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HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING
classes at the YMCA. Besides the health benefits associated with group training, these classes tend to be far more inclusive in terms of sex and age — a great feature that will boost this trend’s longevity.
Since the mid-1990s, scores of studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of interval conditioning for fat loss. High- intensity interval training (HIIT) involves cardiovascular exercise strategies where you alternate between short periods of anaerobic exercise and recovery periods. While there’s far more vigorous exercise in HIIT than traditional cardio, you don’t have to put in as much time to burn the same amount of calories. Simply put, HIIT is short but strenuous. One of the most popular fitness trends that incorporates elements of HIIT is CrossFit. In group training, an instructor leads a workout in a group of five or more people. These classes are designed to be motivational and effective for people of various fitness levels. Group training classes could be anything from HIIT classes and dance cardio classes to old-school step GROUP TRAINING
WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
Activity trackers, smart watches, and heart rate monitors are as popular as ever, but wearable tech is going beyond the Fitbits and Apple Watches. For example, Motiv recently released its titanium ring, a stylish and innovative product that tracks activity via your finger. Additionally, Wearable X just introduced the Nadi X yoga pants, which deliver vibrational feedback to the wearer to encourage good form and alignment. While there is a plethora of products to choose from, it’s safe to say that wearable technology won’t be going out of style any time soon.
More Isn’t Always More Taking a day off from your workout routine might feel like slacking, but scheduling recovery days into your regimen will actually make the time you spend in the gymmore effective. Active recovery days aren’t really days off; you just do less physical work and focus more on the other tasks necessary for reaching your goals. distance and speed by jogging a shorter route at a lower target heart Use Active Recovery Days to Boost Your Results
rate. Whatever your typical activity, shoot for about 50 percent effort or less on these days.
With the holiday craziness kicking into full swing, now is the perfect opportunity tomake sure you’re scheduling those active recovery days. You’ll have more time to focus on everything else you love and give your body what it needs to work off those extra Thanksgiving treats!
Active recovery days are also the perfect opportunity to prep food! Spend the afternoon cooking chicken breasts, boiling rice, soaking oats, and chopping veggies, then divide them into enough single-serving containers to last the rest of the week. Most importantly, take advantage of this time to catch up with the important people in your life and the hobbies you love. You can even kill two birds with one stone by playing basketball with friends or going for a walk with the kids. When done properly, active recovery days can recharge your body, your mind, and your life.
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER WITH ACTIVE RECOVERY? Heavy exercise“damages”your muscles, and they use this downtime to repair that damage, which causes the cells to enlarge and ultimately results inmuscle growth and increased strength. This hypertrophy process can’t happen—at least, not very successfully—unless your muscles have a chance to rest and recover.
running, CrossFit, or other athletic pursuits. Perfecting your formwill help you avoid injury, target the correct muscle groups, and work more efficiently. SO …WHAT SHOULD I DO ALL DAY? You won’t be going full-bore at the gym, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your body moving. If you’re a CrossFitter, take a yoga class tomaintain flexibility. Weightlifters can swap out the heavy weights for bodyweight moves and light cardio. If you’re a runner, reduce your
Reducing your workout intensity also allows you to focus on proper form, whether that’s for lifting,
2 • www.mhrpt.com
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