Should I push myself more?
 

After reading some of the other threads, I've been realising that most people walk 4.0 mph. Well, I've been excersing on the treadmill for a few days now, and go through a preset program called the interval walker. I do this two times a day, once in the morning, and once in the evening; 30 minutes each.

Basically, it starts at 3.0 mph, and slowly builds up speed to 4.0 mph where it holds that speed for three minutes, then goes back to 3.0 and repeats the process. I feel like I am getting the workout I need, but I could be wrong. After seeing that a lot of the members are walking at much faster rates, I feel inclined to push myself further.

However, I already build up quite a sweat by the end of the 30 minute walk, and I don't want to push myself too much. Do you think I should just stay with the program I already have, or should I push myself forward? Any advice or personal experience would be appreciated :P.

Anthony- I believe that you should do what feels good to you. If you are comfortable with your program, you feel that it is working for you and you are sweating and getting results, then stick with it. Don't do what others are doing, do what is right for you. When you feel that you are ready to change or go faster, then do it at that poinjt. The thing is to make sure that you continue to do it. If you push yourself too much, you may push yourself away from it all together! Just my advice. Take care.

Hi Anthony,

stay as you are! You should work to your own body's limits and increase your pace, time, inclination, etc as YOU feel able. Remember, you don't know how long those other people have been doing it, or how slowly they started. You are just reading where they are at now!

Please just listen to your own body and push yourself only at your own pace.

I am a fitness instructor so I can give you any advice you might need. But just now it sounds as though you are doing just fine!!

If you need a quick hint regarding how hard to push yourself, you should be able to carry on a conversation while exercising without being winded. If you are, slow down, if not you can pick it up just a bit a little at a time. As you build up resistance, you will find you can do more and more so easy does it at first!

gma - is that why the instructors always want to talk to you when they take you through the intro to the gym? I thought that they were just sadistic!

Hi BabyGraf,

No we're just sadistic!

Seriously though all exercise instructors, whether gym, studio or community oriented should try to get the client to talk for no other reason than to make sure that, at that moment, they are capable of it.

If you are working on your own and think you might be going a bit hard the easiest test is to say your telephone number, including dialling code, out loud. You should be able to say it in one go, without having to take a breath.

This is the same whatever exercise you are doing, if you are doing it for health reasons rather than traiing for something extreme, like a triathlon. And even then you should really still be able to say it!!!!!!

Hey Stef-
Well I've just taken alook at your journal so I see with your credentials that you must know of what you speak! I was actually on the cross trainer at the gym today and thought that I should see if I could say anything out loud and still continue at my same (slow) speed and it worked so I guess I was going at the right speed. I just started back at the gym after a lay off of over two years so I'm really starting from scratch. Started really slowly and felt totally embarrassed but it's going better each day and ultimately it's for me and not everyone else so it's going well. The thing is that though it's not the easiest thing when you are there, it feels great to know that you did it and maybe added a minute or a level to your workout. Now to keep it up!