The Extra Mile

“I don’t count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.”   -Muhammad Ali

This famous Ali quote is more than just an inspirational thought, it is a powerful health hack. During high intensity exercise, when you reach the point when your body wants to give up, those last few reps or that last mile just might be the most important part of your workout. 

Make sure you know your body enough to distinguish between exhaustion or “the burn” and injury. Unfortunately, many people rest just as they reach that threshold during exercise. As long as you focus and keep good form, this is the phase that will stimulate the most muscle-growth and fat-burning hormones. So build more muscle, lose more fat, and gain more willpower by putting in just 2-3 more reps, 1 more mile, or 30 more seconds!

Breathing During Exercise

How you breathe while you exercise affects the quality of your workout. How can we breathe to get the most out of our exercise?

The most well-known recommendation for breathing during exercise is exhaling at exertion. During a squat exercise, exhale as you extend up. During a dumbbell curl exercise, exhale as you pull the weight up to your chest. Inhale through the nose, diaphragmatically on the lowering motion in the squat and curl examples. 

It is sometimes less obvious during cardio exercises what the breathing cadence should be. This is a good word to remember-- cadence. When running or swimming, get into a rhythm that is comfortable and systematic. Some athletes breathe at a 3:2 ratio (exhale 3 seconds/steps/strokes, inhale 2 seconds/steps/strokes). Others breathe at a 1:1 ratio. Experiment with what feels comfortable for you and keep the pace. Allowing your breathing to get out of control during any exercise is more taxing on your body and doesn’t allow you to get the full benefit out of your workout. If you notice your breathing slipping out of control, slow down a bit and get back in control. Breathe in rhythm.

Do not hold your breath. Proper breathing will allow more blood flow through the body, comfort, and endurance during the workout, and avoid injury. Do not hold your breath.

Low-Impact, High-Yield Cardio Exercises

Always consult with your physician before exercising post-surgery, injury, or extended hiatus. That said, I often have patients who wonder how to have effective workouts even with sensitive joints, muscles, or pains. First and foremost, find something that is enjoyable for you and ease into a routine. The following are exercises that are low impact on muscles and joints but are extremely effective cardio. My patients have seen both fat loss and muscle growth with these types of exercises. 

  • Swimming

  • Bodyweight Training

  • Walking

  • Yoga

  • Rowing

  • TRX

  • Elliptical

  • Rope

  • Kettlebell