3 fitness regimens to tone you up this season

[Armaan]

From spinning to a special butt workout and some suspension fun, here's a lowdown on three regimens you must try...

1) Soul Cycling

The spinning regimen has Hollywood folks like David and Victoria Beckham and Katie Homes as fans. So, what's so great about it?

If you have felt like your workout needs a change, try this for size. But it's so much more than just a stationary spinning class. It is a motivational therapy that involves loads of dancing and fun. The challenging workout has caught on so much and it's getting to be quite an addiction with the celeb frat too. Victoria Beckham is reported to have called it her favourite, while actors Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller and singers Harry Styles and Mel B love it. It's not just an exercise, as you get sweaty and tire those muscles, there's a bit of drama here, as the riding instructors teach you dance moves or even yoga stretches while cycling. Did you know that one group even a carried out an actual enactment of Moulin Rouge while being on the bike!

WHAT IT IS: To put it simply, it's spinning while also moving to the music on the bike. As you pedal on, you burn the fat, tone muscles, release stress, while improving endurance. Says gym expert Althea Shah, "In Mumbai we conduct spinning, which is similar to SoulCycling. This is a high energetic pulsating class on stationary spin bikes. With no complicated moves to learn, a motivating group environment, invigorating music, and visualisation, you can have a blast as you ride your way to a healthier, stronger body," she states.

ADVANTAGES: The cardiovascular exercise helps you improve your overall physical health. "Done on a regular basis, it keeps the heart pumping strong, blood circulating properly, and helps to improve your breathing capacity, while boosting your endurance. A consistent program also reduces your blood pressure, reduces glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, increases HDL-cholesterol (the 'good' cholesterol), and decreases total cholesterol," adds Althea.

CALORIE BURN (approx) 550 calories a class.

HOW LONG? 1 hour session.

WATCH OUT!: Wrong postures and weak bones can lead to injuries. It is thus important to strengthen the body and get the form right before getting onto the bike.

2) Dedicated to your derriere

Butt camps that are made for your behind are the hot new draw

We've heard of boot camps and stretch camps and now here's one just to help you get a tight butt. These are a series of exercises that just target the lower body — butt and legs — instead of giving you the usual rounded out workout. The workout is getting to be hugely popular and a report says fashionista Kim Kardashian has actually got a dedicated special corner in her home for her 'derriere' with butt-toning gym equipment like a thigh shaper and a range of butt-toning belts and resistance bands, a source told a magazine.

WHAT IT IS: Toning the booty requires a specific regimen. Says fitness expert Jivesh Shetty: "First do squats, which work on the glutes and the butt and work on enhancing the shape. Remember, the wider you keep the feet, the more you have to sit back and this puts more focus on the butt. Lunges are apt too — beginners can do 15-20 reps of 2 sets and slowly increase this to 4 sets. It targets the glutes, quads, hamstrings and core." Add a treadmill session to this. "Doing an uphill incline is always better. Do 10 minutes of this combined with running on the flat surface for 10 minutes," he advises.

City-based fitness trainer, Swati Shah, who is doing a program on lifting the booty, says there's a huge demand for 'butt transformations' with the holiday season coming on. "This is a 10-day program, which includes bodyweight exercises focuses only on the booty. It has squats and lunges with variations and other mat exercises. It does show a marked difference as it tightens and shapes the butt," she says.

ADVANTAGES: Extra butt fat can be a hotbed of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, so having a slim, toned butt means lesser risk of this happening.

CALORIE BURN (approx) 100-500 calories a class.

HOW LONG? 45 minutes to 1 hour per session.

WATCH OUT! While you work out, be careful not to overdo it or you will fall prey to a 'flat-butt syndrome'. People also forget to stretch after they finish the exercises. This is crucial as it becomes harder for the muscles to recover after a workout.



3) TRX secret to fitness

The 'suspended' workout uses gravity and your bodyweight to perform exercises

Being as flexible as it gets, this one was voted the top fitness trend of 2014! Also called suspension training, the TRX workout, this is the popular choice when it comes to getting a rock-solid core. Once a workout only used by military, it has a steady following of fitness lovers everywhere including celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Olivia Munn, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lopez, are all said to be ardent of followers of it.

WHAT IT IS: TRX basically uses bands that are suspended from the ceiling. These straps and handle are attached to the ceiling and during the workout you use body weight to lift and lower. The resistance challenge can be increased as per your body fitness level. You can do overheads squats, side planks, lunges, push-ups, hamstring pull-ins, single arm rows and more with it. You must do each of the exercises with a 30 second rest in between. Says Hetal Madhiwalla who teaches TRX, "The underlying principle is to use gravity and your bodyweight to perform exercises. As you do the pulling and pushing exercises with the ropes, it strengthens and builds muscle tone and enhances flexibility and balance. This is especially apt after a hard day at work as you really de-stress with all the stretching."


ADVANTAGES: TRX training requires balance, so it builds concentration. It also increases muscle tone. The workout can be set up anywhere — at home, in the office or a hotel room. It helps tone muscles and works well on the core.

CALORIE BURN (approx) 160-250 calories a class.

HOW LONG? 30 minutes is enough.

WATCH OUT! If the straps are unstable, it can cause an injury. Also, those with back and joint pains should always ask a doctor before starting on a TRX workout.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/3-fitness-regimens-to-tone-you-up-this-season/articleshow/44852651.cms