10 Ways to Put More in Your Workouts

  • Published
  • By Kristina Conwill
  • 14th Medical Operations Squadron
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss --  Rumors abound as the new Air Force Fitness Operating Instruction is pending release. Our goal at the 14th Medical Group and the Health and Wellness Center is that airmen continue to exercise properly in anticipation for the pending changes in our Air Force Fitness Program. Therefore, I have put together some things you can start to work on now, while you have plenty of time to prepare for those changes anticipated after Jan 1, 2010.
It is important to consider when altering your fitness regimen or increasing the intensity of your workouts that you proceed slowly, yet challenge yourself to obtain maximal benefit. Changing the way you exercise stimulates your body in new ways that can help take your fitness to another level.
Below are some ways you can make your workouts more challenging, beneficial, and effective, as you prepare for the new Air Force fitness standards. Remember, it is not about being fit to test. It is about overall well-being, keeping you healthy and disease free so you can be fit to fight!

1. Exercise for a longer duration. One of the simplest ways of increasing the demands you place on your cardiovascular system during physical activity is to extend the duration of your exercise session. To a given point, the longer you work out, the greater the exercise-related rewards you will achieve.
2. Exercise at a higher rate of speed. All factors being equal, when you exercise aerobically, the faster you move your body the more you will perform within a given amount of time. If you want to improve your 1.5 mile run time then begin to incorporate speed sessions to increase your leg turnover and improve your cardiovascular system. An example speed session would be to run a lap at a pace 10 to 15 seconds faster than your regular 1.5 mile pace. Walk the next, and then run another lap. Continue the cycle until you have ran a total of six laps using the faster pace. Simply adding 1 or 2 speed sessions per week for 4 to 6 weeks can take :30 seconds to 2 minutes off your initial run time depending on each individual's current physical condition.
3. Increase the distance during aerobic conditioning. Regardless of whether you are walking, cycling, rowing, running, etc., the greater distance you move when you are exercising, the greater demand you place on the cardiovascular system and the more work you accomplish. Distance is one of those factors that can easily be manipulated when you want to increase the amount of work you perform during an exercise session.
4. Cross train. Cross training is characterized by a variety of intensities and combination of training methods. Research shows that placing different demands (i.e. aerobic and anaerobic) on the body provides many benefits such as improved performance, decreased risk of injury, improved recovery and increased motivation. Obstacle courses are a great example of a cross training event; running between obstacles provides a cardio workout while negotiating the obstacle requires a muscular strength component. Try to plan a work out like it was an obstacle course, running laps on the track and then immediately dropping down to do push-ups and crunches or you can alternate aerobics with weight training. By varying intensities and activities, you will keep muscles "guessing" and push yourself to a new level of fitness.
5. Varying elevation during training. Changing the elevation when you train provides a challenging way that can increase how hard you work when you are exercising. Simply changing the body's vertical incline requires an increased workload imposed by gravity. The increase of the body's vertical incline produces more work on the cardiovascular system. Two of the most common elevation training methods are running/walking hills or exercising on a treadmill using the incline feature.
6. Increase the amount of weight. The basic concept underlying sound strength training is progressive overload. For a tissue or organ to improve its function, it must be exposed to a load to which it is not normally accustomed. Proper overload must be done in manageable increments to allow time for adaptation and avoid injury. As your muscles become stronger, a proportionally higher level of resistance is required to stimulate the muscle and increase strength. The more you lift, the more work you do, the more calories you burn. For example, try to increase the amount of weight you use every week or two for a particular exercise. It does not have to be a lot, even 1-2 pounds can really add up over the course of several months. Try the same with your pushups and crunches as well. Every workout try to push just one more out than you did the previous session.
7. Eccentric-accentuated training. Resistance training involves two types of muscular actions -concentric (shortening of the muscle) occurs when you lift a weight and eccentric (lengthening of the muscle) happens when you lower a weight. Typically, you can lower more weight than you can lift, primarily because of the effects of gravity. This technique of training involves performing the concentric phase (lifting of the weight) and then lowering the weight at a slower rate compared to the concentric movement. Eccentric accentuated training does not require one to train with extremely heavy weights. This training is very effective with lower weights and higher repetitions, as well.
8. Avoid off loading your body while exercising. Too many times members are in the fitness center hanging on to the treadmill while exercising. Such a practice usually enables a person to train longer or feel more comfortable but it should be avoided because it does dramatically decrease the workload on the body. If you feel uncomfortable then decrease the speed until you become comfortable on the treadmill without having to off load your body while exercising.
9. Incorporate your core during training. The core is our source of stability and power. It involves the transverse abdominus muscles, oblique muscles, pelvic floor muscles and the latisumus dorsi. Incorporating your core during both aerobic and anaerobic training has many benefits. It improves performance, improves posture, reduces injury, provides stability during training and helps with functional movement. There is a simple exercise that you can do that can teach you how to consciously involve those muscles. Grab a 5lb weight. Stand with her feet shoulder with apart, soft knees, and raise the 5lb weight until it is straight out in front of you parallel to the floor, hold for 30 seconds/1minute. Your arms should not be bent. This exercise is quite easy. Now, grab a weight that is heavier (10-15lbs) and complete the same process. Be sure to hold for 30 seconds/1minute. It is difficult to hold this weight without engaging your core.
10. M &M Theory. I use this when I train individuals who are new to resistance training. I personally call this the Mind & Muscle Theory. Your mind is a powerful tool to improve performance. Focus on the muscles you are training. A crucial part of training is focusing on performance and not thinking about what you are going to do when you get home or what you are going to buy at the grocery store. Do not allow your mind to drift. Stay connected to your training. Athlete's often call this the "zone". It is one's ability to stop the transfer of intrusive thoughts.
As the new fitness standards make their way into the Air Force, members will be required to perform at a higher physical level. Those who struggle to meet standards now should begin to utilize a workout program that will set them up for success in the future. Remember, your body is built to adapt physically to the stresses you place on it. If you settle into the same old routine and no longer push yourself to do more, your fitness level will stop improving. By incorporating the above suggestions to your workout, you can help to push your body beyond the "usual routine" and reach new levels of physical performance. For questions or help designing your new workout, feel free to contact your unit physical training leader or me, Kristina Conwill, at the Health and Wellness Center at 434-2908.