Pace and intensity

Scott Schwab:
I wanted to post on a couple of suggestions that I have for workouts that will completely drain you and make your body work as though it has never been worked before. The key to anything that you can do well, is to pick up the pace and intensity. So often we have the dragging butt syndrome where we go through the motions of an exercise routine and get little results. The #1 reason that people stop an exercise routine is disinterest based on the lack of results.
If you want results, you got to work for them. Simply going to the gym is a great first step or doing a routine is the first step, but it is not the last. Often times people will mention that they have been doing this or that and just have not seen the desired results. A lot of this has to do with lifestyle and eating habits. Ask yourself when you get to that point the am I questions?
Am I:
-Working as hard as I possibly can
-Changing up my workouts every 4-6 weeks
-Eating 4-6 meals per day
-Drinking my weight divided by two in WATER!!!
-Generally avoiding the binging of sugar and carbs
-Weight Training

Now I am not saying become a diet nun and deprive yourself of all the goodness. What I am saying is have a little self control. Have whatever you want, but eat small amounts and don't repeat the trend daily. All things in moderation is such a good idea, but many of us get down or frustrated and the gloves come off and we go toe to toe with the worst things we can find. You will find a lot more satisfaction in getting to the gym than eating everything in site. Talk yourself down from the ledge and find the desire to get to the gym. Here are some exercises that can help in the times of crisis.

Sprinting:
Nothing gets your heart working faster than doing some sprints. The trick is not to do one and call it a day. Do as many as you can with little to no rest in between. I realize that you are not a machine, but getting your blood pumping and your body moving will create a motion that is easier to continue.

Stairs:
Everyone has access to some stairs and would do well to put them into your life. If you can pick up the pace just a little and push yourself, you will find that your heart is racing and your legs are burning. Relax, it is normal to be out of breath and feel as though you have just done a marathon. This is a great way to get your legs and backside back in shape. Baby Got Back!

Curls:
Take light dumbbells and start pumping them with purpose. See how long you can go and just feel the burn. As your arms recover get back into it and see if you can match what you just did. The principle is called burn out and it will test your muscles and your hearts stamina. This way you can know how far to push your muscles and train your heart to keep up.

Jumping:
As if jumping or jump roping was not good enough, jumping in place for about 10 minutes is the equivalent to running 1 mile. So even if you don't have a jump rope, get somewhere where you can pick a point above your head and with hands above your head start jumping and touching that point. Do it as long as you can until your body gives in. Take a rest and repeat. Your body will get a full body workout with this and again your heart will be worked very rapidly.

Leg Lifts:
Laying on your back see how many times you can lift your feet off the ground and slowly bring it back until it almost touches and repeat. A little trick is to raise your head slightly off the ground. You will work your legs, but you will also work your deep abdominal muscles. Repeat the process each time seeing if you can do the same that you did or just one more. It will drive you to accomplish more.

Now, the trick is pace and intensity. You can do all these exercises together or you can do them separate. The key is to give everything you got and leave the rest on the field. You may not always like it, but you will feel better and the release of endorphins will help your mood and general happiness.