interval training – Jenna Jamieson, Author

Music, rhythm, and workout inspiration!

By Jenna Jamieson | January 29, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

There are a few things about music that I absolutely LOVE: 1) It makes my workout go faster. 1, 2, 3 and you’re done in a flash! 2) It provides a great beat to ensure I keep up with my workout pace. 3) It helps me accomplish my goals through motivation. These are 3 things that will help you throughout your workout. Think of it as you + the music vs. your workout! 😉

Think of the world without music. Now, think of your workout without music. That would be something that is hard to consider for many of us because we use music to push us through our workout. The music almost becomes one with us because we want something to focus on besides our actual workout. Something that helps us become distracted and makes the workout go faster.

Another great thing about music is the beat it provides. I love this because it helps me stay on pace and go faster even when I am getting tired. It pushes me and challenges me so that I get through my entire workout and for that reason alone I think music is a perfect combination for working out. I have noticed that I try to stay with the beat of the music during my workout. Not that I actually “dance” throughout my interval training workout, but that I rhythmically do the exercises, staying in tune with the music. It helps me keep pace, stay focused, and makes my workout more fun! This is what makes music inspiration because it motivates and engages me during my workouts.

Music is a great way to make you happy, change your mood, and can help you accomplish your goals during your workout. With music, you can train your mind and body to move with the rhythm of the music, making your workout more challenging and fun! Further, music is a great way to help you accomplish your goals. Remember that it is important to be happy with whatever you accomplish because that along with music will help you to keep pushing forward! Music often makes you train harder so that you can pass your fitness and wellness goals.

If music isn’t your thing, try reading a book where you read 10 pages then run for 5 minutes, or some variation that works for you. The same can work for those who watch tv while they workout. You can run during commercials and walk during the program. Both options provide great interval training and that’s something that is great for your body. Interval training has actually been shown to be more beneficial than strictly running or walking.

So, next time you head to the gym, go outside for a run, or start your workout, you may just want to throw your earphones in as well! Happy skipping, moving, and working out to the music! 🙂

~jj

Slow, steady, and consistent wins the race ;-)

By Jenna Jamieson | October 23, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to write about today, but as I drove my boyfriend to work he brought up his half marathon that I “spectated” over the weekend…if you can even call it that! It was more like I got to see him start and finish the race, which honestly was a pleasure and while the 5:30am alarm was not what I would call pleasant, it was an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world. After all, it was his first half marathon and, well supporting him is what it’s all about, right?

I was people watching, talking, and kind of doing my own thing as I passed the time until my boyfriend would come running across the finish line. I began to believe and probably even realize that these half marathoners and full marathoners might be considered half crazy or completely crazy. (No disrespect to those who train, love, and compete in them, but I got this feeling the more I talked and overheard competitors discuss the race…most said race day would come and they would wake up feeling crazy!) Sure, I can get my butt out of bed to do interval training early in the morning because it’s fast paced, interval exercises that go quickly and are ever changing, but running? Really, are you kidding me? Get up at 5:30a and be ready and willing to run at 7am seems nuts! I hand it to any and all runners who choose to get up and run 13.1 or 26.2 miles before the sun has even begun to come up, but I will stick to my interval training that keeps me on my toes and my eyes wide open! That’s why a 5k would need to be fun or adventurous for me to take part. Maybe even a triathlon at some point…that would at least be more similar to high intensity interval training…kind of, right?!

So, you might be asking yourself what’s the point of this post? Talking about half and full marathon runners along with high intensity, fast paced interval training is like comparing apples to oranges…or is it?! This is where the important stuff comes in. 😉 Both are very different exercises and both fit different people’s lifestyles, interests, and personalities, but one thing is that both are workouts. And with workouts, especially running and long, cardio interval training is that the best way to maintain your workout is to go at a slow, steady, and consistent speed to maintain pace throughout your entire workout.

Whether it is running, interval training, yoga, or some other type of workout, it is best to build yourself up as you go through your workout. The best way to go about your workout without getting tired too soon is to realize that going at a slow, steady, and consistent speed will allow you to keep pace. Don’t challenge yourself or go fast too early in your workout. You should think of the beginning of your run or interval training as your “warm-up” so that you get your muscles moving, ready, and prepared for the middle part which should be the most challenging part of your workout. The middle part should push you to your limits. This is the part of your workout where you can increase your speed, increase the number of reps and sets, and set your goals higher than the beginning or end.

The moral of the story? We may all be different shapes and different sizes with different personalities, hobbies, interests, and even different fitness goals, but in the end we are all working out to stay healthy. So whether you are running, walking, doing interval training, or yoga you should still realize that we are all in it together when it comes to working out. This means we all need to maintain a slow, steady, ad consistent speed in order to get the most out of our workouts. After all, while being fast may seem to pump you up and get you going, it is slow, steady, and consistent that wins the race!

Happy running, training, and working out! 🙂

~jj