Push Harder PEOPLE

I've been thinking so much about effort recently.  I know that people are out there doing their workouts, but how much are you really working out?  People ask me all the time how many calories you burn in a workout.  I think the easiest answer (for those of us who don't have heartrate monitors) is using simple math.

Resting Effort 1 calorie per minute

Max Effort 10 calorie per minute

Just use simple 10% deductions from Max Effort to figure out about where you are.  For example, at Fit Club Butler today we did Turbo Fire HIIT 15.  It's a killing great workout that I know a little bit.  There are a couple breaks and a nice warm-up and cool-down.  I would guess I was about 70% effort in this one.  I could have worked a little bit harder, but because I didn't know all the moves yet, I was a little slow to start some of them.

Thus my calories would be about 15min x 7 = 105 calories burned. 

Many people might say this is underestimating, and maybe it is, but I would rather underestimate than over any day of the week!  Also, this system allows for warm-ups, cool-downs, stretches, and breaks.  Frankly, all-out Max Effort is more than 10 calories per minute for most of us, but that is inaccurate unless you only count the time that you're actually working out, no breaks included!  Also, this makes quick simple math easy :)

Here's the point.

People!  Listen Up!

If you have to be there working out anyway - WHY NOT push yourself close to your max?  Going nice and easy and taking lots of breaks doesn't make the time pass any faster!  45 minutes still lasts 45 minutes if you're going at 50% effort or 90% effort.  In fact, 90% will make it seem like it's passing faster, because you can't think about anything other than staying on your feet and keeping going!

I have worked with and worked out with clients and friends who range the whole spectrum of this.  Some will go at what looks to me like 25% effort and think they're getting a great workout in.  Some will go at 85% effort and be angry that they didn't push harder in the end!

Pay attention to your form and keep it clean!  This is absolutely critical!  Assuming your form is clean - PUSH HARDER!  Last time you finished a set of push-ups - can you honestly tell me that you couldn't have done 1 more?  Really?

Honestly?

Last time you were doing crunches - and you took a break mid-set - can you really tell me that you HONESTLY couldn't do one more crunch before your break?  Really?

Look at yourself in the mirror and answer this.  If you are being honest and pushing to failure, then HELL YES!  You're kicking ass and taking names :)  But for the other 99% of us, it's time to step it up.

I'm taking this as a personal challenge to get the most out of every set and every exercise I do from this point on.  I promise you - if we're working out together (in real life, in spirit, or in WOWY) I will be working harder than you.  Try to keep up.