Is It Better to Workout by Yourself?

Dr. Len Lopez blog

One of the Biggest Workout Mistakes I see all to often is working out with the wrong training partner, especially when it comes to doing your aerobic training!  Think about it, if you train with someone who is…

training partners, should i use a workout partner, workout mistakes,

  • Older or Younger
  • Weighs More or Less than you
  • Is a Different Sex
  • Is in Better or Worse Physical Condition than You

And is walking, running, biking, hiking at the same pace you are? 

Chances are – one of you may not be getting the best workout for the time, energy and effort put forth, because you could be training at the wrong pace (intensity) which could make it anaerobic instead of aerobic for you.

If you walk, jog, bike, swim, etc with a neighbor or friend and ……he/she…..is older/younger…..skinnier/fatter……more or less conditioned than you……I’ll bet you almost anything that you have different training (fat burning) zone’s or more accurately.  You have different Aerobic Thresholds!

The fact that you are both walking, biking, jogging, etc….Training…..at the same speed, doesn’t mean you are both getting the same aerobic benefits.  One of you could be training at 70% of their maximum heart rate and getting aerobic benefit.  The other, even though they are going at the same pace, could be at 85% of their maximum heart rate and NOT getting that aerobic benefit they are looking for.  

To be more specific – one of you could be activating your Aerobic Metabolism and burning fat while you workout.  The other person who is doing their aerobic training at 85% of their maximum heart rate is probably burning carbohydrates and lean muscle (proteins) – NOT FATS!  Worse than that, the person who is training in their anaerobic zone is also Adding More Stress Onto their body!

heart rate monitors for aerobic training

Remember an aerobic exercise is low to moderate intensity.  It doesn’t stress your body, and it allows your body to burn FATS!  So don’t get confused into thinking any type of aerobic activity or exercise is automatically aerobic.  If you walk, jog, run, swim, bike, dance, etc….too fast for your current level of conditioning it throws you out or above your aerobic threshold and takes you out of your fat-burning zone.

Training with a heart rate monitor is the best way to measure the intensity of your aerobic workout.  Most people should train between 65-75 percent of their maximum heart rate.  Unfortunately our ego’s get in the way and think they can do their aerobic training at 80% of their max heart rate.  Only elite, well conditioned marathoners and triathletes can stay aerobic when they train at or above 80% of their Max Heart Rate.

I’m a big fan of having a training partner, but make sure your training partner is the Publications by Dr Len Lopezright one for you.  You might be surprised to find out your lack of results may be because your training with the wrong partner and because of that you could be doing a lot of your aerobic training anaerobically and basically ineffective for your fitness results  I’ll go over this more in future blogs or you can read more about it in the “10 Biggest Workout Mistakes” and “To Burn or Not to Burn – Fat is the Question.”

 

I hope you like the information, if you do I hope you can pass it along and share it with someone, especially if you train with someone.  Let me also say, one reason to train by yourself is that it allows you to control the speed and intensity of the workout that is best suited for your fitness goals.

 

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