mardi 17 décembre 2019
lundi 16 décembre 2019
10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required
Sure, you can schlep to the gym and hop on the elliptical for 45 minutes. Or you can lace up your sneaks and head outside for a long run to turn up your heart rate and calorie burn. But when the temperatures drop or you just don’t have time to leave your house, you can still squeeze in a solid cardio workout at home. All you need is a little room to move—and the ability to push yourself, just enough so your heart starts pumping and the sweat starts flowing.
How can you do that? Two words: plyometric exercises.“[These] exercises are perfect for a cardio workout at home, as they save space (all the movements can be done in one place) and time because it requires max effort—and thus, less overall time spent—while also offering strength, power, and cardio benefits,” Judine Saint Gerard, NASM-CPT, head coach at Tone House in New York City, tells Health. “With these added benefits of strength and power, it may be even better than just trotting away on the elliptical.”
RELATED: The 10-Minute Cardio Workout You Can Do at the Office
The key to working hard enough to reap all the fitness rewards: firing up your core temperature so you start dripping sweat. “Most cardio workouts produce heat in the body—the more strenuous the workout, the more heat it produces, and sweating is the body’s way of cooling down,” she says. If you work through a cardio workout at home and finish it sweat-free, you’ll want to power up your intensity on the next go around. That means working faster or taking fewer breaks.
If you need a cardio workout to kick off your at-home training, Saint Gerard has the perfect routine for you. Here, she offers 10 plyometric exercises, plus how to time them to your heart-pumping advantage. Each one also has a low-impact variation for anyone jumping back into fitness after a long hiatus or someone who's starting a regular exercise routine for the first time. They're also smart options for those with injuries. The only thing you have to remember is to work hard so you end in sweat—so don't be too easy on yourself.
RELATED: The 7 Best Strength Exercises You're Not Doing
The Workout
If you’re opting for the high-impact plyometric moves, do each exercise below for 30 seconds, and rest for 30 seconds between each exercise. Prefer staying on two feet and skipping the jumps? Follow the modified moves for 30 seconds each, with just 15 seconds of rest between each exercise. Do 2-3 rounds with 60-90 seconds of rest between each round. The best part: the more you practice the less rest you’ll need.
Mountain Climbers
1. Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels.
2. Keep core tight and back flat. Drive one knee in toward chest, then place it back down.
3. Immediately drive the opposite knee in toward chest. Then, place it back down. Continue alternating.
Modification: Eliminate the hop and slow down your pace, still driving one knee at a time in toward your chest.
Vinyasa
1. Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels.
2. Lower down as if you’re doing a push-up, keeping elbows tight by sides.
3. Then, move chest through arms, coming into a cobra or up-dog pose (slight arch in the back; chest toward the sky).
4. Next, push through hands and lift hips all the way up to a downward-facing dog position. Repeat, flowing back to a plank position.
Modification: Drop the knees while you lower into a push-up position for more support.
RELATED: 25-Minute Core-Strengthening Vinyasa Flow
Burpee
1. Start standing, feet hip-width apart.
2. Place both hands flat onto the ground in front of you and hop feet behind you into a plank. Make sure to keep hips up, core tight, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels.
3. Then, quickly hop feet back up toward hands.
4. Jump all the way up to stand, bringing arms above head and exploding off feet. Repeat.
Modification: Place hands flat on ground, step left foot back, then step right foot back and pause in plank. Then, step left foot in, step right foot in, and stand back up, bringing arms overhead.
Lunge Jumps
1. Start standing, feet together.
2. Step left leg back and lower into a lunge, both knees bent 90 degrees, back right knee just hovering off the floor.
3. Push through the heel of the front left leg to explode up, switching feet in the air.
4. Land softly back into a lunge position, right foot forward. Repeat with right foot forward and continue alternating.
Modification: Instead of jumping up from the lunge, drive through the heel of the front leg, bring back knee up toward chest and then kick it straight out in front of you. Place foot back down and step back with the opposite foot. Continue alternating lunges with a front kick.
RELATED: 5 Power Lunges for Killer Glutes
Squat Jumps
1. Start standing, feet slight wider than hip-width apart.
2. Push your hips back and down, keeping weight in the heels as you lower into a squat.
3. Explode off your feet, extending your hips to jump up into the air.
4. Land softly back into a squat position, knees bent. Repeat.
Modification: Eliminate the jump and push the pace of a regular bodyweight squat.
Pike-Ups
1. Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels.
2. Hop your feet in so that your hips drive straight up into the air and you hit a reverse V shape.
3. Then, hop the feet back to a plank position. Repeat.
Modification: From your plank position, walk feet up toward hands to create the reverse V shape, and then walk them back to a plank. Repeat, while pushing your pace.
RELATED: 20 Plank Exercises You Can Do at Home
Skater Jumps
1. Start standing, feet hip-width apart.
2. Push off your left foot to hop to the right, landing with a bent knee, hips back, chest up, and bringing your left foot behind your right.
3. Then, push off your right foot, hopping to the left. Continue alternating.
Modification: Alternate curtsy lunges by stepping one foot diagonally behind you, lowering into a lunge position with knees bent 90 degrees. Step back up to standing and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating.
Tuck Jumps
1. Start standing, feet hip-width apart.
2. Lower into a shallow squat position and then explode up into the air, driving knees up into chest.
3. Land softly back down, with bent knees. Repeat.
Modification: Start in a kneeling position. Step left forward, and then right, coming into a low squat position. Then stand up. Lower back into a squat. Then place left leg back down to a kneeling position, and then right leg. Repeat, starting with the right leg. Continue alternating.
RELATED: 4 Fat-Blasting Jumping Exercises
Lateral Hurdle Hops
1. Start standing, feet together.
2. Place a yoga block or band next to you (or pretend there is a hurdle next to you). Bend knees slightly and drive up and over, hopping over the “hurdle” as you drive knees up.
3. Land softly with bent knees. Repeat, hopping to the other side. Continue alternating.
Modification: Instead of jumping over the “hurdle,” step over it, starting with the knee closest to the hurdle, and still driving the knees up toward chest. Keep arms straight overhead as you go.
High Knees
1. Start standing with feet together.
2. Drive one knee up toward chest, with the opposite arm driving forward (elbows bent 90 degrees).
3. Quickly place the foot back down and drive the other knee up and opposite arm forward.
4. Continue alternating, landing lightly with each step like you’re running in place.
Modification: March the knees up toward the chest, eliminating the hop.
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10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment RequiredThe 5-Move Resistance Band Workout for a Strong Butt
When you’re looking for a fitness tool that totally ups the ante on your strength workouts, particularly those that target your butt, look no further than a resistance band. Those looped mini bands work wonders for firing up your glutes and working your backside from all angles—a smart strategy for those who sit most of the day, who want to run faster, or for anyone aiming to feel stronger all over.
“One of my favorite body parts to train is my glutes—I used to be quite imbalanced, where I was really strong in my quads and my glutes were quite weak,” Emily Skye, Australian trainer and founder of Emily Skye FIT, tells Health. She credits a strong butt for helping to ease her back pain. Skye loves the bands for getting blood flow to the backside, the main goal when you want to warm-up for, say, a heavy lifting routine featuring squats or deadlifts. But she also turns to them for a glute-strengthening workout all on their own.
RELATED: 15 Transformations That'll Inspire You to Start Lifting Weights
The best part about using a resistance band to work your butt: it’s the prefect travel partner, taking up no space in your bag and requiring only a small square footage to do a full workout. Plus, they’re super inexpensive. (Try this set on Amazon for just $10.)
Skye suggests getting a few bands of varying resistances, so you can learn each move with a lighter band, and as you get stronger, move up to a heavier resistance. You’ll know you’re using something with enough resistance if by rep 12, the move feels nearly impossible to complete with perfect form, she says.
Ready to feel that fire in your glutes? Skye offers five resistance band exercises below that you can do anytime and anywhere to strengthen your butt. One key form tip to keep in mind: Do each exercise with good posture. “You do that by standing nice and tall with your belly button drawn in toward your spine. And then, slightly squeeze your glutes before you start,” Skye explains.
When you’re standing tall and strong, step right into this butt workout.
RELATED: 20-Minute Pilates Butt Workout for Stronger Glutes
The Workout
Do each exercise below for 10-12 reps and 2-3 rounds. If you’re new to these moves, start with the band above the knees for all of them. If you’re intermediate or advanced, you can move the band around your ankles for the first three exercises. You want to feel the burn, so keep working for it!
Banded Squat
1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart and band around ankles, hands clasped in front of you.
2. Push hips down and back, bending knees and lowering into a squat. Make sure chest stays tall, back flat, and core tight. Resist knees collapsing in toward each other by driving them outward.
3. Then, drive heels and toes into the ground to stand back up. Repeat.
Crab Walks
1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart and band around ankles.
2. Lower into a shallow squat position, sending hips down and back and bending knees. Hold this position as you take three steps to the left.
3. Next, take three steps to the right. That’s one rep. Make sure your chest stays tall, back flat, and core tight. Resist knees collapsing in toward each other by driving them outward and aim to keep feet parallel the entire time. Repeat.
RELATED: This Full-Body Resistance Band Workout Only Takes 15 Minutes
High Plank Leg Lifts
1. Start in a push-up or high plank position, with band around ankles, forming a straight line from shoulders to heel. Line shoulders directly over wrists.
2. Without arching back, squeeze right glute and lift right leg up toward the ceiling. Then place it back down.
3. Then, squeeze left glute and lift left leg up toward the ceiling. Then place it back down. That’s one rep. Don’t let your hips drop or pike up; pull belly button up toward spine and push the floor away from you with hands. Continue alternating.
Banded Glute Bridge Abductions
1. Start lying on back, with band above knees. Bend knees, place feet flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Make sure heels are close to butt and back is flat against the floor.
2. Drive through the feet and squeeze glutes to lift hips toward ceiling. Make sure to maintain a slight posterior pelvic tilt, so you’re not arching low back.
3. When you reach the top with hips forming a diagonal line from knees to shoulders, drive knees out against the band, going wider than shoulders.
4. Then bring knees back to shoulder-width, and slowly lower back down to floor. Repeat.
RELATED: Hate Squats? 7 Glute Exercises for an Instant Butt Lift
Banded Clamshells
1. Start lying on right side, with the band above knees. Place right forearm on the ground and stack right shoulder over right elbow, pushing the floor away to create space in right side. Bend knees and hips about 45 degrees and stack knees and hips on top of each other. This is your starting position.
2. Then, squeeze left glute and rotate left hip outward, lifting left knee toward ceiling.
3. Slowly lower back down. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.
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The 5-Move Resistance Band Workout for a Strong Buttvendredi 13 décembre 2019
15 Hip Stretches Literally Every Body Will Benefit From
If you've got a pair of hips, there's a really good chance they've felt "tight" once or twice (or uh, maybe even right this second). And you're not alone: “I hear people complain about tightness in their hips during every single [personal training] session,” says Lauren Kanski, NASM-CPT, personal trainer and coach at Performix House in New York City. “Multiple times, every single day, it’s the most common area people ask for help on besides their lower back.”
The reason? We all tend to spend a majority of the day sitting down—in the car, at your desk, on the couch—and staying off your feet plays a major role in this type of tightness. That's because that seated posture means your hips hold a flexed (or shortened) position all day, which can make moving afterward—even just standing up—feel tough. Stretching out your hip muscles, as well as moving regularly throughout the day, can help ease stiff hips and ward off pain and injury.
But even if you don’t feel tight, it’s important to tend to your hips, especially if you feel stressed. “We store a lot of stress and emotions in our hips,” Kanski explains. “We transfer energy between the upper part of the body and the lower part of the body to function and move, and the hips are the primary transfer point of that energy.” Sometimes, opening up the hips can even alleviate some overall tension and perk up your energy levels.
RELATED: This 6-Step Yoga Flow Will Open Up Your Tight Hips
To keep your hips healthy, show ‘em some TLC every day. Kanski suggests you stretch them out after you wake up in the morning, before your workouts, and before you head to bed. But even more important: stretching our hips out before and after a workout. Keep stretches active or dynamic when warming up before your workout—that means only holding for a few seconds and moving in and out of the pose. Go for passive or static stretches to cool down after a sweat, holding each position for about 30 seconds. The stretches below, shared with Health by Kanski, are a mixture of both—one through eight are dynamic stretches to keep things moving, while stretches nine through 15 are meant for when you finally slow things down.
1. Adductor Rock Back
Start in a tall kneeling position on the floor. Extend one leg straight out to the side, keeping foot flat on the floor. Place both hands on the ground, about one to two feet in front of bent knee and rotate foot of extended leg so it faces inward. Keeping your spine long, push hips back toward heel. Then, return to starting position. Perform three sets of 10 rock backs on each side. Kneel on a pillow, folded blanket, or yoga mat if needed.
2. Quadruped Hip Half Circles
Start on hands and knees, shoulders over wrists and knees under hips. Extend right leg behind you. Create a counterclockwise circle with knee, bringing it to right arm. Try to keep hips level and knee bent 90 degrees. Complete the half-circle by extending right leg behind you again. Repeat for a total of three to five reps. Do three sets per side.
RELATED: What the Heck Are Hip Dips?
3. Spiderman Lunge
Start in a high-plank position with hands directly under shoulders. Bend right knee to step right foot forward, just outside right hand. Keep left leg extended and abs tight. Step right foot back to plank and pause. Repeat. Do three sets of five lunges per side.
4. Squat-to-Stand
Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Soften knees and bend forward at waist to reach hands to toes. Once hands reach toes, or as close as possible, bend knees to squat down. In your squat position, keep your elbows on the inside legs and use them to gently push knees apart. Lift chest, pause, then straighten legs and re-fold forward to return to starting position. Do three sets of five reps.
RELATED: How Low Should You Squat? And How to Improve It
5. Walking Lateral Lunges
Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at sides. Step right foot wider than hip width and bend right knee to sit hips down and back. Keep opposite leg straight with toes pointing forward. Press through the floor away with right foot to return to starting position, left foot meeting right. Do three sets of 10 lunges per leg.
6. High Knees
Start standing. Drive right knee up to hip-height and drive the opposite arm forward, elbow bent 90 degrees. Immediately place right foot back down and drive left knee up. Then step it down. Repeat. Stay light on your feet and continue alternating for 10 reps per side. Do three sets.
RELATED: 10-Minute Cardio Workout You Can Do at Home
7. Glute Bridge
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor, hip-width apart. Engage abs and push into the floor with heels to lift hips so knees, hips and shoulders align. Squeeze glutes to the top of the movement, then slowly lower hips back down to the floor. Do three sets of 10 reps.
8. Lateral Band Walk
Loop a small resistance band around legs slightly above ankles. Stand tall with feet about hip-width apart. Soften knees and take a small step to the side with one foot. Then, slowly follow with opposite foot so feet are hip-width apart again. Avoid leaning to the side as you step and prevent lead knee from collapsing inward; knee should stay over ankle the entire time. Do three sets of 10-15 steps per side.
RELATED: This Full-Body Resistance Band Workout Only Takes 15 Minutes
9. 90/90 Hip Stretch
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Place both hands behind you, shift knees to the right, and lay both shins on the floor, keeping knees bent 90 degrees. Right shin should be in front of body, and left shin to the left of body. Keep chest tall. Lean forward at waist to deepen the stretch. Hold here for 30 seconds before returning your knees to center and shifting them to the left, bringing both shins to the floor and keeping knees bent 90 degrees. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side.
10. Pigeon Pose
Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Then, bring right knee forward toward right wrist. Lay shin flat on the floor, parallel to chest. Keep left leg extended. Hold for 30 seconds. Lean forward at the waist to deepen the stretch. Then switch sides. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side.
RELATED: Best Yoga Poses for Your Trouble Spots
11. Child’s Pose
Start on hands and knees. Then, spread knees wide while allowing big toes to touch. Sit back into hips to rest butt on heels. Inhale and sit up straight to lengthen spine through the crown of your head. On an exhale, fold forward at the waist, allowing chest to rest between or on top of thighs, and bring forehead to the floor. Keep arms extended in front of you with palms on the floor. Keep butt touching heels. Hold here. Do three sets of 30-second holds.
12. Couch Stretch
Start in a half-kneeling position, right foot forward and knees bent 90 degrees. Place the top of left foot on a couch, chair, or bench behind you. Hands can go on hips or on front knee. With chest tall, gently press hips forward and hold for 30 seconds. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side.
RELATED: 15 Stretches You Should Do Every Day
13. Frog Stretch
Start on hands and knees. Spread knees slightly wider than hip-width apart but keep feet in place and turn the toes outward. Then, come down onto forearms and keep spine straight as you try to “spread the floor” with knees and sit hips back toward heels. Hold here. Do three sets of 30-second holds.
14. Supine Figure-Four Stretch
Lie flat on back with legs extended. Extend arms out to the sides and flat on the floor. Bring right knee toward chest and grab with left hand. Gently pull knee across body, making sure right shoulder stays flat on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side. Place a yoga block, pillow or folded blanket under bent knee for support, if needed.
15. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Start in a half-kneeling position, right foot forward and both knees bent 90 degrees. Place hands on front thigh for support. Tuck hips forward and pull belly button toward spine. Then, rock forward gently without un-tucking hip or rounding back. Hold for 30 seconds. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side.
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15 Hip Stretches Literally Every Body Will Benefit Fromjeudi 12 décembre 2019
What Are Pre-Workout Supplements—and Should You Try Them?
Most days it's hard enough lacing up your sneakers and making it to the gym, let alone powering through an entire workout. If only there were an easy button of sorts—or at least something to help you kickstart a workout (and maybe also help you work out a little harder and longer).
That's where the idea of pre-workout supplements and drinks come into play (you've probably seen your fittest friend pop some into her water bottle before heading to the studio). But what's exactly in these supplements—and do they even work to help enhance your workout? Health spoke to experts—both nutritionists and trainers—to get the lowdown on pre-workout supplements and help you decide whether you want to try 'em or skip 'em.
What exactly are pre-workout supplements?
Basically, these pre-workout supplements—which often come in powdered form—are supplements meant to boost your workout if you take it beforehand.
“The main goal of pre-workout supplements, based on the research but contrary to most pre-workout claims, is to enhance the feelings or perception of a superbly charged workout,” says Jim White, RD, owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition in Virginia Beach. “Most pre-workout supplements do this by using stimulants which increase blood flow, heart rate, energy, and focus. This makes an individual feel like they can work out harder and with more intensity in order to get more out of their training.”
Just FYI: No two pre-workout supplements are the same, but many contain a few matching ingredients, like carbohydrates and caffeine for fuel and energy. (Carbs are your body's preferred source of fuel, says Nancy Clark, RD, author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook.
Pre-workout supplements can also include nitrates, which have been found to improve blood flow and work efficiency (meaning you use less energy to perform a similar amount of work); sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda, to help reduce lactic acid and improve short-term performance; creatine, to improve muscle strength and high-intensity performance; and potentially beta-alanine, to help balance the pH of muscles, according to White.
RELATED: Do Supplements Cause Cancer? Here's What a New Study Says
Can pre-workout supplements help you lose weight?
Maybe, but don’t bank on it. Supplements that contain stimulants (again, like caffeine) and other energy boosters like B vitamins could kick up your drive so much that you get a better workout and therefore, burn more calories. You just have to make sure you don’t end up eating those calories right back.
“I know many people that jazz themselves up with pre-workout supplements, burn off 500 calories in their workouts, and then eat 700 to 800 calories at breakfast,” say Clark. “It doesn’t matter how much you burn at a workout, what matters is if you created a deficiency.” Translation: Even if you do work harder at the gym because of pre-workout, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose weight.
Also, if exercise makes you hungrier or you feel like you deserve to eat more because of a hard workout, it’s very easy to eat those calories burned and then some. “I totally separate exercise and weight,” Clark says. “Most of weight loss is about pushing away from the dining room table and eating less food.” And that doesn’t involve pre-workout supplements.
RELATED: 3 Things People Get Completely Wrong About Vitamin Supplements
Are there any safety concerns with taking pre-workout supplements?
Most pre-workouts contain caffeine—that’s where you get that heightened energy. But beware: some can sneak in more than four cups of coffee worth of the stimulant, according to testing done by the third-party company, LabDoor. Check to see how much you’re consuming, noting that one cup of coffee typically contains 95 milligrams of caffeine, according to the USDA.
Keep in mind: “Supplements are not regulated in the same way that foods are,” says Jen Bruning, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Looking for a label from a testing organization is a good first step in making sure your supplements contain what is listed.”
Experts suggest searching for stamps of approval from companies like Informed Sport, NSF Certified for Sport, BSCG Certified Drug Free, or US Pharmacopeia. “No supplement can ever be deemed 100% risk free, however, these certifications help to mitigate risk and keep it at a low level of possibility,” White says.
Because you can never be 100 percent sure what you're getting in a supplement, White warns against other ingredients that could lead to problems like heart conditions, including amphetamine-like stimulates (think ephedrine, which the FDA banned in 2004 due to the serious side effects) or testosterone-promoting hormone boosters.
Also, keep in mind, that if you're supplementing your meals with the pre-workout supplements, you could end up getting too much a good thing. “Most people can see results from the right combo of foods and hydration, and supplements simply aren’t needed,” says Bruning. “Over-consuming nutrients and other supplements can be wasteful—our bodies can’t always use the high amounts of nutrients sometimes found in supplements, shakes, mixes, and more. It can also be dangerous to over-consume some micronutrients or other ergogenic aids. Supplements can also be expensive for the results that you may see.” And those are only potential results for the price you pay.
RELATED: The Supplements That Can Actually Help With Diet and Weight Loss—and the Ones That Can't
So, should you try pre-workout supplements?
Honestly it depends. Elite or competitive athletes, for example, will probably get the biggest pay-off from pre-workout mixes, considering they need that little extra shot of performance benefit, says White.
Pregnant or breast-feeding women or kids under 18 shouldn’t take these supplements, because of the high level of stimulants, White adds. Those with conditions like heart arrhythmia, diabetes, or pre-diabetes, or those with a sensitivity to caffeine should probably skip, too.
If you have trouble sleeping, take blood pressure meds, have gastrointestinal issues, or have had issues with disordered eating, you should also be hesitant about taking pre-workout supplements, and talk to your doctor before doing so. “Pre-workout can leave you jittery and may lead to over-training and injuries in some people so it’s important to weigh all the risks with benefits of taking a pre-workout supplement,” White says.
For the most part, however, pre-workout supplements can't do anything whole foods can't also do. For example: While caffeine might work to boost your energy levels, a cup of coffee will do the same. And while many pre-workout powders tend to pack a carb-protein combo that fuels your body for an intense sweat, a banana with almonds will do that too. “I always trust food more than I trust a supplement. Most products have nothing magic in them, they’re just convenient," says Clark.
Ultimately though, the decision is up to you and your needs and goals. But all the experts said you likely don’t need them.
If you do want to try a supplement, just make sure you talk to your doctor first, especially if you have an underlying health condition. And chat with a dietitian who specializes in sports—he or she can help you figure out proper dosing and other safety details.
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The 20-Minute HIIT Workout You Can Do Literally Anywhere
In a perfect world, we'd all have a good hour of free time every day, specifically for working out.
Unfortunately, that's not the case—and some days, between making time for work, friends, and family, it's hard enough to just find time to take a breath, let alone crush a workout. That is, until high-intensity interval training (HIIT) gained popularity.
For the uninitiated, HIIT workouts are a quick, efficient way to sneak in exercise, but the benefits go way beyond simply fitting it into your schedule. “HIIT training can improve anaerobic capacity, cardiovascular health, and result in fat loss,” says Lacee Lazoff, NASM-certified personal trainer based in New York City and creator of Bells Up. “It’s effective when work’s performed in short intervals at maximum capacity, followed immediately by modesty intervals of very low capacity or rest.”
RELATED: 7 HIIT Mistakes You’re Probably Making
So what does an effective HIIT workout look like? Lazoff suggests that you follow a 30-second on, 90-second rest formula. During those 30 seconds on, you’re really working as hard as possible. “Think of it as a rate of perceived exertion of least a nine,” she adds. And because they take so little time, HIIT workouts are a super-effective addition to any training plan with time restrictions, says Lazoff.
Once you're ready to kick things up a notch (and I mean that literally), try this 20-minute HIIT workout, courtesy of Lazoff—just make sure you've queued up a killer playlist first; you'll want those beats to keep you motivated, but you won't have time to switch the track.
The Workout
Do each move for 30 seconds, rest for 90 seconds before moving on to the next. Repeat the circuit once.
Mountain Climber
Start in a high plank position. Alternate running your knees into your chest as quickly as you can, keeping the hips lifted and feet flexed. Move as fast as possible. You should be out of breath by the end of the interval.
High Knees with Arms Overhead
Start in a standing position with feet hip-width distance apart, arms up overhead with hands facing in, with a slight bend in the elbows. Begin to run in place, bringing knees up your chest as high as possible while pumping your arms. Keep your chest lifted throughout movement and land on the ball of your foot. Repeat.
RELATED: The Best HIIT Workout—and Why It Burns So Many Calories
Jump Squat
Start standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart with toes turned out. Lower into a squat position (your butt should be below your knees). Jump up and land as softly as possible. Repeat.
Frogger
Start in a high plank position with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Engage your core and jump both feet up and outside your hands so that you’re in a squat position. Jump back into plank. Repeat.
RELATED: This 4-Move Battle Rope Workout is Perfect for Beginners
Skater
Stand on left leg with right leg behind you. Explosively hop to right leg, placing left foot behind it to soften landing. Alternate sides. Repeat.
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The 20-Minute HIIT Workout You Can Do Literally AnywhereThis 4-Move Battle Rope Workout is Perfect for Beginners
There’s no two-ways around it: Battle ropes look fierce. Varying in thickness, weight, and length, the fitness training tool is right up there with kettlebells and dumbbells as a must-have for gyms and trainers everywhere.
But it's not just because using them can make anyone feel like a warrior—they’re super effective for total-body conditioning. “The ropes are a great tool for fat loss and overall strength because it allows anyone, at any level, to spike their heart rate in short bursts improving cardiovascular output; giving you a whole lot of bang for your buck,” Rachel Prairie, NASM-certified personal trainer at Anytime Fitness, tells Health. She adds that often times you’ll see battle ropes anchored to a wall, beam, or pole. (Just FYI: For this story, Health used the Hyper Rope, Hyper Wear's unanchored battle rope.)
RELATED: Get Your Heart Pumping With This Jump Rope Workout
Before you start eyeing battle ropes, though, you'll want to get acquainted with proper battle-rope position: “Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees bent in a half-squat, and hold one rope in each hand," says Prairie. "If you’ve played sports in the past, this is often referred to as the ‘ready’ position.”
Typically, battle rope exercises involve dynamic, fast movements. The range of these movements is wide, but you’ll want to get comfortable with the basics before moving on to more advanced work, says Prairie. “For beginners, keep it simple,” she says.
To help, Prairie came up with a great beginners routine for anyone looking to add battle ropes into their workout rotation regularly. Here, four moves you can do in the gym for a quick, heart-pumping battle rope workout.
The Workout
Beginners: Two to three sets of 15 reps, resting 90 seconds between each.
Intermediate: Four to six sets of 15 reps, resting 90 seconds between each.
Advanced: Eight sets of 15 to 20 reps, resting 90 seconds between each.
Alternating Speed Wave
- Stand with your feet at shoulder-width distance in a quarter-squat, holding one end of the rope in each hand.
- Rapidly lower and raise your right arm to about chest height, causing a wave motion throughout the rope; repeat on the other side for one rep. Continue for 15 total reps.
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Grappler Toss
- Stand with your feet at shoulder-width distance in a quarter-squat, holding one end of the rope in each hand with a thumbs-up grip.
- Bring both hands up and overhead, then down down to the right side of your body, ending at around mid-thigh height.
- Repeat on opposite side for one rep. Do 15 total reps.
The Wave
- Stand with your feet at shoulder-width distance in a quarter-squat, holding one end of the rope in each hand.
- Rapidly lower and raise both arms simultaneously to about chest height, causing a wave motion throughout the rope. Your goal is to be explosive from the hips and keep the wave in a continuous motion, adds Prairie. Continue for 15 total reps.
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Jumping Jack
- Stand with your feet at shoulder-width distance, holding one end of the rope in each hand.
- Rapidly jump your feet out to the sides while simultaneously bringing the rope up and out overhead, as if you were doing a jumping jack.
- Slam the rope down while bringing our feet back together for one rep. Do 15 total reps.
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This 4-Move Battle Rope Workout is Perfect for Beginnersjeudi 14 novembre 2019
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Your Walking Speed Can Tell You How Fast You're Aging
If your stride has slowed down in your forties, you may be aging faster than you realize. That's the result of a new study, which found that your walking speed at age 45 can be an indicator of your physical and neurological aging.
While previous research has already found a link between an older person's gait and their health, the new study, published this week in JAMA Network Open, specifically looked at hundreds of 45-year-olds to get a much deeper sense of what walking speed reveals about aging.
“How fast people are walking in midlife tells us a lot about how much their bodies and brains have aged over time," lead author Line Jee Hartmann Rasmussen, a postdoctoral fellow who researches aging at Duke University, tells Health. Gait speed seems to be not only an indicator of aging, but also an indicator of lifelong brain health, adds Rasmussen.
RELATED: These Are the Best Walking Workouts, According to Fitness Experts
In the study, researchers examined more than 40 years of data collected from over 1,000 New Zealanders born between 1972 and 1973.
Starting at the age of three, each study participant was assessed by a pediatric neurologist, who measured everything from intelligence and language/motor skills to emotional and behavioral regulation. After that, each had their health regularly assessed and examined and underwent interviews every few years.
At the age of 45, researchers measure the gait speed of 904 participants using a simple test. The researchers also looked at how quickly they were aging, based on 19 health markers including body mass index, blood pressure, and cholesterol level. Additionally, they conducted the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV test, did a brain MRI, and rated facial aging.
After analyzing the data, they compared those participants with the slowest average gait—around 3.9 feet per second—to people with the highest, averaging at about 5.7 feet per second. The results led researchers to three important conclusions.
First, slow gait was associated with “poor physical function at midlife,” according to the study. Despite the fact that most of the midlife subjects walked faster than older adults who were part of the earlier study, researchers made the same associations between walking speed and physical performance that were previously found.
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Second, researchers determined that slow walking was associated with accelerated aging—which was not only represented through rapid deterioration of organ systems but by facial aging and structural brain changes as well. Basically, those who walked slower physically aged faster than their speedier peers, and it showed.
Third, the research team made a connection between slow gait and worsened neurocognitive functioning. Those who walked faster, had a higher IQ, and a reduced risk of dementia.
The link between intelligence and gait proved even stronger: Participants whose neurocognitive functioning was lower at the age of three subsequently had slower gait in their forties. Researchers were able to determine how fast a person would walk at 45 by their intelligence at the age of three. “Gait speed at midlife may be a summary index of lifelong aging with possible origins in childhood central nervous system deficits,” Rasmussen pointed out in the study.
RELATED: 10 Secrets of People Who Age Gracefully
So how should people be using this new information?
“Walking seems like such a simple thing, but walking actually requires the function and interplay of many different organ systems at the same time, including your bones, heart, lungs, muscles, vision, nervous systems, and so on,” says Rasmussen. Reduced walking speed can be a sign of advanced aging and deteriorating organ function.
“Keeping healthy and exercising your lungs, brain, heart etc., may improve your physical and cognitive health and thus your gait speed,” she says.
While measuring gait is a common practice with older adults, researchers suggest that incorporating such tests earlier in life may be beneficial. “Because gait speed shows meaningful aging-related variation already in midlife, it may prove to be a useful measure in aging trials aimed at preventing the onset of age-related disease,” Rasmussen pointed out in the study.
RELATED: This Is the Best Anti-Aging Workout, According to Science
She also points to the study’s supplementary invited commentary, provided by Stephanie Studenski, MD, a geriatrician at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “Gait speed is a simple, inexpensive indicator of well-being across adulthood. Let’s pay attention and use it,” suggests Dr. Studenski in his commentary.
Carolyn Fredericks, MD, Yale Medicine neurologist and expert in Alzheimer’s disease and research (who was not involved in the study), also endorses the significance of the findings.
“We knew that these kinds of relationships existed in older people, but to show that they are already present—and very strong—in individuals in their 40s is surprising, and very exciting,” Dr. Fredericks tells Health.
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She adds that while the study doesn’t say for certain that improving physical fitness can reverse these changes, “it certainly adds to the overall picture in the literature suggesting that the time to start getting on a healthier track—in terms of our cardiovascular fitness, our diet, our blood pressure—is not when we are older and worried about our memory, but right now.”
How to measure your own gait
You don’t need an expert to calculate how many feet per second you can walk. There's a simple equation to figure it out:
Choose how many feet you are going to walk. This study opted for six meters, equivalent to about 20 feet. Get a measuring tape and mark the distance with tape or a piece of chalk.
Using a stopwatch, determine how many seconds it takes you to walk the distance without exerting yourself. Make sure to walk with your regular pace.
Divide the total distance walked by the amount of time (in seconds) on your stopwatch. For example, if it took you five seconds to walk 20 feet your equation would be: 20 feet divided by 5 seconds equals 4 feet per second. To get a totally accurate read, you might want to try repeating the process a few times.
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Your Walking Speed Can Tell You How Fast You're Agingjeudi 10 octobre 2019
Health and Shape Are Hosting a Women's Half-Marathon! Here’s How to Register
Health is proud to announce that we've joined our sister publication, Shape, as a sponsor of their annual women's half-marathon: the Shape + Health Half-Marathon. Next year's race will be held on Sunday, April 19 in New York City's Central Park, and registration opens today!
In addition to our new partnership as co-sponsors, the event will feature a new 5.8 mile race. This race is a great option for runners who are looking for something shorter than the traditional 13.1 mile half-marathon. Both courses promise beautiful views of Central Park and a team of supporters cheering you on.
Next year marks the 17th anniversary of the annual race, which attracts thousands of marathoners who cross the finish line and prove that #WomenRunTheWorld. Past years have even included appearances from runners like three-time Olympian Deena Kastor, who set new course records in 2014. NBC and MSNBC anchors Natalie Morales, Hoda Kotb, and Mika Brzezinski also hosted and participated in the race.
When it comes down to it, the Shape + Health Half-Marathon is really about bringing women of all ages and backgrounds together for a day of fun, fitness, and camaraderie. Whether you're coming from across the country or from around the corner, join us in Central Park for an unforgettable event.
Follow the event on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates and news—and also follow Health and Shape for content about how to get your body ready for race day!
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Health and Shape Are Hosting a Women's Half-Marathon! Here’s How to Register