WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXERCISE LESS - AND STILL GET BETTER RESULTS?
Most people would probably say, with common sense, that it's not possible.
That it sounds too good to be true.
But what if I tell you that it is?
YOU CAN ACTUALLY TRAIN LESS - AND GET BETTER AND EVEN MORE SUSTAINABLE RESULTS
You can work out for as little as 5 minutes at a time daily (or several times a day if you have the energy) and get more out of it than sweating it out at spin class for hours on end, week after week.
HERE'S WHY:
IF you're going to get better results with as little as 5 minutes of exercise, it requires...
- Strength training with high quality training technique.
- Follow strategically programmed training programmes with built-in progression.
- That you have good contact with your muscles.
- Your breaks are long enough to allow you to train at full power in every repetition.
- That you eat enough real food and avoid low-calorie diets so that you have the energy to train short and intense workouts.
In other words, it doesn't matter what you do in those 5 minutes if you want visible and lasting results.
STRENGTH TRAINING COMES BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE
You won't get in shape with random group classes or exhausting workouts with lots of mindless repetitions at low weights. You won't get a flat stomach from doing hundreds of crunches without full tension.
It's not enough that it feels hard and your muscles tighten.
But maybe you're more into CrossFit?
The thing is, if you want to be able to do CrossFit without injury, you need a solid foundation of basic strength.
The same goes for running, which requires good mobility, coordination and power development.
This is where strength training comes in as your base for everything else in life.
Because when you get stronger, everything becomes much easier.
✔️ You'll have more desire to move and find it easier to get yourself together to exercise.
✔️ You'll have more energy (and time) for all the other fun things in your life.
✔️ You can move without pain or injury.
✔️Du You can eat more without gaining weight.
ARE YOU IN TOUCH WITH YOUR MUSCLES?
First, however, you need to reconnect with your muscles so you can recruit more muscle fibres with every repetition.
Nine out of ten women I've met and worked with struggle to fully activate their muscles.
Sedentary work and lack of rehabilitation after injuries or pregnancy can mean that some muscle groups are practically snoring.
Imagine that your brain is a GPS of your body's joints, muscles and their movements. If the GPS receives inaccurate signals from your sensing of joints and muscles (or from your vision or inner ear), the brain can't orientate itself accurately and will be uncomfortable developing full power. It may even get the idea to protect you from movement by sending pain signals or making you dizzy so you don't risk injury!
Without good and accurate orientation, moving quickly and powerfully can be dangerous. Just imagine what it would be like to run through a dark forest. You can almost feel how there would be brakes on your muscles, right?
If there are joints that don't have full range of motion and movements that you've been consciously or unconsciously avoiding for a long time, the brain's map of that body area becomes blurred and your movements become less precise.
This also means that the brain has a harder time dialling up the muscles - it may even swap them around.
✖️ You might lift with your lower back without your glutes getting to work - without your glutes being lifted.
✖️ You may be activating your front thighs without engaging your back thighs and inner thighs - and that doesn't make for toned rods!
✖️ You can do hundreds of sit-ups or push-ups - without getting a tighter stomach or toned arms.
When you can't fully activate your muscles and keep tension throughout the movement, you get less "time under tension" - and can wave goodbye to the full benefits of your workout.
You simply work less while exercising - even if it feels exhausting.
You work hard with sweat on your brow and the best of intentions, without getting the full benefit of your efforts... And really, would you want to go to work without getting paid or knowing you're making a difference?
No, you wouldn't!
MEET ANNA BOGDANOVA, BEHAVIOURAL DESIGN & TRAINING SPECIALIST
The last 15+ years I have been teaching tens of thousands of Danish women how to etablish and maintain a regular training routine with 5-minute micro-training sessions involving both the brain and muscles, so they can access much more strength, freedom, and energy in their everyday lives.
In my opinion, this highly effective training is the most important investment in your future.
At the moment, I am preparing my first international program, so make sure to stay tuned.