You've Got to Work Hard

I love going to the gym. I especially love watching what folks do at the gym. Some people coast through their workouts. Others sweat, grunt and throw weights on the floor. I've even seen some people reading the paper on a machine, but that's another story. So what does it really take to be fit? Can you just coast in your workout and see results? Unfortunately, the answer is no. What you did in your 20s just doesn't cut it in your 40s. Sure, you can still do the same kind of routine like cardio, strength training and stretching but it has to evolve as you age. For example, how many of you get on that leg abduction machine to slim down those outer thighs? When you were 20, maybe those exercises kept you "toned,"  however, when you're 40, the leg abduction machine just doesn't do the job. In fact, you'll be hard pressed to get results from sticking to fixed equipment like the leg extension and hamstring curl machines. So what do you do? Work your butt off. That's right, I said it. Squats, lunges, and high intensity training should be in your repertoire of training practices by now. If you're coasting through your workouts, you won't see results. If you wake up the next morning and the morning after without any evidence of a previous workout, you're not working hard enough. The days are gone for you to workout and not see any results. In order to be fit you have to exercise hard, focus and keep track of your progress. I'll talk about the importance of keeping a workout journal in a future post. In the meantime, work hard so you can see results.