Category: Exercise and fitness

You’ve probably heard about it or even joined one of their parties. For those who are still unfamiliar with this type of exercise, Zumba fitness is a Latin dance-inspired workout that has become one of the most popular group exercise classes in the world. The classes are choreographed using dance moves from several styles (Salsa, Merengue, and Cumbia, among others) that are not only easy to follow, but also make you feel as if you are in a club. It is fun for sure, but is it as effective as a workout? In order to answer this question, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) commissioned a study analyzing the fitness aspects of this type of training.

You’ve been training religiously for a while and have seen great results so far. However, in the last couple of weeks, you feel that your improvements might be slowing down and your motivation is starting to fail. If this scenario seems familiar to you, you may have reached a dreaded plateau.

Are you having trouble adhering to a diet plan? If so, you are not alone. Many people turn to fad diets whenever they want to drop a few pounds fast.

Here is a short exercise routine for all fitness levels that works the whole body and doesn’t require much equipment. All you’ll need is a pair of dumbbells and a stop watch.

Do you want an exercise that works every single part of your body and help you burn fat while sculpting lean muscles?  This is the one. This mini-drill engages your core muscles, legs and upper body, all in one fluid movement. Besides, this demanding exercise will fire up your metabolism, making you burn fat more efficiently. Talk about an outstanding exercise!

Many people say that they don’t exercise because they don’t have enough time. If that’s your case, I have great news for you: exercise sessions seem to be shrinking. The traditional method of cardiovascular training (comprised of long periods of continuous, moderate-intensity exercise) is losing ground for a more time-efficient type of workout – the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT is a cyclic workout that alternates bouts of higher-intensity exercise with lower-effort recovery intervals. This is a protocol commonly used to boost the performance of competitive athletes, but recent research shows that it can also improve the health of recreational exercisers. In addition, HIIT can provide the same benefits as continuous aerobic training with fewer sessions.

This is a great body-weight exercise that engages all major muscles, strengthening the core, chest, upper-back, arms, thighs, and glutes.

I know, I know. It does sound like the lamest excuse ever to skip a sweat session. However, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, exercise may produce symptoms similar to an allergic reaction in some people. This condition is called exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIA), which is a form of physical allergy with symptoms ranging from mild skin rashes to severe systemic manifestations. Hey, calm down the hypochondriac in you, because EIA is not at all common.