By RMHP
If being more physically active is one of your top resolutions for 2018, you’re going to love today’s list of fun new exercises and fitness activities to try throughout the new year.
Try one, a few, or all of them, and watch how quickly you get stronger and healthier.
Boxing, Muy Thai, mixed martial arts, and other fighting arts are gaining more popularity in the fitness world. You can join a specialty gym, try YouTube videos and DVDs from the comfort of your own home, or see if your current gym has trainers on staff who can show you the ropes.
These workouts are a great stress reliever and you’ll work your body and mind simultaneously.
Pound® was created by former drummers Cristina Peerenboom and Kirsten Potenza. The two co-founders combined their love of music and fitness to create this full-body cardio workout with elements of Pilates, isometric movements, and plyometrics. You’ll use two lightly weighted Ripstix to simulate drumming and work your muscles over the course of a 45-minute class.
Classes are available at Crunch gyms, some other gyms around the country, and on DVD. Not a music prodigy? Don’t worry. The routines are easy to follow.
If you want to feel a bit more primal and playful in your workouts, Animal Flow is for you. These innovative routines combine elements of gymnastics, acrobatics, Parkour, capoeira, and breakdancing. Many moves are low to the ground, working your muscles in completely new ways.
A variety of body-weight workouts combine function with strength and flexibility, and the inherent playfulness makes working out even more fun. “Playful” doesn’t equal easy, though. This is a real workout!
Pole dancing-based workouts are cropping up all around the country. It’s a great core workout that challenges your flexibility, coordination, balance, and strength.
Be prepared to laugh when you try your first class. The movements in pole fitness are most likely completely foreign. Thankfully, studios are full of welcoming people who love to show beginners how it’s done.
If you’d rather focus on one type of fitness, as opposed to the mish mash found in Animal Flow, let 2018 be the year you discover your inner Parkour skills. Parkour is great because it mimics natural movements, gives you a great workout, and is a ton of fun.
For a comprehensive beginner’s guide to Parkour, you can’t beat this guide from Nerd Fitness. You’ll learn how to traverse obstacles efficiently while having fun and getting a great workout.