Wax On and Wax Off to a Better Bod

The dog days of Summer are quickly coming to a close. Before the lingering warm days are gone, I dare you to take advantage of them by washing your car and giving your body a good workout. Last weekend, I busted out a bucket, sponges, a hose, and my waterproof shoes. An hour later, I had a sparkling set of wheels and my guns were ablazin’. If you’re up for it, engage in these steps and add any other tips to the comments! Put some elbow grease into your washing movements with circular motions. Think like Mr. Miyagi . . . wax on, wax off. If you are covering a large side of the car, you can lunge from side to side as you clean and dry the car. When you’re washing the back of the car, add some leg lifts while you swipe with the sponges. When it’s time to clean the wheels, practice your squats - remember they’re not just for the gym anymore. Time for the grill! After drying off the car, prop yourself up on the bumper for a few push-ups.

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Wax On and Wax Off to a Better Bod

We Tried It: Urban Rebounding

Filed under: Fitness , We Tried it Urban Rebounding was first developed 20 years ago, but I didn’t quite know what to expect when I enrolled in my first class this weekend at SELF’s Workout in the Park . Unlike the cardio classes at the event, which were held in front of a large stage to accommodate as many fitness enthusiasts as possible, our class had about 20 participants and one instructor. Although I’d heard good reviews of the class and our instructor, who had the most well-defined legs I’d ever seen, promised he’d give us a tough, totally body workout, I couldn’t help thinking to myself: Little kids play on trampolines every day. How hard could this really be? After a few minutes, I had my answer. Urban rebounding, which was developed by martial artists and personal trainer JB Berns, was developed to tone, strength and build muscle in low-impact environment which allows those of various fitness levels to participate. In Berns’ case, he developed the routine as a way to stay in shape while recovering from injury . As someone who has been in and out of physical therapy, Urban Rebounding’s principles made sense. Like Pilates and yoga , this is a class where it could be very easy to go through the movements without reaping all of the physical benefits. A good instructor who can explain exactly how to stand and complete each move will be key. Once we stepped onto our trampolines, our instructor, Terrell, showed us the basic moves that we would be completing throughout the class. Luckily, there were only a handful and our ability to get a good workout would depend on our form more than our ability. Terrell reminded us constantly to suck in our stomachs , stand tall , push down into the trampoline and drive our knees. Our shortened class time (there were thousands of women who wanted to test the class), gave us about 15 minutes to run through the moves that most class participants would usually spend 45 minutes mastering. Although I didn’t break a sweat — and I’m usually a pretty sweaty person — I could feel my ankles and calves stretching and strengthening. I could also feel my core muscles working hard to counteract the trampoline’s bounce and keep me balanced on the trampoline. There were a few moments when I felt like I’d break the trampoline — they’re quite small, and I’m not — or bounce off it, because they aren’t very wide and we were doing several side-to-side jumps that left me a little off balance. But working out on a trampoline, which I haven’t played on since high school, was a great way to break up my usual workout routine. It also boosted my mood (because who can be cranky jumping on a trampoline?) and made me really think about some other fun cross-training activities to try. Pluses: It’s a quick, effective workout that gets your heart rate up. I love that it helped strengthen my ankles, toned my legs and worked my core in a low-impact class. As someone who loves running, this could become a go-to cross training activity for me. It’s definitely not your average workout class. Minuses: We had a unique opportunity to test this class at SELF’s Workout in the Park . Finding a gym that hosts the class regularly, at a time that’s convenient and with enough space that you’re not constantly on a waiting list could be a challenge. Crunch, Bally’s and Equinox are among the 5,000 gyms nationwide that hold classes. However, you can purchase a trampoline and at-home DVDs . Also, those with larger chests will have to invest in a good sports bra or wearing two bras to keep from painful bouncing. Takeaway: This is a great workout that could be added to your weekly schedule if you can find a gym that offers it in your area. It’s playful, fun and provides a killer workout without putting too much stress on your muscles. Check out the rest of the That’s Fit team’s reviews of SELF’s Workout In the Park in New York . We hope you’ll join us there next year. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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We Tried It: Urban Rebounding

Manage Your Wires While Working Out

Music is often an essential for a good workout, but managing those wiley wires from iPod to earbuds can be a pain. Many companies are brainstorming some creative solutions to manage your gadgets while you get your heart rate up. Gracie Gear , one fitness gear innovator, recently sent me a Short Top ($36), a wicking sports bra with a pocket. The pocket is large enough for an iPhone, and it has small hole in the pocket for your iPod cord to feed through and a flap on the shoulder to manage the path of the cord. You can also use the pocket to stow your keys and a sports gel - the pocket can hold both along with your cell phone or iPod. Kind of an ingenious plan for running hands-free, but not the most supportive bra I have ever worn. The Magneat ($15) is designed to keep your earbud wires from distracting you while you’re on the move. It’s made of two magnets that stick to either side of your shirt, creating a secure attraction and looking like a mini yo-yo that you wind your excess earbud wire around. The top magnets are decorated with fun images too; as you can see Magneat sent me one with a pixelated skull, but there are many other designs to choose from, including a PacMan . This little gadget is actually kind of neat and certainly kept that darn cord out of my way.

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You Asked: What Causes the Workout Burn?

Dear Fit, I’ve been on a strength training kick this month, and have even worked with a trainer to learn proper technique and new exercises. Instead of thinking about how my legs were burning while doing lunges, and how much I wanted to stand up, I embraced the burn and started wondering about what causes that feeling. So tell me Fit, what makes my muscles feel like they’re about to ignite, and does it mean I’m working them too hard? - My Legs are on Fire “Feel the burn!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard those words from either a group fitness instructor, fitness video, or a personal trainer. That burning sensation is how many people gauge their workouts - if they don’t feel the burn, then they don’t feel like they got in a good workout. To find out what that burn means, what causes it, and if there are any risks, keep reading

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You Asked: What Causes the Workout Burn?

Finding Your Way to Exercise

With what do you associate the word “exercise”? Most people who don’t exercise associate it with pain or discomfort. For some the mere mention of the word sends shivers down the spine, conjuring up visions of cross-country runs and high school gym classes. I can remember several less than pleasant exercise experiences at school: playing hockey with sticks that left me with bruises up to my knees; defending a goal against an attacker who was so much taller than I that she almost stepped on me as she went past; spending an hour or more serving tennis balls into the net, driving my opponent into a rage. Despite all this, however, I was very fortunate in that even though I hated all the outdoor sports, once I was in the warm and cozy gymnasium—with soft crash mats and lots of ropes and poles to swing around on—I loved it. The result of finding an activity I really enjoyed was that I started to do more of it and, before long, was training regularly and entering competitions. The moral of this story is quite obvious—you have to find some kind of activity that you enjoy, or you won’t stick to it. You need to choose a form of exercise that you can do without dread. If you find something you are good at, you will want to do it more—it’s human nature. Your motivation will also increase after a month or so as you start to see and feel the benefits. You may find that you prefer to exercise with someone else or in a group setting. Look in your local paper for details of fitness classes in your area. It doesn’t have to be aerobics; there are lots of different types of classes. It will not necessarily matter which one you choose—all exercise has a very important part to play if you are serious about losing weight. The fitness industry is constantly changing. We are learning more about the body all the time, and as we learn more about how the body adapts to exercise, we are able to design safer training programs. It is vital, therefore, that instructors are up-to-date on the latest information. Good instructors will regularly attend seminars and training courses to make sure that the information they are giving is correct. Of course, you don’t have to go to an exercise class to have a good workout. There are lots of other alternatives, and what is offered in a class may not suit everyone. For example, some people would benefit from activity levels that are not strenuous or not particularly long in duration. It is certainly not compulsory to experience the “high” sensation that some people get from exercising to the point of near exhaustion. It’s important to remember that most people don’t actually like the feeling of being hot and sweaty with aching limbs. What they do like, however, is the feeling of satisfaction and well-being they experience after they have exercised, a feeling that can last for several hours. You’ll find a list of alternatives to classes in the following chapter—choose whatever’s right for you.

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Exercising At Gym or At Home, Which One Is Better?

While I always encourage my blog readers to work out at gym, what I often miss out is actually exercising at home.  I have written number of posts about gym going, so, this time, let me go through the pros and cons of working out at home.  I will also share some tips if you prefer to exercise at home. Few good reasons you should consider working out at home: If the only gym in your area is still an hour drive away, it may make sense for you to consider working out at home. Commuting to and fro may be too much hassle or time wasting for you in this case. Also, not forget to mention with the high fuel cost and vehicle maintenance. Your gym is too small with too many members lining up waiting to use the equipment.  Instead of spending an hour at gym, you end up spending few hours there without much productive workouts. Some people then have to go to gym at odd hours like 6 AM or 11 PM just to avoid the crowd. If you have flexible working hours to do so, not so bad. Still, gyms suppose to provide you the convenience and not expecting you have to adjust your time to suit them. So, exercising at home gives you the flexibility. Most gym memberships are paid monthly basis for long term and some of them require members to pay upfront 1 or 2-year of fee . Not everyone, especially students, can afford to sign up those packages. A better option in this case will be exercising at home. I know few of my female friends are more comfortable to work out at home . You probably have seen well toned women frequenting your gym often. When you thought that they can be good role models, these women can actually be intimidating to other women. Other women may therefore not wanting to exercise along with these babes. Add men to the equation, it makes thing worse. So, many rather stay at home and find their own ways to exercise. Some people also do not want to share equipment with others.  It can be hygiene issue. Yes, for some, working out at home is a good choice. For others, including me, prefer to work out at gym. Few drawbacks you should be aware of before you set up your home gym or investing in dumbbells or treadmill. Some people find that it is tempting to put off their workouts. They find it hard to motivate themselves to exercise at home . Having the machines at home give them lame excuses like “No worry, I can use my cycling machine anytime, let’s do it after dinner.” After the meals, they may say, “Well, if I am full now, I will do it tomorrow.” So, instead of letting this convenience to help you, it has backfired.  You should really take advantage of it – exercise anytime you want at your own privacy. In short, self-discipline is important. Apart from that, most home gym equipments are not as good as those at the gym . Some gyms have indoor swimming pools with lanes for aerobic swimmers. Also, the variety of machines you can have at home is definitely no match that of a gym. Unless you have a huge space at your place to store those machines and with big budget to spare, gym machines are always more and better. The other issue is that if the equipment is too cumbersome to move in and out from your store room, it will eventually ends up hidden in the store room collecting dust. Check out my article of 13 Tips To Choose A Perfect Fitness Equipment For Your Home When you exercise alone at home and need some assistance, whether getting someone to spot you or getting instruction to use the machine, you will not get anyone’s help . My friend’s mum has a elliptical machine in the living room. I often see her get distracted whenever she is exercising, either picking up phone calls or putting clothes into the washing machine and end up doing other house works. I wonder whether she really has a good workout at the end of the day. For people who like meeting new friends, exercising at home will not give you that benefits too. (Some single people may want to get to know others.) For me, working out together with like-minded gym members give me the inspirations. For others, exercise is not a social activity. They just want to burn as many calories and strengthen as many muscles in as little time as possible. So, in their case, exercising at home is more practical. Tips To Work Out At Home Now, hopefully, you know what you want – whether to join a gym or work out at home. If you decide on the latter, you can start off with something simple. Here are few tips for people who plan to work out at home: Instead of rushing to buy a big piece of equipment. Invest in: Some inexpensive videos on aerobics or yoga or workout videos (check out Jillian Micheal’s one ) Yoga mat Dumbbell sets Exercise ball Jump rope (check out this JumpSnap ) In fact, you can do quite a number of strength training using your own body weights . Those workouts include squats , push up, triceps dips, calf raise and others. Just make sure you do not fall into the trap of buying unnecessary fitness gadgets because of the fancy commercials you see in television. Even if you work out at home, you should still wear your workout clothes . Wearing them will get you in the mood of exercising and motivate you to exercise harder. Wearing the workout clothes will serve as a reminder you should not be distracted to other house chores. Be patient . Do not expect miracle. If you can work out 3 to 4 times a week at home, it is indeed very good. You may not notice an instant change to your body shape, so, please do not abort your program halfway. Eventually, you will reap the benefits of exercising. Conclusions There is no right or wrong on the 2 options. While exercising at home have some great advantages, it does have some drawbacks too. Just remember that these two ways are not mutually exclusive. What I mean is that while you can work out at gym, you still can exercise at home occasionally. At the end of the day, what is more important is how often do you do it rather than where you do it. In fact, when you are at home, activities like running up the stairs, carrying grocery bags from porch to kitchen, washing the cars or cutting the weeds are physical activities too. Doing those activities with your loved one or kids is pretty fun too. If you do no have fun, you will not stick with it for long. And yes, before I stop, don’t forget about your diet if you are seriously want to lose weight. No comment | © Exercise , 2007-2009. |Fitness|Fitness|Fitness

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Katy Perry Jumps Onstage and Off

Katy Perry looks amazing in her various bikinis . What’s her secret? According to a recent interview with Cosmo , her favorite way to exercise is jumping rope . Not only does it burn calories - 295 per 30 minutes - but jumping rope also helps build bone-mineral density and makes your body stronger. It’s a simple and inexpensive way to get your heart rate up; use it as your main form of cardio or to warm up before strength training. Katy even jumps rope as a warmup before shows. Since this little gadget is so portable, you can pack it in your gym bag, suitcase, car, and even your purse and always have a way to get in a good workout.

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Katy Perry Jumps Onstage and Off