Let’s face it. If you’re like me, it’s
hard to resist that Halloween candy this time of year.
Whether you dipped into the stash while you handed it out
at the door, or sneaked some from your own kids trick or
treat bags (or just cut to the chase and bought a bag or
two for yourself), you overdid it just a bit. Maybe
it’s the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups that you
just can’t resist. Or the mini Twix, or
Hershey’s or Mr. Goodbars. You created your own
ghoulish monster.
Doesn’t really matter what it was, if you stepped on
the scale and saw a surprise or found your belt a little
tight around the middle – you packed on some extra
poundage on or around October 31st.
So, what’s the easiest way to get rid of that pound
or two of candy that’s found it’s way to your
belly, butt or thighs?
Couple of hours of boring cardio? Couple thousand situps
or crunches? Maybe starving yourself for a few days is the
answer. Truth is, none of these are the best way to drop
fat fast.
The real way to beat this post-Halloween curse is to add
some interval-type workouts to your routine.
Interval workouts are one of the best ways to burn calories
both while you’re exercising and long afterward.
They can also raise your metabolism and raise the levels of
natural fat busting substances in your body. Not only
that, the intensity of interval training can actually burn
more fat in a shorter period of time than traditional long,
slow cardio workouts.
So, how does one go about getting started?
Interval workouts are simply a way to alternate between
short bursts of high intensity exercise and longer, slower,
low intensity periods. For example: pedaling as fast as
you can on a bicycle for a few seconds, then slowing for a
minute or so, then ramping back up to an intense few
seconds, bringing it back down, and so on...
And one of the best ways to interval train doesn’t
take any special kind of equipment – no chrome
machines, no heart rate monitors, no fancy digital
readouts. All it takes is your own body… and a hill.
Hill training is extremely effective for a number of
reasons. When you do your intervals up hill, you are
improving both your strength and speed. You must
“lift” or “push” your body up the
hill against resistance – just like weight training
in the gym. The steeper or longer the hill, the more
resistance and the more intensity. The higher the
intensity, the better your results.
In addition to that, the incline of the hill actually makes
it safer for you to train than on flat ground. One way it
does this is by protecting your hamstrings. Because your
stride is slightly shortened when running up hill, your
hamstrings usually do not become over extended – a
common cause of pulls. Hill sprints also reduce the impact
of running on your lower legs, knees and back. Even a
slight grade can decrease the distance your body needs to
“fall” with each stride. Less distance means
less shock that your body needs to absorb.
And these are just a few of the many advantages of hill
sprints.
So, if you hit the candy dish a bit hard over the holiday,
give hill training a shot. It’s one of the quickest
and easiest ways to drop a few of those unwanted pounds
– not to mention those few extra inches on certain
parts of your bod. Don't let a little slip on Halloween
turn into a year-round nightmare.
Besides all that, this training only takes a few minutes to
complete. Short workouts, great results. Just the thing
to get you into the best shape of your life.
----------------------------------------------------
Tim Alan Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years
experience as an athlete and coach. He has developed
champion athletes across multiple sports through speed
training, strength improvement and conditioning. Coach K
is the author of the Uphill Fitness Training, and publishes
a FREE daily training email newsletter. Tim can be
contacted through his website at http://www.makesyoufast.com
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