And I disagree again, with the internet.

[spatzcat]

I am adding some training days on the elliptical, it seems to be helping with my running...so I was googling, and came across this tid-bit:

Increasing resistance on the elliptical in your workouts will make you stronger, but it's important to not overdo it. Fitness author and studio owner Ellen Barrett says to work out at resistance level of 7 on a scale of 10, or enough to exert yourself and be able to carry on a conversation. If it's too hard, it feels more like punishment, and she says it's better to scale back than to lose motivation for your workouts.

Scale back? don't overdo it? whatever! I rode that elliptical like it owed me money. when i was done, it was an ordeal to get up the steps to lie down on the couch. AND i can't wait to do it again.

stupid internet. I LIKE the punishment, it's what keeps me coming back. Maybe I'm weird.

[chairohkey]

Not everyone can be hardcore. Keep in mind that just because it hurts doesn't mean it works.

[Rivanariko]

Agreed. I have never understood the people who can go and do a "light workout" a few times a week. If I can get out of bed easily the next morning, I don't fee like there was any point and I won't go back. Results are my motivation, and scaling back to avoid punishment doesn't get me those.

[Gobnait]

I'm not sure if I'll ever change, but while pain keeps me from a normal workout, I can still do some tasks that don't seem physically demanding.

Okay, so carrying a chair or a dresser across the house or hauling a file box up a flight of stairs doesn't actually sound like real work.

[nerddanika]

I have trouble believing that someone can get a real cardio workout in, if they can still easily carry on a conversation.

[TheSavageBean]

Resistance 7 on the elliptical is better than sitting on your butt eating marshmallows. In that sense I agree with the author.

Since developing the ability to run and not die in 2 minutes though, I gave the elliptical and spin bike the royal flick from my routine.

[loden]

Ellen Barrett! Back in my pink dumbbell days I did some of the workout DVD's she put out for Self magazine. They were not terrible, but I wouldn't trust her advice too far.

And now I'm sad, because I remembered that I own 2lb and 3lb dumbbells...

[bigm141414]

And now I'm sad, because I remembered that I own 2lb and 3lb dumbbells...

Why sad? Learn to juggle those bad boys!

[AustralMoonBear]

I immmediatley thought of bigm's sig when I read the OP; "It's the easy way out, and we here at the Rebellion don't take the easy way out. We find the hard way and we conquer it. We make it our bitch." -awsd00

I can sort of understand the "take it easy" advice for those just starting on exercise, but to be honest if a workout is easy I tend to get bored and either stop doing it or start experimenting until it's hard.

[PissedTrojan]

I can sort of understand the "take it easy" advice for those just starting on exercise, but to be honest if a workout is easy I tend to get bored and either stop doing it or start experimenting until it's hard.

That's right.

It happened to me last month: I had a trainer from the gym come to me one day and suggested me not to to run, but to do elliptical in 6,5 (no more), cos "most women just need that and don't wear them out". Sorry sir, but I have a injured kneed and effed up lungs due to several years of smoking and I will run my daily 2 miles you like it or not.

[jimmie65]

she says it's better to scale back than to lose motivation for your workouts.

She has a point - at least for the wusses out there.

[Gyro]

I have trouble believing that someone can get a real cardio workout in, if they can still easily carry on a conversation.

Dr Phil mentions this in his Ultimate Weight Solution book. He also has other tips like "if you're eating your food with a ladle, you're probably overdoing it".

I can just imagine folks over at some forum called Easy Does It Workouts complaining about NF though

[Kristen]

Not everyone has epic fitness goals. That's good advice for the people who just want to do the bare minimum.

We don't do "good enough" here, and that's why I love NF.

[Siferiax]

it's better to scale back than to lose motivation for your workouts

I just have to agree with this statement though. Doing a workout you stick with, is better than not doing any workout at all.

I know that personally, when I try to push myself too hard I loose motivation and quit.

For example I was working out on the spinning bike at my parents. My goal was to go at it for 30 min.

I was going at about 25 km/h, but couldn't keep going. So what's the better option? Slow down to about 20 km/h and fill out the 30 min, or quit altogether?

So yeah I scaled back to keep going and I don't see that as a bad thing either.

[shiggles]

I understand you want to feel good about yourself by pushing yourself hard, but I actually don't agree with the quote used in the first post here. Yes it can be incorrect in some contexts but it's not all out incorrect by any means.

Doing something is better than doing nothing. So yes, especially when you are starting it can be better to start out slower than risk losing motivation as a result of oversoreness of injury from pushing yourself too hard, too soon.

In addition, going at a slow pace does have benefits over pushing yourself harder in a given workout. It again depends on context of which we aren't given a whole lot by the quote.

[shiggles]

I have trouble believing that someone can get a real cardio workout in, if they can still easily carry on a conversation.

You certainly can.

A lot of people, especially those into fitness will find it more painful (at least mentally) to force themselves to go at a slower pace rather than really hit it out in a workout. The truth is there are physiological benefits when going at a slow pace compared to a faster pace.

[GoToTheGround]

Agreed. I have never understood the people who can go and do a "light workout" a few times a week. If I can get out of bed easily the next morning, I don't fee like there was any point and I won't go back. Results are my motivation, and scaling back to avoid punishment doesn't get me those.

Might work for you but I can't say I agree with that for a lot of folks, myself included. People have different aims and goals.

Just because a person feels hurt the next day doesn't in any way define the effectiveness of the training or the potential results it'll give. It also doesn't mean they didn't push themselves in the workout.

Train every day or 2x day consistently then this really doesn't make sense to me. I can sort of understand why some people may feel this way if they only train two or three times a week with limited activity scope and perhaps don't do anything requiring technical skill retention. Like I said: different aims and goals.

For me personally: with the exception of the last time I got badly 'heel hooked' (opponent applying rotational force to the ankle to snap the ACL/MCL), I can't remember the last time I 'couldn't get out of bed easily the next morning'. That doesn't mean I don't put myself in extremely uncomfortable scenarios every day in the gym or on the mat.

I feel if someone's consistently struggling to cope with their workouts the next morning, they're potentially doing something very wrong with their approach to recovery.

[Waldo]

You certainly can.

A lot of people, especially those into fitness will find it more painful (at least mentally) to force themselves to go at a slower pace rather than really hit it out in a workout. The truth is there are physiological benefits when going at a slow pace compared to a faster pace.

Slow and forever builds the cardio engine far better than any other method.

Since it is also easy to recover from, especially relative to the amount of exercise you are doing, long drawn out low intensity cardio is the best type to do when your primary goals are strength based and strength training is your primary focus.

[Waldo]

Might work for you but I can't say I agree with that for a lot of folks, myself included. People have different aims and goals.

Just because a person feels hurt the next day doesn't in any way define the effectiveness of the training or the potential results it'll give. It also doesn't mean they didn't push themselves in the workout.

Train every day or 2x day consistently then this really doesn't make sense to me. I can sort of understand why some people may feel this way if they only train two or three times a week with limited activity scope and perhaps don't do anything requiring technical skill retention. Like I said: different aims and goals.

For me personally: with the exception of the last time I got badly 'heel hooked' (opponent applying rotational force to the ankle to snap the ACL/MCL), I can't remember the last time I 'couldn't get out of bed easily the next morning'. That doesn't mean I don't put myself in extremely uncomfortable scenarios every day in the gym or on the mat.

I feel if someone's consistently struggling to cope with their workouts the next morning, they're potentially doing something very wrong with their approach to recovery.

This. You will eventually reach a point where you will not progress without light days. Whether your training is cardio based, strength based, or a mix of both.

Some say that there is no such thing as a heavy day until you start using light days. Prior to that, no matter how hard you try, every day is a medium day. You need the additional recovery for heavy days to occur.

Pretty much every intermediate+ lifting program includes light days. Recovery runs are a regular part of the plan for most competitive runners.

[67alecto]

I have trouble believing that someone can get a real cardio workout in, if they can still easily carry on a conversation.

It depends on what you call a "workout". Cardio - is named because it works your cardiovascular system. If you want to get your heart pumping and the air moving, slow and steady cardio will fire that engine. That type of cardio is all about making your engine more efficient - sustained cardio overtime will lead to a lower resting pulse, lower blood pressure, increased VO2, etc. It also helps wear down plaque deposits (and help prevent them from forming) in your arteries because of the blood flow erosion it.

If your goal is weightloss or increased performance, it will be inefficiency that is your friend. You'll want yout body outside of an efficient zone so it is expending more energy. You can increase your cardio endurance by increasing resistance, speed, and/or distance. But if you're running a calorie deficit, you will eventually hit a wall where increasing these will become very difficult at your calorie level, necessitating you scaling back or increasing your intake.