Monday, November 23, 2009

The Skinny on Fitness Workouts
        Ways to change up your fitness routine



Kickboxing 
Calories burnt in an hour: 500

Kickboxing is an intense workout (based on Muay Thai and Karate) that is one of the best at relieving stress and increasing stamina. It targets your arms, abs, butt, and thighs and even increases your metabolism. On top of this, it's a great way to increase your self-defense skills and will allow you to sweat out toxins in your system with each workout. Most gyms offer kickboxing, or there are many routines to follow if you get a punching bag to workout at home.  


Hula Hooping
Calories burnt in an hour: 600

Hula hooping is a great workout for getting rid of that mid-section that most people struggle with. There are different hula hoops to purchase and they increase in size and weight to help build your stamina as you get better. Many gyms and community centers offer hula hooping classes and there are a variety of routines to change your workout. 



Aerobics 
Calories burnt in an hour: 400

If you want to dance your butt off (literally), then aerobics is perfect because it's fun and fast-paced. Although there's not much strength training involved in it, it's the best kind of workout for improving oxygen flow and isn't too strenuous. It also is the best for burning fat the quickest and improving flexibility. Aerobics are great because they can be done anywhere, in the backyard or on the beach, and men are known for getting into the workout as well. 



Spinning
Calories burnt in an hour: 1,000

Spinning is one of the best exercises for burning the most calories. Just a thirty-minute workout burns 500 calories. It's not an exercise you'll get bored with as it's always challenging and always changing-- at many gyms they even have scenery in the room where it looks as if you're biking through a forest. You can even buy the same spinning videos to watch at home. After all, there's nothing like pretending you're biking through the jungle in your very own living room. 



Belly Dancing
Calories burnt in an hour: 400

Belly dancing is a fun alternative to working out and can help improve your dance moves. It targets your abdomen and hips, sculpting them as they quickly burn fat. Celebrities like Shakira and Beyonce are known to belly dance to keep their curves, yet to remain healthy and avoid looking too skinny. It's also been known to boost confidence and improve flexibility and oxygen flow. On top of it all, it improves your posture, but it can be bad on your knees so try getting started on this at an earlier age. 

Katie Cervantes
Live OC Magazine
www.LIVEOCMAG.com