There are a lot of trends around right now which attest to burning calories (fat) and building muscle, and many myths about what does and doesn't work.
Well the first bit of good news is ANYTHING THAT MOVES YOUR BODY and gets you off the couch, is destined to burn more calories than what you are presently doing. The second bit of news is that many of us will try, and fail, and try, and fail, until we find something that is interesting enough to keep us going at it.
Here are just some trends which I have rated on a scale of 5 for their calorie burning and muscle development properties (feel free to list your own at the end of this blog!):
1. Power Yoga
A recent survey carried out by RMIT found that increasing numbers of Australians are turning towards power yoga (an athletic style of yoga that focuses more on strength and flexibility than breathing and spirituality).
Cardio effects: 3/5, Muscle effects: 4.5/5
2. Running Clubs
Even regular folk can now join a running club. The advantage of running clubs is that as well as being a fitness outlet, it can be very much a social outlet, with buddies along to help motivate you.
Cardio effects: 5/5, Muscle effects 3/5
3. Group Personal Training and Bootcamps
Once again, these intense sessions can have a social outlet, and unlike running clubs will generally cater to all levels of fitness, or provide different options. They are cheaper than a one-on-one session with a personal trainer, yet the benefits are the same.
Cardio effects: 4.5/5, Muscle effects 5/5
4. Functional Fitness / One-on-one training
Functional fitness involves an intense session one-on-one with a personal trainer that focuses on moves that challenge the body the sam way that is challenged in daily life, which is somethihg that many gym machines focused on resistance are unable to assist with. Functional training can vary, depeding on the needs of the individual, but may include push ups,lunges, squats, shoulder raises, balance exercises and the like.
Cardio effects: 3/5, Muscle effects 5/5
5. Pole Dancing
The trend in pole dancing is increasing by the minute, and we can all attest to envying the muscles on a pole dancer's body! Great for toning, developing muscular strength and endurance, but be warned - not for the faint hearted. Particularly good for developing upper body strength, but be warned you might need to be at a certain level of strength before you are able do some of those challenging up-side down moves.
Cardio effects: 4/5, Muscle effects: 5/5
6. Sport-Specific Training
Training sessions involve completing exercises that wll allow you to achieve greater results in your everyday sport. For example, a netballer might be asked to do med ball throws and catches while sitting on a med ball; a golfer might concentrate on cable rows that mimic his golf hit. This training will definately improve your overall performance in your sport of choice, and the trainer will design the workout specifically towards your individual sporting performance needs.
Cardio effects and muscle effects: will depend on the sport being followed.
7. Time-Crunch Workouts
Workouts may include circuit-style or interval-style training. They are short and intense workouts that will push you to the limit in 30-45 mins. The key is to work hard during these sessions to get the same calorie burning effects as a standard 60 mins workout.
Cardio effects: 5/5, Muscle effects: 4/5
8. Dance Aerobics / Zumba
Who doesn't love to dance? But whilst most dance classes are structured to teach you amazing skills, they are not always focused on the 60-80% fat burning zone. Zumba is one exception - as a Latin-infused style incorporate aspects of salsa, samba, reggaeton, cumbia and hip-hop it will get your heart rate quickly to the fat burning zone and keep it there. Another great dance to learn is salsa, as after you have mastered the basics, there are plenty of opportunity to use your skills in a social setting (and salsa DOES burn fat at 60-80% capacity - providing you dance to every song!).
Cardio effects: 4/5, Muscle effects: 2/5
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