After a very comfortable and unbroken sleep I woke up and felt very sore around my abdominal area. For most people, this would be an uncomfortable, perhaps irritating situation to be in, however it gives me a great deal of satisfaction. ‘Why would you take such pleasure from the pain Adam?’ – I hear you asking!
For those that are just getting started on their fitness journeys, it’s crucial to maximise your time and efforts during every workout session. It doesn’t matter whether the session takes place in the park, at the gym or even in your own home. You have to give your training everything and force your muscles into doing what they didn’t think they were capable of.
By doing so you’re tearing into the muscle fibres and when they repair during your rest days, they repair stronger than they were before. So waking up and feeling the pain means I’ve really pushed that particular area I worked on yesterday.
My advice is to workout 3-4 times per week, to allow a few days in between sessions to rest and allow the particular muscle group that you’d worked on the previous day, to recover and rebuild.
Never go to the gym on three consecutive days (unless you’re only doing some intense cardio) as your body needs to rest, and never work on the same muscle group on two consecutive days. Why? Because this will make your body more prone to injury and is a waste of your efforts when you could be working on a different muscle group.
Here’s an idea of my workout schedule:
Monday – Gym (Legs)
Tuesday – Gym (Arms)
Wednesday – Rest Day
Thursday – Gym (Chest)
Friday – Gym (Shoulders)
Saturday – “BodyTone” & “Abs” Classes
Sunday – Rest Day
As well as doing these pre-planned workout sessions. I also use the Slendertone Abs Belt at home whilst watching TV. This may sound like an ‘easy alternative’ but believe me, it’s just as tough as an Abs class and that’s exactly why I’m feeling sore this morning.
Adam