Mixing it up - is the theme of the program - keep up the good work.
Exercising with intensity ensures your body get serious about making changes so that your body copes better with the extra demands. Interval training works both the aerobic and the anaerobic system, and it results in improved conditioning of the cardiovascular system.
It's also important to add to the fitness improvement regime - SLEEP - this is an often overlooked part of effective training. If you don't plan rest or schedule recovery days in your training, you limit your ability to train.
As I've just said your body actually gets stronger after exercise stress, so you need to allow down time for rebuilding muscle tissue.
An effective training program will have regular periods of rest and recovery. This also allows adaptation to the exercise that is you return bigger, stronger and faster.
Rest also allows you to recover mentally and emotionally and avoid exercise burn-out.
So how do you do recovery days if its still important to do your 30mins of daily exercise, 6X per week?
Cross Train - Alternating exercise is a great way to train effectively. Not only do you develop overall muscle conditioning, but you allow muscles to rest and recover without losing your fitness and get a mental boost from alternating activities.
On recovery days you pick a more gentle exercise option - maybe yoge,a walk or a leisurely swim or ride. Remember even gardening or mowing the lawn are all valid exercise options.
So find your 30 minutes a day for health and find two session per week where you push yourself that little bit more for improved fitness. And go to bed at a reasonable hour each night for a least 8hrs of sleep!
