moving. 
I used to struggle with running and dealing with headphones and long cords that were constantly getting in the way of my arms and movement. I recently found a pair of wireless bluetooth headphones that are made specifically for running and I couldn’t be more happy with them.
The Jaybird Run True Wireless Headphones are truly one of a kind. These Jaybird RUN wireless earbuds are sweatproof and dirtproof to handle the worst of your workout. They stay put during my workouts and feel very comfortable no matter what I’m doing. I love that they are small and not overbearing. They can be paired through bluetooth to many devices which is great whether I want to listen to something from my phone or tablet.
Listen to Your Body
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to learn what your body is telling you whether that be to drink more water, push your self harder or that it needs a break. The more I do interval training, I amaze myself with how much longer I am able to run or how much shorter my breaks are needed. By listening to my body, I learn that I am able to do more every single work out. I also know when my body feels like it’s about to break down and when it’s time to start walking back to my house.
Get Plenty of Rest
Rest is key to allow your body to produce muscle and recover from each workout. Don’t over do your workouts and plan for a day or two for your body to rest and do nothing. It’s hard sometimes to relax and let your body recover especially when you want to see results fast but it is crucial to the process!
Leave a Reply