FitSugar

Fitness Switchup: Dance Arerobics Instead of Yoga

FitSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:00:00 -0700

I love me some yoga, but sometimes the Om just isn't enough. I need to move. I need loud music with a beat. If you're in a similar position and can't fathom sticking just to your sticky mat for another class, I suggest you switch it up and give a dace class a try, be it Broadway moves or Bollywood-inspired choreography.

Occasionally I need some hip-hop aerobics. I may not be a B-girl, but I find getting my heart rate up while getting into a good groove a great way to exercise. Yoga is great form of mind/body exercise, but only certain styles count as cardio. While yoga lengthens tight muscles and builds calm inner strength, I find dance aerobics, any kind, to be a great complement because they challenge the body to work in a new way: to move quickly but with control as well as relate to the music of the beat and your own breath. Most gyms that offer group classes have some kind of dance workout on their schedule.

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Fitness Switchup: Indoor Cycling Instead of Running

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

If you used to love running and now the sight of your sneakers makes you want to hide, it is time to switch up your fitness routine. Cross training is a great way to beat boredom and overuse injuries.

If you're sick of pounding the pavement and running solo, try a group indoor cycling class for three reasons. One, biking balances out the legs, since it targets the quads, and running tends to work the hamstrings more. Strong quads will help prevent overuse injuries like runner's knee. Secondly, a group class situation is so different from solitary running. You don't have to motivate yourself and set paces; the instructor does that all for you. Lastly, biking is a joint-friendly form of cardio that will still get your heart pumping without banging your joints around.

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Boredom Buster: Close Your Eyes

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:00:00 -0800

We all experience those moments of utter boredom with our workouts. It happens. We are fickle creatures and we crave change. I am always looking for tricks to bust through those workout doldrums and break on through to the other side. One technique I have been playing with these days is to be mindfully blind. I close my eyes throughout an entire set of a stationary exercise. It is surprisingly difficult to perform 10 squats without seeing your surroundings. With your eyes closed, your other senses kick into overdrive. Plus, moving without visual cues increases your coordination.

It is kind of odd to close your eyes at the gym and that makes me love it even more. And there is the bonus that I can't see other gym users looking at me funny since my eyes are closed. So if you need a new way of "seeing" things, challenge yourself by being mindfully blind. We all tend to do this when stretching, but try it during crunches or lifting weights, but not for walking lunges and never on a piece of cardio equipment. Eyes closed for standing biceps curls - yes. On a treadmill - never.

Looking for more ways to beat boredom? Here are a couple more ways to bust the boredom.

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Step Up Your Outdoor Jog

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Sick of the same old jog down the street, through the park, or whatever route you may take. One way that I like to keep my outdoor jogs a little less on the boring side is by taking a few active rests along the way.

Here's how it works: After running for about 5-10 minutes, I pick a landmark up ahead and when I reach it I do an exercise I've predetermined in my head. For example, if I see a park bench up ahead, then I'll stop and do three sets of 20 step-ups using the bench and continue on my run when I've completed the sets. In another 5-10 minutes, I choose another landmark and do another exercise. The type of exercise is totally up to you as you can do any kind of exercise you'd like (stair climbing, lunges, crunches, squats, push-ups, high kicks, etc.) during your active rests.

For me the best part is that I spend the whole time thinking about my next exercise rather than the 45 minutes I have left on my jog. Then when you're done, you've got the satisfaction from not only running 45 minutes, but also by completing numerous other exercises too!

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Boredom Buster: Reverse Your Run

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:30:00 -0700

If you always run (or walk) the same route every time you run, next time, run your route in reverse.

No, I am not telling you to run backwards, but just run in the opposite direction. For example, say you always run from your house to the park, around the pond and down the big hill back to your house; this time run up the big hill from your house, around the pond, through the park and back to your house. Make sense? You'll be totally amazed at how different the run is, especially if your run usually consists of going downhill, an uphill run will really rev up your workout. Your muscles and brain will welcome the change.

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Boredom Buster: Listen to Audiobooks

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:15:00 -0700

Reading while exercising is always an option to keep your mind entertained while your body burns it on cardio machines. However, all that jostling about on the machines can make it difficult to focus on the printed word, and reading can be a bit distracting. eDiets would like to remind you that listening to a "book on tape" is a great workout work around for reading. Find a novel or short story by your favorite author in audio form, and listen while you workout. This is great for outdoor workouts as well. Visit iTunes and check out the audiobook selections, you should have no trouble finding something to keep your attention. They even have unabridged versions of many Harry Potter books!

When reading an engrossing novel, I often tell myself I will start cleaning the kitchen when I finish this chapter and you can apply this method of thinking, but kind of in reverse, to your workout. Commit to staying on the machine until the chapter is over. Hopefully, the plot will help you keep plodding along!

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Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Boredom Buster: Count Backwards

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:30:00 -0800

I know it sounds silly but the other day I switched up the way I count when doing reps and it totally changed my workout. Instead of counting each rep (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) . . . I counted backwards like they do before the space shuttle launches – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I know this may not seem like rocket science, but for someone that goes to the gym almost every day, anything to switch things up is a welcome change in my book.

If you like this idea you might like the idea of reversing your run.

Lauren Conrad Is Ready For Summer

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:35:00 -0700

We learned last year that Lauren Conrad loves kickboxing, but it looks like she's upped the ante and according to In Touch is now doing what her trainer calls the Body Box. Sounds vaguely sinister, but Jarret Del Bene, LC's trainer, says the boxing circuit is a full-body, high-intensity workout. Because the combos are always changing, the Body Box is also a boredom buster, which is good since the Hills star does the workout two to four times a week. The workout mixes punching and kickboxing moves with squats and other conditioning exercises.

Del Bene said LC follows a healthy diet, but she is limiting her caloric intake to 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, portioned out into five or six small meals. While that is not dangerously low - an adult requires about 1,200 calories daily before the metabolism slows down as if there is a threat of starvation - I think I would feel hungry all the time if I ate like that every day, especially if I was exercising intensely. You can check out Lauren frolicking on the beach here.

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Print It: FitSugar Elliptical Workouts

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:00:00 -0700

If you love the elliptical, but need to freshen up your workout, you should try one of my four favorite elliptical workouts. I put them all on one printable page for your convenience. Just print this PDF, take it to the gym, and follow the workout of your choice. You can work your booty, do intervals, or use the boredom buster busy-body workout. Keep this sheet in your gym bag for those days when you know you need a workout but can't motivate to figure out what exactly to do. These workouts will help you have fun at the gym!

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