Tag Archives: interval training

These 4 Chains are Proving There’s Big Business Behind Boutique Fitness

Fitness boutiques are popping up all over the country, and it makes sense – they have the appeal of a small studio and the benefits of a large chain. These seemingly one-of-a-kind studios are growing in popularity so rapidly, it shouldn’t be a surprise if one is popping up near you sometime soon.

These studios feature everything from more traditional workouts to exercise based on dance, and have a massive appeal because of their unique feel. Before you join up with a boutique fitness chain, here’s what you need to know about some of the fastest growing chains in the business.

orangetheory workout

Orangetheory

David Long, Ellen Latham, and Jerome Kern opened the first Orangetheory in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March of 2024. Now the brand has exploded into 86 locations across the country, and hopes to hit the 100-studio mark this month. Orangetheory plans to expand its fitness takeover to 250 studios within the next few years. With 60-minute interval-training classes featuring low-impact treadmills, water rowers, and strength and core training, Orangetheory is designed to maximize afterburn (burning calories even after you’ve stopped working out).

Your first session is free, and then prices are $59 for four classes a month up to $159 for unlimited classes. (more…)

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Elizabeth

Get the Biggest Bang for your Workout Minutes, Even if You Only Have a Few

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions that people strive to stick to each year is to exercise more. It’s also the one that most people tend to give up on before January is even over, often saying, “I just don’t have enough time.” The truth is, you have time for anything that you make a priority. Our lives are super busy with work, school, kids, etc., but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find at least a few minutes each day to focus on improving your fitness level. After all, any of exercise is better than nothing.

forearm plank

Here’s a list of the best bang for your buck in the amount of time that you have to exercise:

Got 4 minutes?

Try a Tabata workout. The idea behind the Tabata method is to work at your maximum level for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This pattern is repeated continuously eight times for a total of four minutes of training. If you’re doing more than one Tababta drill, take one minute to rest between exercises. I would recommend doing a total of no more than six sets total, since you’ll be working at such a high level of intensity. If you only have time for one Tabata, consider doing an exercise like burpees, which is more demanding and works muscles throughout the entire body.

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Posted on January 30, 2024 by Lauren Martin

Fire Up Your Glutes with an Incline Interval Workout for the Treadmill

Out of all of the cardio machines that I have to choose from at the gym, the treadmill is usually the last one that I would choose. It’s not that I dislike walking or running – I actually kind of like it – but to me, walking or running indoors can get extremely boring. There’s something about the other machines (like the elliptical and stairmill) that just seem to hold my interest more and make my workout more enjoyable. That being said, I know that running on a treadmill can provide a great cardiovascular workout.

I almost always run outdoors and my surface of choice is definitely dirt. Unfortunately, because of weather and other factors, that’s not always possible. Recently, I decided to give the treadmill another chance, with a different approach this time.

treadmill

I’m an avid hiker and walking up an incline is often a big part of my hikes. Hiking can be a great cardiovascular and fat-burning workout because it tones your lower body and (depending on the trail) can alternate between high and low intensity.

I tried utilizing the treadmill to get the same benefits of a hike by adjusting the incline and speed during a thirty minute period, which would offer the same type of interval training that I naturally get while hiking. Walking at an incline burns more calories than walking on a level surface because your body has to work much harder to push itself uphill. You’ll definitely feel your heart pumping faster as the incline percentage increases, and it will drop as you come back down to level ground. (more…)

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Lauren Martin

Jump in to a Les Mills Bodypump Class to Reshape Your Body

When I initially decided to join a gym about ten years ago I pretty much only ever stayed in one very small area of the building: the cardio section. I would walk in, jump on the treadmill or elliptical trainer for about 45 minutes and leave. I wasn’t really sure what to do in the weight room and found it to be pretty intimidating, so I steered clear of it altogether. But then I got bored. I decided that I wanted to start doing exercise in the form of strength training to build some muscles! And then one day, as if by fate, I noticed a flyer for a new class that the gym was offering: Les Mills Bodypump.

Les Mills Bodypump

Bodypump is described as the original Les Mills barbell class and will sculpt, tone and strengthen your entire body, fast! The classes use a specific formula of resistance training that is referred to as “The Rep Effect.” This essentially means that the classes focus on using low weight loads and high repetition movements for effective fat burning and production of lean muscle tissue. (Or, in my own words – it’s an hour of strength training combined with cardio moves that will kick your butt and re-shape your body.)

Nervously, I decided to give Bodypump a try, and I loved it! Even though the class was nearly an hour long, it went by super quickly and I enjoyed every heart-pumping minute. I immediately became hooked and found myself faithfully attending the class three times a week. I loved it so much in fact that I eventually decided to become a certified Les Mills Bodypump instructor! (more…)

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Lauren Martin

Sprint to Orangetheory Fitness for a Seriously Sweaty and Worthwhile Workout

When I first heard the name “Orangetheory Fitness,” my mind immediately conjured up images of some kind of old school punk band playing a set in someone’s basement. Boy was I wrong! As it turns out, it’s a rapidly expanding fitness sensation (locations in more than 15 states and 2 Canadian territories) that is taking the continent by storm!

I ventured over to the Naperville, IL location (as I am now a Chicagoland resident) to try out a class to see what it was all about. When I entered I was greeted by a very friendly staff who explained the workings of what was to transpire in class. I was given my own heart rate monitor to wear for the workout to see how hard I’d actually be working.

orange theory fitness
The workout starts with interval training (which I am a HUGE fan of). The first part consisted of Indo Row machines (rowers with water in them for a real rowing effect) and then switching to the box area where we did various strength training moves. This persisted for about a half hour. At first, I was like “Easy Peasy!,” but by the third time around, I was sweating profusely and was feeling the burn!

The second half of the class had us on the treadmills. We did various lengths of intervals, running and jogging, mixed with recovery walks in between. I felt as though I could run a lot harder and faster because we were doing shorter sprints, rather than long drawn out runs. By the end of the second half, I had clocked more than two miles in sprints! (more…)

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Mark

Britney Spears Used Interval Training and Football to Prepare for Vegas Show

Britney's new Vegas BodyIn preparation for her upcoming 90-minute Las Vegas show at Planet Hollywood, Britney Spears has been getting down and dirty with an intense exercise regimen. Last week, everyone’s favorite ex-girl next door shared a picture of her rockin’ bod in just a bikini. The public has always been obsessed with Britney’s weight fluctuations and style choices, so it came as no shock when the photo set the blogosphere abuzz.

Britney’s workout regimen is called “Trickeration” and incorporates interval training into sports like tennis and football. Interval training involves quick bursts of hardcore exercise followed by a long rest, like sprinting for 30 seconds and then jogging for a minute. Her trainer, Tony Martinez, says Britney has absolutely thrived with the strenuous sessions, and that she is a natural athlete.

During the 40 minute workouts, she’s apparently been serving the tennis ball like Serena Williams and can throw the pigskin with a Manning-esque spiral. In an interview with E!Online, Martinez said, “She is mentally and physically 100 percent ready for Vegas.” Details of Britney’s Vegas stint—which begins in December—are scarce, but it sounds like it will be a fast-paced and extraordinary affair. Here’s how other Vegas performers get in shape for their shows.

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Posted on September 12, 2023 by Patrick

4 Minute Fitness with the Tabata Method

Would you believe it if someone told you that in just four minutes you would not only improve your fitness level, you would also burn more calories per minute than running ten miles an hour, plus increase your metabolism 30 minutes post workout? According to researcher Dr. Michele Olson, aka, the Exercise Doctor, it’s true! It’s been backed up by numerous research studies, and it’s called the Tabata Training Method.

“This particular style of interval training has profound effects even on short-term, post-exercise metabolism,” has explained Olson. “It would take five times the amount of typical cardio exercise, like a twenty-minute brisk walk, to shed the same number of calories that result from a four-minute Tabata.”

kettlebells

Tabata is an interval training workout designed to push you to your anaerobic threshold for 20 seconds, with a 10 second recovery break, for a total of four minutes. Designed by Izumi Tabata, a Japanese trainer of athletes, the Tabata method seems to be a major breakthrough in fitness training programs. However, it should be practiced with caution. (more…)

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Jill

Interval Training May be the Best Way to Tone Up

About a year ago, I wanted to drop a few pounds. I began eating healthier and working out daily. My workouts included short strength training series and daily three-mile runs. There was no interval training. I didn’t know what it was.

Then, I decided to get crazy once I learned about workouts like Insanity, which use interval training to completely transform your body. After one month of interval training, I dropped about 10 pounds. I felt healthy and toned.

pullup

Now, I continue to incorporate some intervals into my everyday workout routine. I’ll tell you more and see if it’s a fit for you, too!

What is interval training?

Interval training is the process in which you do short bursts of intense exercise followed by a slightly longer recovery time. A great example of this is sprinting for 30 seconds and then jogging for 60 seconds. (more…)

Posted on April 19, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Tony Horton Creates P90X and Builds a Fitness Empire

If you’re a fan of getting in shape at home then you’ll love this guy! Tony Horton was born on July 2, 1958 in Westerly, Rhode Island, and is the creator of America’s best selling at-home fitness program, P90X. He attended the University of Rhode Island where he graduated in
1980 as a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. After graduation, Horton moved to Los Angeles, California, with high hopes of becoming an actor.

You may be surprised to find out that Horton wasn’t raised in the healthy environment one might think. He used to enjoy fast food, lacked motivation to exercise and had a small frame to prove it. After getting his foot in the door of the show-biz industry, Horton’s agent informed him that if he wanted to succeed he was going to have to “get fit.”

Horton didn’t take this order lightly and began working toward this goal by becoming a member of the World Gym in Venice, California, where he came in contact with famous bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger and actor Lou Ferrigno. (more…)

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Danielle

How the New Charlie’s Angels Keep Fit and Trim

With every fall season comes an onslaught of new television shows that hope to gain your interest as a viewer. One of the most anticipated shows is a remake of an old television classic, Charlie’s Angels.

When looking at a show like this, one can’t help but wonder what the stars do to stay fit. The new version of the show stars Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor and Annie Ilonzeh and is based in Miami. Each of the characters has a back story that includes a lifestyle of physical fitness, so it’s only fitting to look at what the actresses that play them do to stay in shape.

Minka Kelly often speaks about her fitness regimen. She trains with celebrity personal trainer Gunnar Peterson. She recently revved up her fitness routine specifically for this role. One of her fitness secrets is standing ab work using weights. Her workouts include helpful toning exercises with weights that work the entire body and puts in time on the treadmill doing an interval running routine to get her heart pumping. As far as nutrition goes, Minka tries to eat a sensible diet that includes egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast, a salad with protein for lunch and fish and veggies for dinner. Since she believes you should not deprive yourself, once in a while Minka will indulge in a cheeseburger with fries.

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Posted on September 24, 2023 by Descygna

Fartlek Interval Training Increases Runner’s Pace

Runners are pretty simple creatures. We typically only want one thing: to run faster. If you’ve spent any time with a runner you’ll typically find that they’re stubborn- I mean determined- people. That trait serves them well in the sport.

However, being one of the most determined people on the planet, I can safely say that all the will in the world won’t make me faster. If any runner wants to be faster, they have to train to be faster. One of the best ways to do that is by doing fartleks. Yes, fartleks. Funny name, but powerful speed training.

Fartlek is the Swedish word for “speed play.” Fartleks are a type of interval training for runners. It was developed in 1937 by Swedish coach, Gosta Holmer. Holmer developed this training for his cross country teams who had a terrible record. The effective speed plays focus on running faster than race pace to train. Fartleks were so successful that they have been widely adopted and used since.

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Posted on August 3, 2023 by Lacy