Get Moving With Zumba

With 2013 over and the slate wiped clean, you’re ready to start anew in 2014. If you’ve been bored with your exercise routine, maybe it’s time to start with something fresh in that arena, as well.

You might want to give Zumba a try. If you’ve seen the commercials where athletic people dance in perfect unison to exciting music – that’s only a small part of the story. Zumba is energetic and fun, but you don’t have to be a skilled dancer to enjoy the benefits. There’s something for people at all levels of fitness.

Zumba is the perfect type of exercise for all ages to enjoy ­– at their own rate. There are versions for children, seniors and even water classes. If you’re looking for a way to have fun while you exercise, you might discover Zumba is right for you.

Basically, Zumba is a lively aerobic exercise that incorporates dance moves from around the world – hip-hop, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo. Depending on the instructor, the class may also feature current dance hits, pop and country. No matter the music, it’s always exhilarating.

It’s not just all about the fun though. Zumba features a host of solid health benefits with weight loss being its biggest draw. Dancing to the beat for an hour can burn between 600-1,000 calories. With its variety of movements, Zumba helps you improve your coordination, as well.

Zumba is also a great way to tone your whole body at once. Through the specially choreographed moves, different muscles constantly are engaged allowing you to tone your entire body without even realizing it.

Besides burning calories and toning your muscles, Zumba choreography is designed to help you release mood-improving endorphins. This will help you feel not only healthier, but also happier.

Another added bonus – the people you’ll meet. Zumba classes attract people who want to have fun while they’re working out. You’ll be meeting, and socializing with, new people as you exercise.

So, if you’re looking for something a little bit different and a lot a bit fun, look into trying a Zumba class. If you’re too intimated to take the plunge alone, consider inviting a fun friend along.

It’s so upbeat and fun, you won’t even realize you were exercising for an hour.

Sources:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1633

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumba

Working Out With Pilates

Originally called ‘contrology’ by German founder Joseph Pilates, this so-called ‘trendy’ exercise of twisting and balancing has actually been around for nearly 100 years. To stay in shape, Pilates had modified his gymnastics training to a small mat while held in an interment camp in England during WWI.

His unfortunate time of detainment turned into a positive as he helped others there maintain their strength and positive attitude. His methods inspired people to stay in shape then, and nearly a century later, they still do.

Pilates is a little bit like yoga, but concentrates more on building your core muscles – abdomen, obliques, lower back, ‘glutes’ and thighs. Besides building strength, Pilates also helps develop flexibility, endurance, coordination and balance.

Sounds like it’s an all around awesome exercise. In fact, it is.

One of the greatest things about Pilates – each move engages your entire body. And each move has a dual purpose, as well. While strengthening one muscle, you are always stretching an opposing one.

And with its many levels, once you think you’ve mastered a particular Pilates move, there’s always a more difficult way to do it. So you never get bored.

Here are 5 benefits of doing Pilates:

Long & lean muscles – You don’t have to hoist heavy weights and bulk up to be strong. Pilates moves actually accentuate the length of your muscles, making bulky biceps look long and lean.

Better posture – With Pilates, you can bet your posture will improve. Centering on muscles that build a strong core, you will look more statuesque when you stand and even sit.

Stronger back – By strengthening abdominals and glutes, you’ll also be building a stronger back. Besides strength, you’ll also be stretching tight back muscles and learning to properly align your spine – alleviating back pain.

Awesome abs – Pilates is a wonderful way to have a flatter stomach. With the basic concept of pulling your navel to your spine, your abs will be tighter when standing and walking.

Flexibility – With a combination of stretching and strengthening your muscles, Pilates helps increase your range of motion and flexibility. By learning how to carefully stretch and build muscles, you will discover your movements are more controlled and fluid.

One of the most important things to remember about Pilates is that in any class there are people of all levels. You never have to feel intimidated that as a beginner or novice, others in the class will stare at you and wonder why you’re there.

Pilates is not a competition to see who can perform the best. It’s about working at your own pace and getting your own best personal results. Look into where you can take a Pilates class and book one as a New Year’s resolution. Your body will thank you.

Sources

http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesmat/ss/Plank.htm

http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesexercises/tp/First-10-Classic-Exercises.htm

Everyday Activities Count as Exercise

To get in a good workout, you may think you need to pump iron like Hercules or trek up an endless imaginary mountain on a Stairmaster. That’s not the whole truth.

While those are definitely wonderful ways to work out, you can get all the benefits of hitting the gym while doing less glamorous tasks – cleaning, cooking and shopping.

Now you can think of those mundane must-dos as exhilarating exercises. See how these challenging chores can offer outstanding health benefits.

Cleaning – Fire up the vacuum or sweep the floors to burn around 150 calories per hour. Bonus – an immaculate house.

Cooking – Chopping up fresh vegetables or washing that stack of dirty dishes each burn about 150 calories per hour. Bonus – a delicious dinner or spotless kitchen.

Shopping – Next time you’re pushing a grocery cart or window-shopping for that pair of must-have shoes, you’ll be burning as many as 300 calories per hour. Bonus – new, stylish wardrobe.

Shoveling ­– If you live in a region that gets dumped on with fluffy white stuff, you’ll be burning nearly 400 calories per hour next time you’re clearing off your driveway. Bonus – the perfect mound for King of the Hill.

Decorating – It’s not just boring labor that burns calories – fun activities count too. Painting and decorating your home can burn more than 300 calories per hour.  Bonus – fancy digs.

For extra calorie burning points, just pump up the jams. Listen to music and dance while doing these activities – well … maybe not while chopping vegetables – to burn off an extra 300 calories per hour.

Next time you have a mile-long list of household chores, imagine the calories melting away. Your waistline – and home – will thank you.

Sources

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/calories-burned-doing-household-chores.html#b

http://healthandwellbeingindance.blogspot.com/2008/11/listening-to-music-burn-more-calories.html

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/tips/expert-advice/how-many-calories-do-you-burn-with-household-chores/

Water Aerobics – A Splashing Good Time

If huffing and puffing away on a treadmill hurts your joints more than it helps your waistline, you may find a low impact alternative like water aerobics to be what you’re fishing for.

First gaining popularity in the 1950s by exercise guru of the time Jack LaLane, by the 1980s the benefits of water aerobics had become more mainstream. Today, it’s such a common class, it’s held in practically every exercise facility with a pool.

Using water’s natural buoyancy, water aerobics allows you to exercise without injuring your body. Amazingly, buoyancy reduces your weight by 90% causing virtually no stress on your joints. If you suffer from arthritis or are recovering from injury, this might be music to your ears.

As an added bonus, the constant resistance from moving around in the water helps build muscles without straining them. Adding a few light weights will help build an even stronger body. Some classes incorporate athletic equipment, swim noodles or other flotation devices for added resistance.

Besides an invigorating hour splish-splashing about, the underwater movements also help elevate your heart rate and breathing – two great benefits of this refreshing cardio vascular workout.

But if you’re thinking it’s just for the elderly or pregnant women, it’s definitely not. Water aerobics is appropriate for people of all ages and fitness levels. So if it’s for everyone, what’s stopping you from taking the plunge?

Here are a few tips to get started:

• First, find a gym or community center with a pool.
• Remember to wear a modest swimsuit as you’ll be thrashing about in chest-deep water.
• If you have sensitive feet, you might want to wear aqua shoes or even an old pair of tennis shoes.
• You still need to stay hydrated. Once you start exercising, you will start sweating just as if you were on dry land.
• Earplugs and goggles are optional if you have sensitive ears or eyes.

No matter if you take to water like a fish or only dip your big toe in, you might want to dive right in to water aerobics. It might be just the class for you. For more information, check online to find a class in your area.

Sources: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/benefits-water-aerobics-not-just-elderly-150900478–spt.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/403736-the-history-of-water-aerobics/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_aerobics