Rest and recovery in your exercise routine
I recently added two more days of cardiovascular workouts to the five days I already exercise, but they are ‘light’ days. On these two days I walk 20 to 30 minutes at a slower pace than on the other three ‘heavy’ days, and my heart rate is usually between 127 and 137 (70 - 75 percent of my maximum heart rate). My question is: Am I just wasting my time doing these light days? Should I walk at this slower pace for a longer time or does it matter?
Having said that, adding one light day to your current routine is a great way to loosen up your body and satisfy your desire to keep moving. Besides the leisurely walking you're already doing, we suggest trying something relaxing and non-aerobic like yoga, Pilates, traditional stretching or t'ai chi. There are a lot of benefits to doing this type of exercise a few days a week. You'll improve your flexibility, posture and overall body awareness and possibly your spiritual health as these activities make a connection between body, mind and spirit.
Another way you can pump up your fitness level and burn extra calories is interval training a couple of days a week. For instance, if you're walking on a treadmill, increase the speed or incline to raise your heart rate to about 85 percent of your maximum heart rate for one minute. Then decrease the speed or grade to lower your heart rate to about 65 percent of your maximum heart rate for 1-2 minutes. The goal here is to challenge yourself at a high intensity, then recover enough to increase the intensity again. This type of workout burns a lot of fat and calories because the harder you push yourself, the more fat and calories you burn.
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