As we are in the hottest part of the summer, many individuals are looking for the latest and newest ways to get fit in 2013. One of the newest forms of exercise is fusion classes. A swarm of new combo classessuch as Piloxing, aerial yoga, Core Fusion Barre, and Neuromuscular Integrative Action are designed to confuse more than just your tongue. By mixing workouts with disparate disciplines (think: Pilates + boxing, Zumba + water aerobics) they can get your body working in ways it wouldn’t otherwise, says Jessica Matthews, exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise and certified personal trainer and group instructor. “Avid spinners, for example, may be missing a strength component,” she says. By taking a fusion spin class that uses resistance bands or free weights, they can train a wider range of muscle groups.” What’s more, these classes can be a fun way to change up a stale fitness routine.
Another modality that has arisen in the fitness world is that of Bodyweight Training. No disrespect to fancy equipment, but your body is a super-efficient exercise machine all on its own. There are so many workouts you can do with limited space and no equipment. You can easily tailor the intensity to fit your ability, and by allowing your body to exercise in its natural planes—rather than in stiff motions—these exercises relieve pressure on joints and reduce the risk of injury. While bodyweight workouts have been a pillar of at-home workouts for years, gyms are now upping their no-gear game, according the 2013 American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends. More personal trainers and group fitness classes now integrate bodyweight training into their workouts.
More and more facilities are implementing small group training as an efficient and effective means to train. Has your bottom line been keeping you from personal training sessions? Consider signing up for small-group personal training. About 8 in 10 personal trainers are offering their services at deep discounts for crews of two to five, according to IDEA Health & Fitness Association. While one-on-one personal training sessions cost anywhere from $40-$100 an hour, the price of small-group training drops as low as $15 an hour per person. What’s more, training with a tight-knit bunch can motivate you in ways both one-on-one personal training sessions and large group classes can’t.
Many people have heard of the dance fitness revolution called Zumba among other names. With blasting music, high-energy routines, and non-stop movement, these classes are more than fun. They’re also a great cardiovascular workout. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Department of Exercise and Sport Science found that the average Zumba “fitness party” burns more than 300 calories. Plus, by engaging your entire body, dance workouts ranging from ballet to Bollywood can hit muscles traditional workouts miss.
This is the perfect time of year to get outside and enjoy your workout outdoors. Outdoor exercise is a great way to break the monotony of the treadmill or elliptical. The simple switch can up your caloric burn by about 5 percent, thanks to wind and varied terrain. Plus, outdoor exercise can reduce tension, frustration, and depression better than the indoor variety, according to recent research published in Environmental Science & Technology. That’s why more fitness professionals are offering outdoor activities to their clients than ever before, says Walter R. Thompson, PhD, Regents’ professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University. From hiking and kayaking to running up bleachers and performing incline pushups on park benches, fitness classes are helping people turn their local landscape into the perfect outdoor gym.
Another trend in fitness is the Bootcamp classes. Based on the calisthenics the U.S. Army’s basic-training program uses to kick new recruits into shape (like push-ups, squat thrusts, punches, and kicks), boot camps can torch about 600 calories an hour and are growing to be among the most popular workouts in 2013. For instance, about one-third of the member clubs of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a trade organization for health clubs, offer boot camp-style fitness classes. And they aren’t just hot in gyms: there are hundreds of different boot-camp DVDs for sale on Amazon, and the most widely popular boot-camp workout, CrossFit, shares daily exercises online at CrossFit.com.
If you happen to be an individual who is strapped for time try HIIT Training. Your results don’t have to stall. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)—short bursts of intense exercise with short recovery breaks in between—is one of the most efficient techniques fitness professionals use today. According to researchers from Canada’s McMaster University, 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works muscles as well as 10 hours of continuous moderate bicycling exercise over a two-week period. Besides getting you more results in less time, HIIT workouts beat boredom by regularly switching up speed and intensity.
Many trainers are also using circuit training to add variety to their clients workouts. Maximize your workout setting it up as a fast-paced circuit. To do this, perform a group of six to 10 exercises one after another for a specified number of repetitions before moving on to the next exercise. There is little to no rest in between exercises, so it keeps the heart rate up and burns more calories in a shorter, faster workout. Plus, by never repeating sets of the same exercise back-to-back, circuit training will let you work as many muscle groups as you want in one workout.
There are some choices for you if your workouts have become boring and you need something different to do while still being en vogue for 2013. If you have any questions, please consult one of the trainers at Xcellerated Speed Training.