The joke amongst our members at Lakeland Health + Fitness after a really hard 7 minute workout is that if you’ve never done an intense, fast workout, you’d never believe that 7 minutes could be so hard. Intensity is key to why our workouts are so effective.
Why is intensity important? Here’s what it does:
– Burns more calories, all the time. Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), is the after burn effect that allows you to burn more calories even after a workout is over.
– More weight loss. Intense exercise produces a higher resting metabolism which, along with EPOC, will help you lose weight more quickly than just doing moderate or low intensity exercise.
– Improved heart health. Intense exercise improves diastolic blood pressure, controls blood sugar, and increases aerobic capacity.
– Improved mood. A massive study found that people who vigorously exercise have a significantly reduced rate of depressive symptoms.
A recent study showed that each minute of high intensity exercise is equal to more than 3 minutes of low or moderate intensity exercise! This means you could be saving time in addition to getting in great shape!
Because our high intensity workouts at Lakeland Health + Fitness are shorter than a walk on the treadmill, it opens time in our group fitness classes and personal training sessions to work on:
- Mobility
- Skills
- Gymnastics
- Resistance Training
- Agility
All of these help you move better, feel better, have more energy, tone your body, and give you confidence.
And my favorite part about intense workouts are the way they make me feel afterwards. The rush of endorphins makes me feel alive and revived!