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Cardio/Aerobic

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Exercise/Class Formats

Creative Ideas That Inspire

Cardio Sweat Party, at Power Studios in New York City, was designed by Michele Gordon. It combines kickboxing with dance, athletic drills and upbeat music for a 55-minute, high-energy experience. Classes are open to all fitness levels, and each class begins with a dynamic, kickboxing- based warmup before moving into three to four segments of choreography. In between the choreographed moves, rounds of squats, lunges, jacks, burpees, mountain climbers and other athletic drills round out the experience.

Sample Class: Rock and Ride!

Many indoor cycling instructors are not sure of the best way to combine strength and cycling without compromising either component. Rock and Ride provides the perfect mix of both while infusing a little fun with rock ’n’ roll music. This class is an ideal introduction for new riders because, instead of having to “suffer” through 60 minutes on an uncomfortable saddle, they get to hop off at the midpoint for strength work.

CrossFit® Benefits People With Type 2 Diabetes

A common characteristic among people with type 2 diabetes is dysfunction of beta cells, which are responsible for storing and releasing insulin. New research suggests that high-intensity training workouts may help to restore beta-cell function.

Running Marathons Isn’t Bad for the Heart

Several past research studies have warned that high levels of endurance exercise—like running multiple marathons—could be a risk factor for future heart problems. According to a study from the Technical University of Munich in Germany, there’s no need to give up those marathons just yet.

Fitness and Flexible Blood Vessels

Clients often focus on the many aesthetic benefits of exercise, including weight loss and improved skin tone (Jaret 2011). Remind your hard-working clients of the numerous other benefits they’re reaping when they’re repping—the good stuff that happens behind the scenes, or rather, beneath the skin.

Creative ideas that Inspire

Rumble at Rebel in London is a high-energy HIIT format in a fully immersive environment. With low, creative lighting and a specially curated soundtrack, participants build strength with explosive speed as they punch, jab and perfect their boxing footwork in “a cardio boxing battle that’s no holds barred.” The gym, which has two locations, also features an adjacent hair salon where participants can go after their class for a blow dry, cut, beard trim or other beauty service.

Yoga and Prehypertension

Adding to the growing evidence of yoga’s health benefits, preliminary findings from a recent study show that consistent yoga practice may help to reduce blood pressure among people with prehypertension.

Reducing CVD Risk in Older Adults Who Are Obese

Exercise may protect against cardiovascular disease regardless of body mass index, according to researchers from Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
They examined the health records and activity levels of 5,344 adults aged 55—97. Participants were categorized as normal weight, overweight or obese and were also classified by activity level. The study's purpose was to understand associations among weight, physical activity levels and CVD risk.

Movement Helps Kids’ Arteries

It's been documented that active kids tend to perform better in school, are less likely to gain excess weight, develop stronger muscles and bones, and much more. A new report published in Pediatric Exercise Science (2017. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/pes.2016–0168) adds improved arterial health to the list of benefits.

Resistance Training and the Cardiorespiratory Response

We know that resistance training improves strength, but can it also challenge the cardiorespiratory system? In a study published in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (2017; 31[3], 644—52), researchers analyzed the effects of three exercises performed three different ways, to determine the cardiorespiratory response to each.

Brief Bouts of Stair Climbing Boost Fitness Levels

Lack of time and no access to fitness equipment are two of the most common responses given by people who do not exercise. Researchers at McMaster University and Queens University, in Ontario, have released a report suggesting a workaround to those responses. The scientists have found that very short bouts of stair climbing can help people get in better shape.

Creative Ideas That Inspire

H.I.I.P. Hype (High-Intensity Interval Painting) in New York challenges body, mind and creativity. Ninety–minute sessions begin with a warm-up followed by short intervals of high-intensity body-weight exercises interspersed with periods of painting. The energy participants generate while exercising helps them express themselves more freely when they paint, according to organizers. The last 15 minutes of class are reserved for a cool-down, as well as painting presentations. Mats and art materials are provided.

Fewer Repetitions Means Better Results?

Short-duration workouts have become popular over the past several years as the time-crunched seek out effective ways to exercise. Recent research adds more support for the benefits of fast workouts and indicates that less may even be more, provided you have appropriate equipment.

The Physiology of Sprint Interval Training

If your clients haven't already asked you about it, they will. High-intensity interval training is a mainstay in personal training programs and group fitness classes. There are several reasons why HIIT is a good workout, one of them being its brevity. Research indicates that the four most common barriers to exercise are not having time, feeling too tired, getting enough exercise at one's job, and having no motivation to exercise (Brownson et al. 2001).

Sports Participation and Longevity

What’s the best type of physical activity to help your clients reach their golden years? Researchers from the UKK Institute in Finland delved into that question in a recent report.