Do interval training the day before a strength workout and you will benefit from a natural hormonal increase that is about as good as steroids, and it makes you feel great too (though not when you’re doing it).
- Start with 5 minutes of light activity as a warm-up.
- Then step it up: 1 min as hard as you can go followed by 1 minute of easy activity. Repeat 5 times.
- After your fifth interval take a 5-minute break of easy activity.
- Do three sets of these intervals.
How easy was that? All this takes about 45 minutes. If you do just 2 sets then it takes about 30 minutes — who can’t fit in 2 30-minute workouts in a week? If you can do nothing else, do interval training.
There are a variety of activities to choose from. The exercise bike is probably the most effective way to get your heart going, but running uphill (and speedwalking downhill for ‘rests’) is good too. Rowing and swimming are other options. But the point is, make the hard activity your absolute max, as in you’re going to pass out if you go any harder.