What is it? Why do we do it? It's not just because it's toughest workout you have ever done in your life. And it's not just because you can feel your metabolism going through roof, burning fat almost instantaneously. It's also not due to fact that after a few workouts you start to see muscle tone and then get really inspired to get more results. It's certainly not that, even though its so painful and you can't wait to do it again because you know in your heart…This is how exercise is supposed to feel. These are not reasons we do Lactate Threshold Training. What is it? When muscles contract vigorously for long periods, circulatory system begins to lose ground in delivery of oxygen (necessary for energy production). In these conditions breakdown of glucose is converted to lactic acid. As lactate is produced in muscles, it leaks out into blood and is carried around body. If this condition continues, functioning of body will become impaired and muscles fatigue very quickly. This point is often measured as lactate threshold. Why Do We Do It? The aim of training system is to saturate muscles in lactic acid, which will educate body's buffering mechanism to deal with lactic acid more effectively. Thus raising anaerobic (lactate) threshold. It's not lactic acid that causes burn in muscles as you exercise, but hydrogen ions released as lactic acid leaks out. An elevation in blood lactic acid levels is a major trigger of growth hormone (HGH) release. Increasing HGH, is beneficial for gaining muscle / lean tissue and reducing fat.

How it Affects Aging: Many of physical and personal changes that are associated with aging process are directly related to age related decline in Human Growth Hormone, HGH. The 'acknowledged symptoms' associated with 'maturing' are directly related to hormonal demise. In 1996 US FDA approved HGH for treating symptoms associated with adult hormonal demise. The FDA approved that medical signs and symptoms of HGH demise are parallel with conditions associated with progression of aging: Fat gain, muscle loss, loss of energy, poor sleep, skin changes, bone density loss, libido issues .. all HGH related. Increasing HGH has an effect on our skin, body composition, muscle tone, mood, energy, sleep quality, and bone density. How it Affects Metabolism: Fat utilization requires HGH! Low blood sugar triggers secretion of HGH to utilize fat for energy. The best time for HGH stimulating exercise is in morning after all night fast. If you cannot exercise first thing in morning, time meals so that you have several hours ( 2 - 3 ) to burn off blood glucose from meal, before you workout. A relatively hard, planned and synergistic workout will result in up to a 250% increase in HGH secretion. How it Affects Posture and Alignment: The constant total body movement (infinite & constant movement variations ) results in a constantly changing center of gravity. You instinctively assume a personally optimum posture and naturally fine tune muscles for grace, balance, alignment and posture.

>> You psych yourself up mentally (you are GOING to do it!)

>> You don outfit (you can practically feel energy flowing through your veins!)

>> You lace up running shoes (Nike: Just Do It - that’s you.)

>> You grab your towel (because ANYONE SERIOUS needs a towel).

Then it’s time.

It’s time to sweat. It’s time to burn evil fat from your body. You face treadmill (or stair climber, or rowing machine, or exercise video with perky aerobics instructor on it).

And you start.

You warm up, and start moving faster and faster. The sweat starts to pour. The blood is pumping. Man, you are burning! That size 2 exercise instructor is going to look like a whale compared to you when you get through!

The adrenaline hits your blood and you feel GREAT! You could exercise forever! In fact maybe you will exercise forever!

Your time winds down. Ok, maybe you’d better slow down, no sense in going TOO crazy here. The cool down sure feels good. You turn off treadmill, or exercise video and head to shower.

Then it hits you.

EXERCISE REPERCUSSION.

You feel like you want to die, or at least sleep for about 12 hours. You go through day craving anything you can easily grab: anything edible or, depending on how good it looks, anything at all. Nutritional value? Who cares!

But nothing seems to satisfy you and you could swear that you’ve just eaten all calories you burned during exercise PLUS more!

What was point in exercising at all if you go through your day tired and eating everything in sight? It was just a waste of your time and a stress on your body for nothing right?

Well, not necessarily, not if you can learn from it. Here's how to avoid above experience when exercising:

1) Check Your Hydration Levels

(I know not really exciting—but it will do wonders!!)

The average adult loses 10-12 cups of water a day (that’s not including water we lose from exercise, caffeine, etc).

It’s estimated that approx 75% of North Americans are chronically dehydrated. And even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.