New Exercise and Wellness Trends
Tired of your routine of 45 minutes on the elliptical every day? Spicing up your daily exercise is not only good for your mental health and enjoyment, it’s also better for your body. You’ll get a more well-rounded workout and avoid hitting plateaus if you switch up your routine. Here are some new, popular options that you might want to check out.
Zumba
This trademarked dance-fitness cardio workout has been taking the nation by storm. The whole thing is based around the idea that working out should be fun, and we have to agree that they got this part right. The Latin-inspired dance steps might feel a little silly, but the beat of the music is great, and everyone around you is doing it too; it’s not too hard to forget your self-consciousness and have a good time.
Don’t be surprised or embarrassed if you find yourself huffing and puffing during your first class. While the mood might be fun, the exercise is serious, and you can expect to burn about 500 calories per session. Most gyms are now offering one of the six varieties of Zumba classes.
Cy-Yo
Yoga might be good for focusing and improving flexibility, but it’s definitely not a way to get the cardio you need. If you’re a busy individual, you might not have time to take two classes. One solution? Cy-Yo. It’s just what is sounds like: a combination of yoga and getting your heart pumping on a stationary bike. An hour long Cy-Yo class consists of 10 minutes of yoga warm-up, 40 minutes of cycling, and a 10-minute yoga cool down. Gold’s Gym is a national chain that has picked up the Cy-Yo trend.
Hyp-Yoga
Yes, it’s another trendy and trademarked exercise name, but let us explain. It’s a yoga practice, combined with a greater emphasis on the “mind” part of mind-body workout. In a hyp-yoga session, you start out with breathing exercises and yoga poses, while your instructor gradually leads you through hypnotic suggestion into a deeper stage of relaxed hypnosis. Once you’re in this state, the instructor continues with positive suggestions, meant to increase your mental health and feeling of well-being. Does it sound sort of strange at first? Yes. But if you’re looking for a little more balance in your life, why not give it a shot?
Kettlebells
Don’t have much time to workout? If you’d rather do a shorter, but more intense workout, take a look at kettlebells. Designed in Russia a few centuries ago, kettlebells are basically round weights with a handle. The distribution of weight is different than a regular dumbbell though, so the range of movement and types of exercises you can perform are much more varied. Many gyms are now offering cardio classes that incorporate kettlebells, to let you get your strength training and cardio in one go. You could also buy some kettlebells and a special workout video off of Amazon, if you’re trying to save money or would rather workout at home.