As the month of February approaches I have the human heart on my mind for a number of reasons.  The month is a celebration of love as well as health when it comes to our hearts.  In honor of this month I would like to write a bit about heart rate, what it means and how it can help us all when it comes to our overall fitness.

“Life begins when we step out of our comfort zone.”  What does that mean?  How do you step outside?  The mere thought of doing the uncomfortable is scary and a bit of the unknown, but that is exactly why it is THE question.  How do you know in fitness if you CAN push harder?  If you CAN run faster?  If you CAN lift more?  Our coaches, our trainers and our mentors tell us we CAN do it, but it has to come within.  WE have to ultimately be the ones that do it.  WE have to tell ourselves we CAN and stop saying “I can’t,” but even if you say you can’t…you definitely don’t have to listen!

So speaking of hearts, we have this amazing fitness tool called a heart rate.  This heart rate changes with effort and it will let you know when you can give more and when you are tapped out.  You can use your heart rate to monitor your intensity levels, or in other words your levels of effort.  Your heart rate is like your own internal coach…letting you know when you can try harder and letting you know when you have truly given it your all.

Here’s a small tangent/short story for you – It’s like climbing a mountain and you are so tired and you feel like you can’t push any harder…you stop RIGHT below the final ledge that leads you to breathtaking views…10 more steps and you would be there, but you don’t know that because you stop so you never see the view.  Your heart rate is that “thing” that tells you in your inside voice that you CAN walk those 10 extra steps and you will make it and be okay and be able to enjoy the breathtaking view.

There are different reasons to push your body to different intensity levels and there are different results that will be achieved when doing so.  Learn your body.  Learn about your heart rate and these intensity levels.  Go out and get yourself a heart rate monitor, learn about these different intensities and USE THEM!  Listen to your heart.  Learn from your heart in more ways than one because it is an incredibly powerful tool.  Don’t just let it be, it’s too important.  Learn it, love it and use it to help you live your life as it allows you and even encourages you to step out of that comfort zone of yours.

Life’s too short to live comfortably and our health is too important.

I “heart” you all…
– Coach Timmie