The semester is over, and while your heart is feeling 100lbs lighter, your body is feeling about 20lbs heavier than when you pranced onto campus in the fall. As you try to squeeze into last year’s bikini, never fear – you’ll be back in high school Varsity shape in no times. Cutting out the alcohol calories from whiskey sours at Feve is half the battle anyway. You just need a few more tricks and tips.
While many of you might have taken to your treadmills and ellipticals like the cardio bunnies you are, some may be looking for a new way to work up a sweat. If running from responsibilities and jumping to conclusions doesn’t get the job done, here are some of the emerging fitness trends of 2015 to get you moving in the summer heat!
1. Barre
People have been rightfully skeptical about this form of workout. Anything that is so often accompanied with brunch gives the impression of not being worth the time. However, as one of these former nay-sayers, this belief could not be farther from the truth. If you go to the right class, barre workouts will kick your butt and leave you feeling the burn for days. Your average barre class will include a full-body muscular workout that tones your legs, abs, arms, and behind during an hour-long session, while incorporating elements of pilates, yoga, and ballet. Make no mistake, it will make you earn every mimosa you chug at The Mark afterwards.
For those in the ND area, one particularly great place to get this workout is at B Present Studio in Granger. They offer both a Barre Beautiful and a Barre Bootcamp class (with cardio!) throughout the week!
2. Short Workout Apps/Online Workouts
This next workout is entirely for girls-on-the-go. We are busy, busy creatures. Between balancing unpaid summer internships and unwinding from a stressful semester, who really has the time (or the money) to join a gym or take fancy fitness classes? Luckily for us, capitalist society has risen to the challenge and is now offering a service to suit our needs.
Now, people can use free digital tools to get their workout over with in an hour or less. Smartphone apps, such as Nike Training Club, offer free 15-45 minute workouts that you download to your phone. Each workout guides you through a set of exercises that target the areas you want to work on. Those who are living in the dark ages with their flip phone can also find their nearest computer and go to www.fitnessblender.com, where two qualified trainers have posted a variety of free workout videos.
3. Bodyweight Training/High-Intensity Interval Training
This type of workout may seem like a no-brainer. Bodyweight training is just a technical term for all of the exercises that you can do outside of the gym using the weight of your own body in terms of strength training. This includes planks, push-ups, sit-ups, etc. While it may seem simple, gradually increasing repetitions of these exercises throughout the summer can make an enormous difference. Especially for those of us who do one sit-up annually, and expect a six-pack that does not go in the fridge.
Next, HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training is also simple, but expected to rank number two to bodyweight training throughout 2015. Workout videos like P90X or Insanity (pure hell, both of them, but effective) utilize this kind of exercise. These workouts will keep you from getting bored, and can be effective no matter what your fitness level may be.
4. Aerial Fitness
Finally, you may want to try out this wild card workout to spice up your summer. Aerial Fitness classes include using fabric slings that are attached to the walls and/or ceilings to bring out your inner “Cirque du Soleil.” Honestly, its so out of the ordinary you probably won’t even realize you’re getting a workout until its over.
No matter what workout you choose, its never too late to start getting in shape. The summer is when you’ll have the most time, though, so make like Nike and just do it. Good luck!
The HCND application is now open! For more information contact Rebecca Rogalski at rrogalsk@nd.edu or Katrina Linden at klinden1@nd.edu.
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