FitSugar

10 Reasons to Love Step Aerobics

Michele Bell — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:45:18 PST

It may not be the hippest class to attend at the gym, but there are still many reasons why I love myself a good step aerobics class. While I'd like to say it's because I can don a Jane Fonda-esque spandex leotard; it's actually much more than that. The once über-popular workout fad of the '80s and '90s still wins my vote for these following reasons:

When the instructor turns on the stereo system, there are bound to be powerfully motivating tunes (old and new) to get you through the jumping, lunging, and grapevining.
Many teachers include some sort of dance (merengue or salsa) into the mix. I love a workout that encourages me to shake my groove thang.
It's like riding a bicycle. Even if you haven't been to a step class in five years, you'll quickly remember how to do the "L" step or a hamstring curl.
Since I don't always have time for lengthy workouts, I appreciate that most step classes are under an hour.
The music may get my mind going, but the exercise certainly gives my body a run for its money. At the end of these classes, you can't tell whether I've taken a shower or desperately need to.

Want to see the rest of my reasons and add your own two cents?

Glee Gives Us an Excuse to "Get Physical"

FitSugar — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:00:34 PDT

Last night, Glee (one of my most favorite shows ever, BTW) paid homage to some pretty cheesy musical gems like MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This," Vanilla Ice's "Ice, Ice Baby," and what could be the FitSugar anthem - Olivia Newton John's "Let's Get Physical."

First, the gleeks post an incriminating video on YouTube of Cheerios leader Sue Sylvester dancing by herself to the double entendre '80s hit, causing Sue to go into total revenge mode. In the end, I'd say Sue came out alright though: Miss Let's Get Physical herself, Olivia Newton John, shows up to remake the video and casts Sue as her costar. After watching the Glee remake I couldn't help myself from wanting to relive the glory and the spandex of the original. So bust out your favorite leggings, headbands, and aerobics moves and be inspired to get up and go!

To see the video keep on reading.

Feel the Burn! Jane Fonda Returns For World Fitness Day

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:30:31 PDT

Get ready for legwarmer and leotard flashbacks: the woman who made "aerobics" a household word is making a comeback. Actress Jane Fonda plans to get back into her fitness routine on May 1, when she'll host an event dubbed World Fitness Day in Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

Fonda, 72, became a fitness icon in the 1970s, with the release of countless at-home aerobics videos. Now, she wants to reenergize her fellow seniors and baby boomers to make a commitment to fitness:

"I've had hip replacement and a recent knee replacement and I am interested in bringing boomers and seniors like me into the exercise world because I know it will enhance their lives."

The event, benefiting Fonda's teen pregnancy prevention nonprofit, will be open to as many as 3,000 participants. Other home workout stars, including Richard Simmons and Billy Blanks, will help lead the sessions. Between Richard Simmons and tae-bo, I feel like I'm having '80s flashbacks. But then again, taking aerobics from the legends would be a real trip. What do you think of Fonda's plan?

Flashback: 1986 Crystal Light Aerobics Competition

TresSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 PST

Ah, the '80s. The decade of Crystal Light lemonade, Devo, and national aerobics championships. One of the competitors in the clip below says that if he had to describe their act, he would use one word: HAWT. Who could disagree?

For the full '80s experience, you can watch Devo perform the song "It's a Good Thing" on David Letterman from 1982, just

Shakira Gets Wild

FitSugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:00:04 PDT

Looking a little Flo-Joesque in a one-legged unitard, Shakira showed off her rockin' bod and moves in the Halloween-appropriate video for "She Wolf," her latest single.

Shakira recently told reporters that she got in shape for the video by doing lots of abdominal exercises and dancing for hours each day - the pop star is a huge fan of dance aerobics. Not without her vices, Shakira can't give up her love for chocolate and sugar.

People loved working out to Shakira's songs in the past, so check out her latest when you

Class Act: Zumba

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:30:00 PDT

Dancing With the Stars is back on TV this week and watching it always makes me want to get up and move; especially after seeing how the stars' bodies are transformed from all that dancing. If you're inspired by DWTS, then you may want to check out Zumba.

Zumba has been a buzzword of the aerobics world for a little while now, but I've recently started hearing more and more women talking it up. Basically, Zumba is a group fitness class that is part dance, part aerobics. The routines feature aerobic/fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body; all set to upbeat Latin music. No previous dance skills are required and you can ditch the high heels for a pair of good cross training shoes - you want to make sure your feet and ankles are supported. Zumba is a great way to trick yourself into working out, since many people say that they are having so much fun they forget it's even exercise. Now that's my kind of workout. Locate a Zumba class near you and try it out.

Have you already discovered Zumba? Let us know what you think below.

Another Reason to Exercise: Ease Menstrual Cramps

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:30:00 PDT

Cramps during that time of the month can be debilitating - so much so that the last thing you want to do is hit the gym.

One thing you should know is that exercise can actually help relieve those painful cramps. Here's WebMD's explanation:

Exercise relieves cramps because it helps release beta-endorphins, which are internal opioids -- your own “human morphine,” according to Gustavo Rossi, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington. “It produces analgesia [pain relief] and helps to burn the prostaglandins -- chemicals released during menstruation that cause muscle contractions -- much faster.”

Human morphine? Too bad they can't bottle that. Should you hit the weights or the treadmill? The best form of exercise for PMS relief is aerobic exercise or anything that gets your blood flowing and heart pumping.

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Balanced Workout: Cardio & Weight Training

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:30:00 PDT

Hopefully by now you have added some strength training to your workout plan since it has so many benefits (making you stronger, firing up your metabolism, and the new exercise guidelines recommend 2 sessions a week). The experts, however, all seem to have different ideas on how to go about it.

I found the age based approach by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the doctor that coined the word "aerobics" back in the '60s, interesting. He now advises his patients to perform muscular conditioning in a graduated amount based on age. Since the human body slows down in building muscle mass in the mid 30s, the older you get the more time you should allocate for strength training in your workout. He found that as he aged he was able to maintain his aerobic endurance but lacked strength.

Here is what Cooper suggests:

Age in decade	Cardio Training	Strength Training
30s	80%	20%
40s	70%	30%
50s	60%	40%

If you are in your 20s, you should still do a mixture of cardio and muscular conditioning; the key is to listen to your body. If you are experiencing injuries (like sore knees from running mile upon mile), you definitely need to add strength training to your regimen.

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Fitness Myth Busted: Cardio and Extended Calorie Burn

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Do you work under the assumption that your aerobic workout boosts your metabolism for hours after you stop working out?
This statement is actually true -- but the calorie burn is probably not nearly as much as you think!

According to coach Eric Harr, author of The Portable Personal Trainer, your metabolism will continue to burn at a slightly higher rate after you finish an aerobic workout. Unfortunately, the amount is not statistically significant. In fact, it allows you to burn only about 20 extra calories for the day. Harr says there is a little bit more of a metabolic boost after strength training, but still he says it is marginal.

Moral of the story: Just because you are working out doesn't mean you can consume all the calories you want.

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DVD Review: XFLOWSION

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Want to get in on the new workout that's recently been discovered by Jessica Biel, Elisha Cuthbert, Shannon Elizabeth and Randy Spelling?

XFLOWSION DVD Series ($59.85) is the latest and greatest in working out. The hybrid blend of yoga, martial arts, and dance, not to mention the live band on set makes XFLOWSION a unique way to exercise. It is fun, energetic, very effective way for shaping, toning and weight loss, and it also leaves a sense of calm and peace (thanks to the yoga). Students are guided and inspired by instructor Eric Paskel, a rebel turned fitness guru, whose mantra is “We do this for our sanity, not our vanity.” The DVD series is sold in a package (this includes 4 DVDs and lots of other info), which is why it's a little more pricey. Sounds like fun? Then buy it from xflowsion.com.

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