If you leave the gym with a damp T-shirt and sweaty brow, then you have probably just had a good workout. Although you don't have to sweat to get exercise, you will get better results if your workouts are more intense. Too many people take a leisurely stroll on the treadmill or workout with light weight dumbbells only to find they can't shed the pounds they want or build muscle. If your aren't seeing results then you may want to step up your workout. Work Your Muscles Harder If you are doing dumbbell curls, find a weight that you can lift 15 times. Beginning with that weight, lift for 15 reps then rest for 45 seconds, add 3-5 pounds, lift and curl for 10 reps, rest for 45 seconds. Finally, add another 3-5 pounds and lift that as many times as you can. By the eighth or ninth repetition, your arm should be exhausted and you should feel like you can barely lift it. If not, you need to add more weight. You need to challenge the muscle to see results. When the routine starts to feel too easy, add more weight to each step. Use this method with all free weight exercises for maximum benefit. Speed Up If you truly want a workout on the treadmill then you need to speed up. Use a scale of 1 (sitting) to 10 (sprint) to measure your physical exertion. You can begin your workout at a slow pace (2) to warm-up. Your warm-up should take 5-10 minutes. Build your intensity until you feel your exertion level reach a 5. Maintain this level for 5 minutes then increase the intensity to a level of 7-8. Maintain the 7-8 intensity for 1 minute then go back down to between 5 and 6 for 5 minutes. As you gain endurance, increase the 7-8 intensity level to two minutes and reduce the 5-6 level to 4 minutes. Continue these intervals for 30 minutes then gradually slow down the intensity to a 2 to cool down. Cool down for 5-10 minutes or until your heart rate returns to normal. Increasing your speed and intensity on the treadmill will increase the calories you burn and the cardiovascular benefit. Socialize Later While most people have a workout routine that minimizes time between sets of exercises, others treat a visit to the gym as a major social occasion. Skip the small talk. You lose intensity when you talk. You can't workout and talk at the same time. You need to concentrate on what you are doing and take it seriously. You will have a much more effective workout if you stick to a routine that minimizes or eliminates social time between sets. A few small changes in your visit to the gym will help you get the results you are looking for.
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