Monday, March 7, 2011

Did You Know?

I hope it was a good weekend! I spent a lot of time studying for my next anatomy test this week...so let's hope it pays off!

Before I announce the challenge for the week (that sounds quite formal for this quite informal blog...) I thought I'd share with you some funny "travel taboos" that I read in a magazine this weekend. Not that I'm traveling internationally any time soon, but still!

- never leave your chopsticks vertically in a bowl of rice in Japan. For the Japanese, this is reminiscent of grave markers.
- If you don't flush the toilet in Singapore, you may be charged with a $150 fine!
- Train passengers in Cheshire, England, should avoid overwhelming public displays of affection. "No Kissing" signs frequent the walls of the Warrington Railway Station to keep affectionate couples from delaying travelers.
- When in Egypt, don't put salt on your food unless you want to seriously insult the chef
- In Ukraine, giving an even-numbered bouquet of flowers is considered ill-mannered because they are traditionally used only for funerals (specifically yellow flowers and Easter lilies)

Pretty funny, eh? I enjoyed them. 

So this week the challenge was inspired by my great workout on Saturday! I loved it, so I thought I would challenge you to do something similar. This week, I challenge you to...

do an interval workout!

There are several reasons I LOVE interval workouts. I used to hate the treadmill...until I started doing one or two interval workouts a week. Now I usually do a day of hills and a day of sprints each week. They are great because you really can tailor them to your skill level and workout plan. You can do them on a bike, in a pool, on a run, and even walking. The purpose of interval training is to get your heart rate up quickly, sustain it, and then bring it down quickly, and repeat. It builds lots of endurance, burns tons of calories, and is never boring because you are always switching things up. 

On Wednesday I will share some of my favorite workouts. However, I am always trying new ones that I find on the internet, so don't hesitate to google it up! In general, I always start with a one mile warm up jog to get everything warm. From there I go into my interval sets...either hills or sprints with cool downs and speed changes. 

So give it a try! Push yourself during the hard sets, knowing that recovery is coming soon :)

~Do you have any interval workouts you really like?
~Are you a fan of the treadmill, or do you consider it the "dreadmill"?

11 comments:

  1. I'm not a mill superfan but that's probably because I end up having to use it in the winter so much. I much prefer being outside. I can tolerate 800 repeats on the treadmill. Long enough but not too long...

    Hope the anatomy test goes well:)

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  2. I did intervals this weekend too! They always get me sweating and keep me entertained on the treadmill, which I usually hate. I really like 30 seconds fast, 1 min jog intervals - with the speed increasing each time.

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  3. Ugh. I hate interval workous. And I have one on the schedule today. But I LOVE how much faster they make me.

    And I coined the phrase dreadmill. ;) I much prefer to run outside, but a run on a treadmill is always better than no run at all!

    Loved the travel info! Hilarious!

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  4. I used to love the treadmill. Now I hate it. I am glad I didn't buy one. Although when its hot or too cold i wont want to be out.

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  5. I'd like to start fining the people at work who don't flush the toilet. GROSS.

    I love interval workouts because they go by so quickly, and I end up drenched in sweat, which is always satisfying.

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  6. so interesting! i think that 'salt' thing is common across a few cultures, (i'd probably be insulted too!) and yeah, interval training rocks. my running has improved HEAPS since i started. looking forward to reading more of your blog!

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  7. I used to DESPISE the treadmill with every bone in my body (mostly because I'm ADD and get bored after 5 minutes of staring at the wall/myself in the mirror). Back then intervals were the ONLY way to make me last more than 5 minutes on the treadmill:). I say used to because I recently downloaded the Netflix app on my iPhone and now am enjoying watching commercial-free shows/movies while I run:). It's making me learn to like the mill!

    I also have a tempo run scheduled for tomorrow, so that sort of counts as an interval workout--right?:)

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  8. I just came across your blog and it's wonderful; I'm gluten and dairy intolerant and I am really looking forward to your posts. Have a great night and I'm excited to have found you!

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  9. Hey thanks for stopping by my blog glad I found yours, i'm not a huge fan of the treadmill i'd rather run outside but it is a great alternative and I usually get a great workout! Look forward to checking out your blog :)

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  10. I'm so glad I was able to find my way over to your blog - I think it's great and I'm excited to start reading it regularly :) I really don't like running (gasp!) but interval workouts do make is much easier for me. It seems like the time goes by so much faster!

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  11. I can't stand the treadmill, but if I do use one I always do an interval workout. I find it makes the time go by faster.
    Those travel tips were super interesting too!

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