"To Failure" Workout

Brrr! Houston has had a few cold fronts this year, but none as chilly as this one! This morning it was 70 degrees outside, and by 4pm it was in the 50s, and by midnight it'll be in the 40s. I know all of the midwesterners are laughing at me because they're currently in the 20s and 30s. That's a bit too cold for me :)

WORKOUT

Today I have a workout to share that's VERY short and incredibly effective. I've already talked about Tabata sprints in a few blog posts. They're my favorite way to get in a sprint workout because they hardly take up any time at all and really get the job done.

This workout that I completed Saturday morning includes a tabata sprint and two other functional-fitness exercises to failure. "To failure" means exactly what it sounds like...you complete as many repetitions as you possibly can! Don't stop until you physically cannot do another one.

I don't do exercises to failure often, but I believe they have their place in a long term workout plan. For starters, it increases muscle growth. I know many women are afraid of that, but unless you're doing this kind of exercise all the time and including bulk routines with the body builders, there's nothing to worry about. You will gain strength and really challenge yourself. The workout will be a good way to mix things up, and it won't make you "too big" if you incorporate it sparingly. Secondly, you'll do more repetitions than you ever thought you could! It's hard to push ourselves when we're working out on our own, so including "to failure" exercises every once in a while reminds us of what our muscles can do!

That's it for today. Short and sweet. Tomorrow I have a delicious chili recipe to share - perfect for this cold weather!

Good night!

Question: What type of exercise wears you out really quickly? I still can't do pull ups, and when I do jumping negative pull ups, I can only do about 5 quality ones before my arms give out. (Jumping negative pull ups: find a bar that requires a slight jump to reach. Jump and pull your chin over the bar and lower down as slowly as possible.)