Author: Bonnie Pfiester

Every so often I see someone in the gym in a full-on sweat suit, complete with hoodie over their head, pouring out so much sweat it makes me hot just looking at them. Even sitting in a sauna wearing nothing but a swimsuit is pretty miserable in my opinion, much less exercising in those kinds of conditions.

Needless to say, people’s desperation to lose weight continues to fuel all kinds of crazy fads. The latest one is sweating it out. Ways to increase the heat and get your sweat on include wearing traditional sweats, plastics sweat suits (also called sauna suits), sweat belts and even wearing garbage bags. Listen, the only time I’ve ever run wearing a plastic garbage bag is when I didn’t have an umbrella, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. Call me crazy, but wearing any of those things during a workout seems like torture.

So, why are people so eager to sweat it out? Their goal is to lose weight, but does sweating more really help?

How It Works

Sweating it out in clothing that makes you sweat more is nothing new. Athletes, like bodybuilders, boxers and mixed martial arts fighters, have been using this trick to make weight for years. The idea is to maintain increased body heat throughout the workout.

In normal circumstances, your body uses sweat as a cooling system to help regulate your body temperature. When your body gets to a certain temperature, your sweat glands begin to produce sweat. The cooling affect begins as the sweat evaporates off your skin.

If the body is wrapped in thick clothing or plastic, sweat is unable to evaporate and the cooling system fails. Your body will then continue to produce sweat in attempt to regulate body temperature. The end result is sopping wet clothes and a lot of fluid lost.

Will you weigh less after running in a 30-gallon multipurpose garbage bag? Yes, but the weight loss is simply from a loss of fluids – not fat. It is a very temporary weight loss, and is not a healthy weight loss at all. Your body weight will go right back up as soon as you eat or drink again.

Pros & Cons

If you need to lose weight very fast, sweating off the pounds works like a charm. My husband drove three hours to a bodybuilding competition in sweats with the seat warmers on and heat on full blast (in the middle of the summer) to make weight for a bodybuilding competition. It was the most miserable ride of my life but he made weight and won his class.

While sweating the weight off is a necessary evil in some sports, the risks outweigh the benefits for traditional exercise. Since your body is approximately 75% water, and requires ample fluids for your body to function properly, this kind of dehydration can be detrimental to your health.

In case you aren’t completely convinced yet, losing this amount of water and electrolytes can cause heat exhaustion, which can then lead to cardiac arrest. This is not something anyone should take lightly or try without supervision. Unless you are an athlete who has to make weight to compete, I’d say you should put the trash bag back in the garbage can.

Let’s be honest here. People don’t just want to lose weight, they want to lose fat. Everyone, in my opinion, should stop using the title ‘weight loss programs’ and start calling them ‘fat loss programs’. Losing excess fat should be the goal, not losing any kind of weight at all. Fat is unattractive. It’s bumpy, flabby, unshapely and downright unhealthy. Water, on the other hand, is essential for your health.

The truth is, if something sounds too good to be true it normally is. Weight loss is more than what you wear, but more about what you do. The only safe way to really lose unwanted pounds, and lose it for good, is to decrease calories (while improving the quality of food choices) and increase activity.

The good news is you don’t have to look absolutely ridiculous wearing a sweat suit to your gym in the middle of the summer. And, the more comfortable you are during the workout, the more likely you are to stick with it.

The Bottom Line: Fit or Flop?

So, when it comes to exercise attire, stay cool and wear what you feel good in. Have fun with your fitness fashion and save your sweats for the winter. While some fitness fads are worth trying, sweating it out is a big fat flop.

FIT TIP:The American Council of Exercise recommends drinking 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost in exercise. Not sure how much you lose working out? Just for kicks, try weighing yourself before and after your workout.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion:

Confusion

Dizziness

Fainting

Fatique

Pale Skin

Profuse Sweating

Dark-colored urine

Headache

Muscle Cramps

Rapid Heartrate

Nausea

Vomiting

Diarrhea

There is a honeymoon phase in all areas of life. Most of us had it when we began a new school year growing up. We experience it when we start a new job or business venture. The honeymoon phase is something we all enter when we start anything new—including a new health and fitness program.

So how do we make it last? If you want to keep the honeymoon feeling alive, there’s no better example to look to than marriage.

When people fall in love, they get married and go on the time-honored honeymoon. While it isn’t realistic to stay on your honeymoon forever (most of us have jobs and have to go back to reality eventually), we can take steps to keep the honeymoon feeling alive beyond the vacation.

Of course we’re focused on fitness here, but marriage and fitness have a number of overlapping principles. Here are some practical tips we can use to help keep the fitness honeymoon alive.

1. Remember why you started.

When I first met my husband, I was completely smitten with him. I loved the way he made me feel so special. I loved his romantic heart and Prince Charming appeal. I even loved his silly jokes. He often teases me saying, “you’re going to miss my jokes when I’m gone.” And the truth is, while sometimes they drive me crazy, I know I would.

It’s easy to lose sight of what made us fall in love with fitness to begin with. We forget all the benefits we gained when we started our fitness relationship—the strength, the stamina, the energy, the improved quality of life, and each little victory we experienced along the way. We begin to take our fitness for granted. Sound familiar?

If we want to keep the honeymoon going, like in a marriage, we have to focus on all the reasons we fell in love with fitness in the first place.

2. Continue the same effort level you had when you started.

When it comes to courting a new mate, there is a certain level of work involved. Dates are planned out perfectly. There is a lot of effort put into appearance and first impressions, as well as overall attitude and behavior.

Men are typically more polite, pulling out chairs and opening doors for their lady. Women are often more respectful, never daring to argue over where to eat or what to do. A date can look very different 20 years into a relationship. That doesn’t have to be the case, however—and it surely doesn’t have to be the case with your fitness journey either.

If you want to keep the honeymoon alive, the first step is to go back to the courtship. If the honeymoon seems to be over, think back to what you did in the beginning of your fitness journey and begin investing the same energy as you did to get fit to stay fit.

3. Keep making new discoveries.

When we begin a new relationship, we spend a lot of time getting to know our mate, learning about what make them tick. We want to know their favorite color, what makes them mad, and what makes them happy. Every new discovery is exciting.

When we start a new fitness program, we are also excited about learning. We are eager to invest the time it takes to understand fitness better. However, we risk losing that excitement if we quit making these discoveries.

4. Keep things fresh and exciting.

As you continue to explore new workouts and methods, you will have more opportunities to try new things. Since there are so many different types of workouts, there is really no excuse to let a workout get boring. Complacency kills. If you are too lazy to venture out of your comfort zone and try new things, you can lose interest very quickly—and your love for fitness will die.

5. Don’t let your guard down.

One of the biggest mistakes a married couple can make is to get complacent and let their guard down. There will always be temptations. We risk falling the minute we think we are strong enough to push the boundaries.

A newlywed is always more protective over their new sweetheart because they see their value. If you want to keep the fitness honeymoon alive, you must set up protective boundaries. You need to establish rules to hold yourself accountable and to protect your investment. As you build this hedge of protection around your health, you will prevent attacks that could lead you astray. The longer you stay committed, the more valuable your health will become—and you’ll learn to cherish it more and more each day.

Fitness trends come and go. One of those trends is the tennis shoe which claims to tone your legs and buttocks, referred to as a “toning shoe”. While a toning shoe design does force the legs to work a little more than a shoe with increased stability, toning shoes are often misused and misunderstood.

The main principle behind the design of a toning shoe is to create a shoe that is unstable, forcing you to use your leg muscles to stabilize your body. The action is not extreme, but can strengthen stabilization muscles in the legs and improve balance over time.

Most brands will conduct studies to prove their theory and use the data for advertising. While the data may indeed show increased muscle action while wearing the shoe, it is unrealistic to rely solely on changing your tennis shoes to change your physique. What a toning shoe can do for the body pales in comparison to traditional exercise and diet.

Since the shoes are specifically designed to be unstable, the chance of rolling your ankle, or falling, is much greater. If you plan on wearing toning shoes to your favorite aerobics class you may actually risk injury.

Toning shoes shouldn’t replace exercise. When it comes to relying on the shoe to tone your legs, you really cannot compare a toning shoe with traditional leg exercises. If you planned on trading leg machines for toning shoes you will be very disappointed. For best results, continue lower body exercises and wear toning shoes during regular daily activity.

Changing shoes will not reshape your legs.

Yet, while wearing a toning shoe alone may not reshape your legs, the trendy shoe may inspire more people to increase their activity. Toning shoes can improve physical awareness and give some people the mental boost they need to become more active. No matter what the shoes claim, if the shoes spark activity then they have made a positive impact.

There will always be a new fitness trend or fad. The key is to have realistic expectations. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There are plenty of fantastic products on the market, but know how to use them to enhance your workouts, not replace them. Remember, there is no great result that comes from little effort. Minor changes normally do not bring about major results.

Although each brand of toning shoe may be shaped differently, their message is similar and many times their claims are exaggerated. Due to these embellished claims, toning shoes are often purchased with high hopes and little understanding of what they actually can and cannot do.

As a result, optimistic consumers either rely too heavily on simply wearing the toning shoes to magically tone their body without exercise, or they use the shoes for the wrong types of exercises when they do workout. While toning shoes do have some benefits, consumers should have more realistic expectations and know how to use them properly.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

People seem to be more than willing to work overtime at the gym to make up for their poor eating habits at home.
Will they get stronger and fitter? Sure. Will they lose fat? That depends.
To be honest, we are all a little delusional when it comes to our perceived effort. We like to think we are near superhero status in the gym, sweating it out in full-on beast mode. But the reality is that just because we look like a beast in our Facebook posts doesn’t mean we truly are training like one.
Some of the same people who look like they are hardcore fitness fanatics on their social media pages mope along on the treadmill at the pace of a senior citizen with a double hip replacement. Or worse, I see people looking like they are really getting it on the elliptical, with their arms and feet going at warp speed only because they have the elliptical on the lowest resistance level available. Needless to say, while they are definitely increasing activity and improving their health, they are missing the real calorie-scorching benefit their body needs to erase their past food sins.

I’m a beast on Facebook

Just because you post your workout on Facebook doesn’t mean it’s worth posting. A more honest approach to fitness would be if people posted all the food they ate throughout the day too. Then everyone would understand why these Facebook fitness freaks live at the gym. They have to work off all the calories they consume when they’re not at the gym.
As a trainer, I work really hard to convince people to be as disciplined in the kitchen as they are in the gym. I personally prefer that people adopt a workout plan that is not too extreme. In my opinion it is better to manage your weight with a healthy low-calorie diet and moderate exercise plan than to work out like crazy because you are eating like crazy. No matter what I prefer, there will always be people out there who just want to burn as many calories as they can so they can drink and eat as much as they can.

Will run for beer

People will do anything to keep their favorite food or drink habit. Mud runs are a perfect example of how this mindset has changed the world of fitness. I guess the thought is if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Marathons and 5Ks have taken a backseat to more entertaining fitness events, like mud runs and obstacle courses that include rock bands, turkey legs, energy drinks, and beer. There is even a Great American Bacon Race that ends with three free bacon stations. Who would ever have thought of eating bacon after going for a run? At least beer is cold and refreshing.
The fact that many races have added high-calorie refreshments to the end of their events is just more proof people don’t mind the work as long as they can still have a tasty reward.

Beast mode vs feast mode

There are plenty of people who refuse to give up their favorite indulgence and opt instead to do double duty in the gym. They seek out the hardest workout possible to make up for their lack of strength in the kitchen and don’t bat an eye in the process. Personally, I’m too lazy for that and would prefer to just eat less.
However, if you can relate to what I’m talking about here, then it will be worth your while to continue reading along and make sure you are choosing the most effective workout possible.

Top 10 Calorie Killers

1. Calisthenics – You may be wondering what the heck calisthenics is. It’s just a fancy name for old school bodyweight exercises you did in grade school, like pushups, situps, squats, and jumping jacks. What I love about calisthenics is that it not only burns calories, but it requires no tools and shapes up the entire body. One hour of vigorous calisthenics burns approximately 500 calories. (Approximate calories for each exercise is based on a 150-pound person.)
2. Circuit Training – Circuit training is a fast-paced resistance workout using moderate weights at high repetitions. Circuit training typically uses weight machines or free weights and burns more calories than traditional weight training because there is less rest time. This style of resistance training also works the body aerobically, getting the heart pounding and muscles pumping all in one intense workout. One hour of vigorous circuit training also burns approximately 500 calories.
3. Jump Rope – I’ll never forget the time I grabbed a jump rope and thought I’d get a really good workout in, only to fall to the ground after five minutes. All of the times I saw Rocky jumping rope like it was nothing made me think that I could grab a rope and crank up “Eye of the Tiger” on my stereo for a workout to remember. I remember it all right. I remember dying of exhaustion and boredom too. Jumping rope was a big fat fail for me, but if you can sustain jumping rope for an hour, go for it! An hour of jumping rope will burn approximately 557 calories. Mix in a few double-unders, and I’m sure you’ll burn even more.
4. Running – Running is inexpensive, requires very little equipment, and burns a ton of calories too. Again, most people would not be able to keep a fast pace for a solid hour, but you’ll burn a ton of calories if you can. While running doesn’t strengthen and tone the entire body like calisthenics or circuit training, it does support weight loss and kill some fat for sure. One hour of running at six miles per hour (10-minute mile) burns approximately 629 calories.
5. HIIT – High-intensity interval training not only burns loads of calories during the workout, but it has been proven to increase your calorie burn for up to 48 hours after your workout. More moderate training only really increases calories burned during the workout, so HIIT training is definitely at the top of my list for best workouts, up there with calisthenics and circuit training.
Since HIIT workouts vary in intensity and style–ranging in work-to-rest ratios from 1:2, 1:3, 2:1, or 1:1–it is hard to calculate approximate calorie burn. However, you could burn an average of 9 to 13 calories per minute in a workout implementing HIIT training, and up to 12 to 16 calories a minute during the more intense segments of a HIIT workout. After doing a little research online, I found people were burning anywhere between 540 to 960 calories per hour depending on resistance, intensity, and rest time.
6. Kickboxing – Kickboxing is one of my favorite ways to burn calories. Maybe it’s because I like feeling tough and pretending to punch and kick things, but I definitely won’t kick myself when it’s over because this workout is well worth the investment. You can jab, cross, hook, and kick your calories to the curb with this fat-melting workout. Kickboxing burns approximately 579 calories per hour–and probably a little more if you go to a class like I do, which has a buttload of burpees, squats, and plyos mixed in too.
7. Cycling – When I talk about riding a bicycle, I’m not talking about taking your beach cruiser for a stroll around the block. No, I’m talking about getting on that bike and spinning those pedals as fast as you can for an hour. If you can manage to really pump out some rotations, then you will melt fat for sure. Cycling at 14 to 15.9 miles per hour burns approximately 643 calories per hour.
8. Step Aerobics – Not all step aerobics are created equal, so it’s a bit hard to guesstimate how many calories you burn in your favorite step class. Regardless, it’s probably not too shabby. Whether you are doing low-impact or super high-impact step aerobics, you will burn between 460 and 660 calories per hour. Throw on an extra riser and step things up to make the most of your step class.
9. Elliptical – The elliptical is another exercise for which it’s hard to predict calorie burn because there are so many variables. Most ellipticals have different resistance levels, ramp adjustments, and the option to use handles or go without. As a result, it’s hard to determine how many calories you may burn during your elliptical workout. I can, however, give you some examples.
According to the Lose It! app, a light elliptical workout may burn 429 calories per hour, versus 643 calories for a very vigorous elliptical workout. There are four different intensities to choose from in the Lose It! app: light, moderate, vigorous, and very vigorous. Each level adds about 70 calories each time you bump up the level. The bottom line is, don’t get on an elliptical at level one thinking you’re going to burn off those French fries. Pump up the resistance to pump up your results.
10. Swimming – Swimming is a great alternative to traditional cardio for people who have physical limitations or joint issues. It doesn’t burn as many calories as I expected, however. One hour of freestyle swimming at a moderate pace only burns 343 calories per hour. Of course, that’s better than nothing if you are limited and have to take the weight off your joints during your cardiovascular workout. Just don’t expect to burn a ton of calories despite how winded you get in the water. Weight-bearing exercises always tend to burn more calories than seated exercises or exercises in the water.

I’ll never forget my first CrossFit workout. Reebok flew my husband and I out to visit their headquarters to get a sneak peak of all their newest apparel before they hit stores. Part of this exciting trip included getting a bunch of new gear and working out with some of Reebok’s CrossFit pros.

Getting new digs sounded fun to me, but working out with elite CrossFit athletes scared the bejesus out of me. I barely like to workout, much less workout out until I bleed or pass out on the floor. I had heard about those crazy CrossFitters. I had seen their bloody calluses on facebook and bruised stripes all over their legs from all their double-unders. They really seem to like pain. Me, not so much.

While I had never done a CrossFit workout before, my husband, Steve Pfiester, was very familiar with CrossFit and had just received his CrossFit Level 1 Certification. He told me the stories of how he thought he was going to die during “Fran” (I’ll explain Fran later). Anyway, unlike me, Steve was very excited to workout with the pros and give the workout everything he had.

I, on the other hand, knew it was going to be the longest workout of my life. I hate the unknown. I hate trying new things. I also hate pain, which I was pretty sure was inevitable. I also loathe being in a place where I have to compete with others. I despise the pressure, and I knew they weren’t going to tame it down for us one bit. I expect their trainers wanted to give us the gnarliest workout possible. And, they probably were not going to be happy unless someone puked – and I did not want that puking pathetic soul to be me.

While I may be strong and fit, I am no professional athlete. While, I admit, there were others in our group that seemed less fit than me, they didn’t seem the least bit worried about this workout. Maybe they were just better at hiding it. Whatever the case, my heart rate started increasing as soon as we started walking to Reebok CrossFit One, located on their headquarters’ campus. I seriously was a certified nervous wreck.

As soon as we walked in, everyone was super nice and welcoming. Of course they have to be nice at first so we wouldn’t run away before the workout began. After greeting us, they took us to the white board to discuss the workout. I knew they were dividing us up in teams and I wasn’t going to be with Steve. This frightened me even more. There went my security blanket. I now actually had to absorb what they were explaining and not look like a complete idiot. “I can do this,” I kept telling myself. However, I walked away still having no clue what they just explained to me.

The trainers spoke in some other language. It sounded like English, but they seemed to have a secret code.  Even though I had been in the fitness world for more than twenty years, I felt like I had never been in a gym in my entire life. “Were they enjoying making us feel completely pathetic,” I wondered?

The trainers called everyone by the door to get the workout started. My team leader shouted out, “Does anyone like to run”? “Yes!” I said, “I love to run.” Truth is, I don’t really love to run, but I know how to run – and I expected I’d be better at running than using some of the other torture devices they had laying out for us.

I had one very brief moment of relief that I could actually do something they were asking me to do. Then they push me to the front and said, “Good, you will run for our team”. The relief went away and panic came right back. I realized I’d be racing against all the other team runners. Did I mention how much I dislike competing? Well, just in case you missed it, I really dislike competing.

The workout had a combination of everything. We did box jumps, pull-ups, overhead holds, push presses and all kinds of stuff. In the end, while I might have fought the whole process, I survived the workout. I could barely breath the whole time, but I lived. I didn’t puke and they didn’t have to bring out the AED. So, overall, it went well I guess. However, I did realize a few things about CrossFit that day.

There are things that go on during a CrossFit workout that would never fly in any other public establishment. Here are just a few things I noticed.

1. They abruptly strip their clothes off when they get hot. Seriously, this isn’t one of those things many people would complain about, but I have to admit it took me by surprise. Everyone started the workout fully clothed, but by the time the workout was over, everyone was half naked.

I know our gym members would totally freak if we let members take their shirts off during their workout. I can only imagine all the complaints I’d get about their sweat getting everywhere, not to mention the people who would be plain-out offended to see a bare chest or sports bra. Our germaphobes would be spraying down everything and I’d eventually have a riot on my hands. But, I’m not alone. Let’s face it, most places have the “no shirts, no shoes, no service” motto, probably, for a good reason.

2. They speak in codes and acronyms. I understand that different organizations have acronyms for different things to make communicating a little easier, but CrossFitters don’t just speak in code in the gym. They speak in code everywhere they go. It is almost like a special code they speak to let other CrossFitters know they are in the special group, and to let everyone else know they aren’t.

Though I don’t believe the purpose is to make you feel stupid, it does seem to leave everyone listening in complete confusion. Maybe it would help if CrossFit came out with a “How To Be a Friend with a CrossFitter” book. This way people could join their conversations without feeling completely lost.

3. They are constantly talking about girls. They complain about how much they hate Annie or how Mary kicked their butt. Some of the talk is downright dirty sounding. I mean, what would you think if someone asked you how fast you did Fran or hear someone compliment a friend on their snatch?

Most people don’t know that Fran is a workout and a good snatch is an Olympic lift done with food form. The whole CrossFit lingo is a bit edgy and would probably need to be modified if you wanted to talk about CrossFit in church.

4. They spend a lot of time on the ground. When a CrossFitter gets tired, they just fall down wherever they are and lay down in their pool of sweat. Can you imagine if I collapsed on aisle 3 in the grocery store? How about if I decided to fall to the ground in the middle of my golf game? Every nurse, doctor and candy striper in site would run to my aid. You just don’t see that in most public places, and if you do, someone is calling an ambulance. Floors are nasty and everyone knows you aren’t supposed to get on the floor unless you trip and fall.

CrossFitters don’t care about germs or dirt. They actually are proud when their workout ends with some face to floor time – so much so, they will be sure to take a selfie to capture their proud moment.  Try that anywhere else, and the cops will ask you to leave the premises.

5. They seem to enjoy awkward moments.  As if it the verbal sexual innuendos are not already edgy enough, they love to share their wild slang on clothing and social media. Is it a chance to talk dirty and get away with it, or do they just like creating awkward moments? Maybe I’m just a bit of a prude, but I think I’ll stick to wearing fitness clothing with motivational quotes on them.

6. They make up new terminology for normal gym stuff. CrossFitters don’t go to a gym, they go to a box. They don’t do a workout, they do a WOD. They call cheating kipping, which is totally acceptable during your WOD in your box.  Since kipping looks a lot like someone having a seizure while attempting a pull-up, you may not want to do this in a traditional gym unless you want immediate medical attention.

Also, written workout programs are not just workout routines, they are prescri
ptions in the CrossFit world. While they don’t call it a prescription, they use the RX prescription term all the time. If they complete the workout as written, they say they RXed it, which means they did the workout as prescribed. What they really should tell you is that if you RX a workout, you will need an actual real prescription to manage the pain afterwards.

7. They celebrate and encourage pain. I don’t know about you, but I am never excited about throwing up. There are many things I try to avoid and throwing up is one of them. Getting blisters is not too far behind barfing. Yet, the CrossFit community seems to really love bleeding palms, puking their guts out, whipping their body with speed ropes and showing off their scrapes and bruises from box jumps and muscle ups.

The more battle wounds someone has the better, it seems. I guess if you aren’t strong enough to RX a workout, at least you can look tough if you walk away with evidence of a really good beating.  But don’t worry. If you don’t get hurt working out, you can always wear a really tough shirt with a hardcore CrossFit slogan using the F-word on it so everyone knows just how tough you really are.

CrossFun

CrossFit isn’t the only organization or hobby to make an easy target for a rant or Saturday Night Live skit. The world of sports and fitness is full of funny slang words and silly practices – especially in the eyes of an outsider. In all honesty, I could come up with the same number of funny jokes (or more!) for the bodybuilding world too.

The truth is, as a trainer, I personally use a lot of CrossFit training principles. CrossFit, when done right, and under the right leadership, can be very safe and fun. But, when you think outside the CrossFit box, CrossFit can be downright funny.

If you are in search for a new workout routine, you may not need to do a new set of exercises. You can completely change your existing workout program simply by adjusting your repetition speed.

Everyone has a comfortable pace they naturally follow when lifting weights. When you change that pace, it challenges your body in an entirely different manner. By using a smartphone metronome app like MetroTimer, you can set a specific pace for each repetition to get a totally different workout, using the same exercises you are already using.

Here are three suggested paces to put to the test:

Slow: 45 Beats Per Minute

It is easy to think going slower means going easier, but moving resistance slower can actually be even more difficult. By slowing down the pace of each repetition, you increase intensity and decrease momentum.

Set your metronome for 45 beats per minute. In a very robotic fashion, only move the resistance when the metronome beeps, making sure to move in a full range of motion. Move the weight up on the first beep and back down on the next beep. If your exercise has several movements, like a burpee, you will perform each separate movement to the beat. Force yourself to stick with the pace and not get ahead of the tempo. Continue for a predetermined number of repetitions or for a set amount of time.

Medium: 90 Beats Per Minute

This pace will likely feel normal and natural. However, after doing the exercise for a few repetitions at a slow pace, even a normal tempo can become more challenging.

Set your metronome for 90 beats per minute. Begin each movement at the beat, staying with the tempo for the same repetitions or time.

Fast: 135 Beats Per Minute

The faster tempo will be extremely difficult to keep up with and will challenge your endurance, power, speed, and coordination. Try your best to stay with the set pace. Depending on the exercise, you may not be able to do each repetition in a complete full range of motion, but do your best.

Sample Metronome Workout:

For a sculpting workout, do each bodyweight exercise for ten repetitions slow, ten repetitions medium, and ten repetitions fast. Take little to no rest between exercises, resting only after all three paces are done. Turn the same workout into more of a conditioning circuit by doing all the slow exercises first, followed by the medium-paced exercises and finishing with the fast exercises. Take little to no rest in between exercises during this entire workout to increase intensity even more.

Simple Metronome Full Body Workout

10 Push Ups Slow

10 Push Ups Medium

10 Push Ups Fast

10 Sit Ups Slow

10 Sit Ups Medium

10 Sit Ups Fast

10 Burpees Slow

10 Burpees Medium

10 Burpees Fast