19 June, 2008

Hot New Trends in Fitness

Hot new trends are constantly cropping up in every aspect of our lives, from fashion, food, and music, all the way to fitness. Which sizzling new trends are right for you? Whether you are looking for a fun new exercise to spice up your fitness program, or ways to reduce stress, lose weight, or enhance your sports performance, you should know the benefits and risks before you start. Fitness is an evolving and constantly innovating industry. During the past decade there has emerged a wealth of activities and equipment that were barely recognized or never imagined 15 years ago. Have you ever wondered how the fitness industry keeps creating new forms of exercise? Have you pondered about the combination of exercises your trainer teaches you? Read on, you are about to learn more than you ever thought possible about fitness trends, modes of exercise, and creative ways to stay fit.
Often times a new fitness trend is spurred on for modifications to existing fitness disciplines. New trends can also just be in the creative minds of a fast-thinking marketing department. Either way the latest innovations keep us excited about getting in shape and a welcome detour from impending boredom. Let’s view some less known but very exciting, hot, new, fitness regimes.

Bosu- World over, maximum numbers of injuries occur only because of lack of balance and strength. Balance is the foundation of all movement. The BOSU Balance Trainer is specifically designed to help achieve balance more quickly, safely, and more completely than any other training device. With every exercise on the BOSU Balance Trainer, you are always seeking the path of least resistance and striving to do less! Strength, agility, quickness & coordination are necessary for effective daily movement & sports performance. The BOSU Balance Trainer allows you to find your "point of challenge" and develop beyond that point.


Ramp- Ramping up is a very interesting workout. Many of us are all familiar with step aerobics. But ramping adds some extra challenge to the workout. It is an inclined plane and hence gives you the same effect of incline treadmill walking. This small, light and very portable piece of equipment works wonders on your rear muscles, which are hips, thighs etc. It has adjustable heights, which allows you to choose your own level. It is low impact and high intensity workout.


Swiss ball- Swiss ball, also known as physio ball or exercise ball, comes in different dimensions to suit your own height. With this you can target not only your core abdominal muscles, but also can very effectively strengthen your back, leg muscles like hamstrings etc. Not only this, you can also do your cardio workout on this.


Thera Band- this is one tiny piece of equipment that can be carried even in your handbag. You can work on complete body toning & strengthening even while you are traveling. It is a resistance band that offers you similar effects as multiple gyms but surely does not cost you so much. It is a very interesting piece of equipment with which you can even work in the pool to do some aqua exercises. This too is color coded to offer you different levels of resistance.


Pilates Magic Circle- It reminds me of the first piece of workout equipment I had 15 years ago: The Bullworker. The Bullworker, if you remember, was a monstrous self-contained exercise device with a giant spring inside two metal pipes. The Bullworker is no more, but a Magic Circle is better version of Bullworker and is certainly a lighter and a more talented piece of exercise equipment because it's kinder to use and more compact: You're either compressing the steel circle or you're pulling against it. Simple. The key to many of the exercises is to compress the Fitness Circle and HOLD that position and that's harder done than said! That holding compression is where you really begin to feel the wonderful burn of your muscles responding to your command.


Kickboxing/ Tae Bo- if you are looking for a tough, new aerobic exercise, this might be the right one for you. Created by karate champion Billy Banks, Tae-Bo combines Tae Kwon Do, boxing, and dance set to hip-hop music. A typical class consists of a choreographed series of jabs, punches, kicks, and dance steps.
Tae-Bo is a combined word. Tae means "leg" in Korean and refers to the kicks and lower body workout, while Bo is derived from "boxing" and relates to the punches and jabs in the upper body workout. This sport attracts a fair number of women for its strength building and because it works the glutes, inner thighs and triceps. A Tae-Bo workout is high intensity and includes some high impact moves that may not be appropriate for people with certain conditions such as osteoporosis or arthritis.


Step Aerobics- no matter how many new fitness classes are evolved, one class that has maintained its popularity is step aerobics. Participants continue to enjoy step aerobics & fitness trainers have continued to add variations to it. The group fitness classes offer excellent cardiovascular workout. Besides this versatile piece of equipment also comes handy as a bench for isolation work.


Not all new fitness formats make sense at first. Sometimes it takes diligent practice to get into the flow of the movements. If a flow is never attained, two things must be considered. First, your instructor may not be qualified to teach this type of physical activity. Secondly, the new form of exercise may have some flaws such as poor biomechanics or lack of a logical progression in the way it's structured or designed to be taught.
In closing, I remind all of you to try something new and exciting that comes your way. I believe that when your mind is bored with your current form of exercise, your body has been bored for some time. Make exercise an experience and not just a ritual.

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