Get in the ZONE!

As a trainer it's soooo hard to be at the gym seeing people doing exercises wrong, with bad form, or just meandering on the treadmill or bike while they lazily chat with their girlfriends about the kids.  Workout should be CHALLENGING, folks!  Get your sweat on!  Leave the cell phone in the car!  I remember I used to have new clients brag to me 'I  never sweat.'  Well, that's really bad for you, did you know that?  If you're not sweating, you're not challenged, especially when you're doing cardiovascular work.  Don't waste your time going to the gym if you don't plan to really do something good for yourself.  Do you know what your target heart rate is?  Well, it's a magical number.  It's the amount of beats per minute your heart must be pumping in order for your cardio workout to 'work.'  If you want to know what your target heart rate is just take 220-your age and multiply by .8.  For me that would be 220-39x.8=144.8 so let's say 145.  My heart needs to beat 145 times per minute while I'm exercising in order for me to get any true benefits.  It pains me to see these beefy guys screaming out while they lift a small car over their heads just so they can 'get bigger.'  Here's a great fitness truth for you:  It doesn't take insane weights or killer sprints to get great benefits from your workout.  Do you think you can't run?  I used to hear that all the time... I can't run...  well, YES, YOU CAN!  Look at all those formerly obese Biggest Loser contestants doing their marathon after just 3 months of training.  The key is training properly.... in the right heart rate zone.  Lift the correct amount of weight to challenge yourself without risking injury or creating such soreness you're out of the game for the rest of the week.  I'm a slow runner.  Sure, I could pound the pavement like I'm running for my life, but then my heart rate would be 200 and I'd be out of the zone.  Not good.  You'll find that if you're in your correct zone, you won't get tired quickly and you'll be able to go the distance.  So remember, proper form, challenge yourself without risking injury, and stay in the zone.  You'll feel great during and after your workout, which is a great motivator to stick with any fitness program you choose.