Olympus Training Lab

Move Fast x Lift Heavy

Smartwatch Metrics Series Part 1/6
Smart watches can be a great tool to monitor health and improve lifestyle habits.
In this series, we'll look at the most common smartwatch metrics and how to use them to step up your fitness. Resting Heart Rate (RHR) measures the lowest heart rate while the body is awake. This typically occurs in the morning just before getting out of bed.
RHR can be a good indicator of aerobic fitness. As fitness improves, the heart becomes more efficient at filling and dispersing blood throughout the body. This results in a decrease in RHR over time.
The most effective way to improve RHR is through the infamous “Zone 2” steady-state aerobic training. For most people, this will take place between 120-150 beats per minute (bpm) but can vary from person to person (more on training zones in a future post).

Not every fitness goal should revolve around weight loss. There has been an incredible movement over recent years regarding body positivity and challenging the false narrative that the fitness and beauty industry has established.

At Olympus we encourage members to create a positive relationship with fitness by connecting with their body, and recognizing the benefits of training in their day to day lives.

That doesn't make weight loss a bad goal. If weight loss inspires you to make positive changes to your lifestyle then that's perfectly ok!

Here are 3 tips that can help guide the process:

1) Increasing your activity level is a great way to get started. Walk at lunch, workout regularly, and try new and exciting activities that keep you moving.

2) The simple act of logging foods, fluid, and progress helps keep the train on the track.

3) Avoid the crash diets and make small changes at a time. Progress isn't linear so don't give up!

Off-season athletes have no better time than the summer to utilize the weight room to build muscle. Some may find they have a harder time building mass than others.

Fortunately, the process is simple (though not easy) 👇

1) Skip the HIIT workouts and lift heavy weights. Focus on compound movements, learn technique, and lift heavy.

2) Eat more. If you've been following a proper training regime for 12 weeks or more and haven't gained a pound that's a pretty good indication the calories have to go up.

3) Be consistent. If you're untrained, measurable hypertrophy (muscle growth) might not occur until after 12 weeks. Stay on top of your training, and put a deliberate effort into getting those calories in. The results will follow.

There is good news and bad news. The good news is that if you hate working out, you can make it more enjoyable. The bad news is that it takes time and dedicated effort.

https://olympustraininglab.com/how-to-actually-enjoy-working-out/

Train your brain: How to actually enjoy working out Does exercise feel like a chore? Learn how to train your brain to enjoy workouts and build habits that stick.