7 Not So Spooky Workouts
Everyone knows how important exercise is, with better sleep quality, boosts in brainpower, increased levels of happiness, and lowered risk of countless diseases and illnesses. But despite the abundance of benefits, it is natural to still be a little spooked with the thought of going to the gym. A lot of times, the thought, “I don’t know where to start,” will keep you at home, curled up on the couch.
These seven exercises are perfect for people of every fitness level and will provide you with full-body workouts. These exercises are all treat and no trick, so drop your exercise superstitions and dive headfirst into these seven not so spooky workouts.
HIIT
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low-intensity recovery periods. While HIIT workouts are typically shorter in duration than other workouts, it can produce health benefits similar to or twice as much as moderate-intensity exercise, according to studies published on PubMed Central. One of these benefits is burning 25 to 30 percent more calories than other forms of exercise while exercising for only one-third of the time.
Another benefit is HIIT’s fat-burning abilities. Studies show that those who engaged in HIIT three times per week for 20 minutes per session lost 4.4 pounds of body fat in 12 weeks, without any dietary changes. More important than this is the 17 percent reduction in visceral fat, or the disease-promoting fat surrounding your internal organs.
HIIT can also reduce your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar. In short, HIIT can produce similar or increased health benefits to other forms of exercise in a shorter amount of time.
Try out the Q Experience, Xperience Fitness’s HIIT-inspired workout, to burn twice the calories in half the time.
Strength training
It is recommended to engage in two to three nonconsecutive days of strength training per week. Strength training increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR), allowing the body to burn fat at a higher rate during your workout and, more importantly, long after.
Additionally, strength training can increase muscle mass, bone density, joint flexibility, and balance.
Look to do eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise. You know you are working out with the right weight when you are barely able to get through the 12th rep.
If you are unsure about where to start with strength training, meet for free with one of our certified personal trainers.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing is an intense workout that burns a lot of calories (sometimes over 800 an hour, depending on your intensity) and helps you maintain a high metabolism. It helps reduce stress through proper breathing techniques, builds confidence through the release of endorphins, and gives you an instant energy boost.
Plus, it can improve your coordination by strengthening your core and improving your reflexes.
Attend one of our Body Combat, Kickboxing, or Boxx classes to instantly reduce your stress and boost your energy.
Running
Running is a free, easily accessible exercise, and there is a reason it is considered one of the best exercises for both your mental and physical health. Running torches calories, reduces food cravings, and reduces your risk of heart disease. But, it also has been shown to improve your mood. Running releases endorphins and serotonin, the body’s feel-good hormones, and reduces stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. Moreso, the repetitive motion of running appears to have meditative effects on the brain.
A 2006 study published in the Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience found evidence that exercise works in a similar way to antidepressants, alleviating major depressive disorder through promoting the growth of new neurons in the brain.
Running also regulates your circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep at night. Additional quality sleep benefits your mental health by improving your memory, lowering your stress levels, and protects your brain against depression.
Yoga
Yoga is one of the most well-known stress-reducing exercises. It is a blend of physical activity and meditation, using moving and stationary poses, combined with deep breathing.
Mayo Clinic advocates for yoga, saying that it can help reduce your stress, lower your blood pressure, and lower your heart rate.
A 2007 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found a significant reduction in mental illness symptoms enough to recommend yoga as a complementary treatment to depression.
If you want to join a group of like-minded people, attend one of our many yoga classes.
Jump rope
Jump roping is not just for kids doing a Jump Rope for Heart challenge or playing double dutch at their elementary school. A jump rope is a very inexpensive tool you can do just about anywhere. As many grew up jump roping, the act is more nostalgic than frightening.
Jump roping is such an effective cardiovascular workout that just 120 revolutions per minute for 10 minutes burns more calories than 30 minutes of jogging.
Swimming
Swimming is the perfect low-impact, full-body workout because your body has to work against the resistance of the water.
In addition to working just about every muscle in your body, swimming also
- raises your heart rate, improves your heart health, and protects the brain from age-related decline
- builds endurance, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness
- helps reduce and maintain weight
- alleviates stress
As the weather no longer allows for swimming outdoors, check out your local club’s pool to start this perfect workout.