Do you do interval training? We’ve all heard of it…and some of us even do it;-) At the gym I go to, my very good friend, who is the owner and a personal trainer, is a proponent of interval training. If you are a fitness novice, the basic premise is that you perform exercise at a high rate of intensity for a brief period, and then back it down to regroup before ramping it up again.
An example of this would be running on the treadmill at 7.5 (a fast run on my treadmill) for 30-40 seconds and then dropping down to 5.0 (a bit faster than a jog) for 3-5 minutes and continuing this pattern for 40 minutes or so…or until you pass out;-)
Sort of a marathon and a sprint combined in a workout; which is how life is too.
Now I understand the concept of interval training, but it wasn’t until I read this particular analogy that it really clicked and I related to living a life on your own terms.
OK; here’s the analogy:
If you think of interval training as filling a gas tank in your car, when do you use the most gas? It’s not on the highway miles; it’s in the stop and go traffic. When I read that, the light bulb went off in my head! That made perfect sense to me. An AHA! Moment!
So, how does this relate to an empowered life? Well, the way I see it, your goals (whether they are a year from now or 5 years from now), are the marathon; the slow and steady pace that keeps you moving forward.
Your ‘sprints’ are the daily actions that keep your energy up and keep you focused on the present. If you’ve ever run at intervals, then you know that when you are at high intensity your attention is more focused; slow down the pace and you’re not quite as focused.
So, in creating a life on your terms, you get to decide the pace of interval training that works for you. But make no mistake, in order to perform at your best; you will need to have a combination of sprints and marathons.
Are you ready to go at your peak performance?
Wow – I do interval training sometimes too, and so this blog post was the relevant, perfect “AHA!”
I agree 110% with what you’re saying: Many people are so caught up in the speed of today’s time demands, that they don’t take a step back and really think about their actions, and actually being present.
I’ve been very fortunate to slow down before the “sprint” consumed me so much that I never had time to enjoy myself; never was able to take personal inventory and find out what works, what doesn’t, how I can be a better person, etc…; I was worn out by the time I wanted to “run the marathon” and do the long-term, meaningful, life’s-calling work, etc.
Know what you want, run fast, and check your GPS along the way!
You are absolutely on the mark Paul…as I mentioned knowing the pace that is right for you is imperative if you’re gonna stay in the marathon for the long haul. Taking the mental GPS check is a great tip and analogy!
Love it:-)
xo
D
Okay Danielle, you have another hit on your hands with this one!! The say is, life is a marathon, not a sprint, but that’s not exactly true! We have to have the sprints, the day to day things, to reach the end of the marathon!
Now, I think I suffer sometimes from sprint burn out….LOL! But to me that means that I am sprinting at the wrong speeds that are advantageous for me, for my life!
I love this post and I know a few friends that will benefit from it as well! Thank you for the A-ha moments 🙂
Hi John,
Yes indeed, it is sooo important to find what sprint speed is right for you and the times you need to apply it! And you bring up an important point about sprint burnout, or ‘overtraining’ which can happen both physically and mentally. Knowing your pace is crucial:)
Thanks for stopping by.
xo
D
You’re on to something for sure. I have undergone somewhat of a paradigm shift in the last 4 years from thinking ‘either/or’ to ‘both/and’ and this fits right in there. Life really is about both and for each person the dynamic tension will look a little different so one can’t necessarily copy someone else’s pace without really knowing their back story. I totally second Pauls comment ” check your GPS along the way”!
You’re right J…for many of us, we exist in this either/or paradigm without exploring the both/and part too often. And as you said, everyone’s pace is unique to them…no cookie cutter molds here!!
I always liked “check yourself before you wreck yourself” 😉
xo,
D
You are preachin’ to the choir D; I totally hear you. Post wedding, I’ve continued workouts with a trainer twice a week. And the interval training that we do is so intense, I can get a one-hour workout in 25 minutes! It’s incredible. When we hire someone who has more expertise than we do (ahem … like a coach), who can help us find the right combination for us (like you always say, it’s not one size fits all), it’s a win-win. We get the best experience, long lasting results –and don’t forget those endorphins 🙂
Ha! and what a beyootiful bride you were my dear:) and you hit the nail on the head..interval training brings much more efficient and faster results rather than just sprinting or marathoning. And yes, hiring a coach who can help you through the intervals in crucial:-)
Keep those endorphins rolling sister!
xo
D