The Sweet Spot

  • I've been exercising (cardio) almost daily for about a month now. I feel pretty good, but every day it's a struggle to do it.

    I find that every session at around minute 25-30 I feel like the life has been sucked out of me and I want to stop, but if I push through I start to feel the high and my energy returns. Does anyone have an opinion on whether that sweet spot will always be around minute 30 or does it shift the longer one exercises regularly? I'd rather it come around minute 20 or so

    I should mention that I'm ususally exercising in the morning, fasted. Maybe that makes a difference.
  • The only comparison I can draw is to running. When I first made progress at running I just had to get past the 7 minute 30 second mark and then I felt like I could run forever before that "sweet spot" every run I had to argue with myself to keep going. As my running has progressed even more, that "sweet spot" is now at more like the 5 minute mark and creeping down toward 4 minutes 30 seconds. So I think the answer is yes! Keep up the good work!
  • To me, that feels like a long time to have to push on through. Maybe try eating 1/2 banana before your workout. That helps me (and I eat the other 1/2 afterwards).

    I can relate to the daily stuggle! You are definitely not alone.
  • I dont know if the sweet spot moves or if you really just get better at ignoring it.

    I know now anytime in the first 2 miles to just ignore the want to stop feeling but if I get to 3 and I havent loosened up yet I probably am not going to have a great run. But I have done 6 cycles of marathon training and I can say with great repetitiveness...2, 8, 16 miles are when I come out of a lull that usually starts about 5-10 minutes before. I just have to hang on through the lull