Archive for March, 2011

What’s Hot, What’s Not

Monday, March 21st, 2011

(CARLSBAD, CA) – Fitness fads come and go. Are you up-to-date with the current trends in the health and wellness industry?

Jazzercise Founder & CEO Judi Sheppard Missett has been at the forefront of fitness industry trends for more than 40 years. Missett shares these tips on “what’s hot” and “what’s not.”

What’s Hot
What’s Not
Combination Moves –Do overhead presses with your squats. Perform bicep curls with your lunges. Working multiple muscle groups simultaneously is the hottest fitness trend today. If you’re in a time crunch – or even if you just want to get more out of your workout – then combo exercises are the way to go. Single Moves – Isolating just one body part isn’t going to hurt you. You’ll still get fitness benefits from simple leg lifts or push-ups. You just won’t burn as many calories or work your body as efficiently as doing combination moves. Combo moves fatigue your muscles in a two-for-one fashion, making single isolations a trend of the past.
Buddy Up for Workouts – Get a fitness friend to join in your workouts. You’ll boost your chances of sticking with your regimen if you know that your workout buddy is waiting for you to show up at group fitness class. Be sure to choose someone whose schedule, goals and exercise intensity level match your own. Flying Solo – Solitary runs through the park. Individual rides on your mountain bike. Single treks around the track. Working out alone presents a number of safety risks. You’re also less likely to push yourself if you don’t have another person to turn up your intensity that extra notch.
Stabilizing Your Core – Core–based exercises target the deepest layer of your abdominal muscles, known as the transversus abdominis, which works like a corset to trim your waistline. Core exercises also strengthen your lower back while improving your balance and coordination. Most importantly, the Mayo Clinic reports that core strength helps prevent injuries. Endless Crunches – There’s nothing wrong with a crunchfest on occasion, but never rely solely on crunches to melt your muffin top. Many abdominal exercises, crunches included, only target the superficial abdominal muscles, leaving you disappointed when you don’t get those washboard abs.
Taking “Me” Time – It’s impossible to meet the needs of your boss, co-workers, family and friends if you aren’t taking any time to rejuvenate yourself. Carve out some time for taking a bubble bath, reading a good book or walking along the beach. Burning Yourself Out – If you’re attempting to be the perfect employee, mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and neighbor, then you’re probably neglecting one important person in that picture – you! Neglecting yourself is far from chic.
Keeping Track – Wear a pedometer to count your steps. Keep a food journal to record what you eat and when you eat it. The newest trend is all about empowering yourself with knowledge. You’ll be much more successful reaching your fitness and nutritional goals if you have accurate stats. Guessing Games – So, you “think” that you walked about one mile. And you “estimate” that tonight’s pasta serving was one-half cup. But, how accurate is your guessing game? Unfortunately, most of us aren’t very adept at our estimations, which is probably why guessing is a method of the past.

 

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world’s leading dance-fitness program with more than 7,800 instructors teaching 32,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

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Do you need a heart rate monitor?

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

Wouldn’t it be nice to know how effective your workouts are and how to get more out of them? With a heart rate monitor – a small device worn like wristwatches – you can learn if you can safely step up your program a notch or if you are working out too intensely to achieve the results you want. It’s all about working out smarter, not harder.

Cleveland Clinic advises that it is most beneficial and safest to exercise in your target heart rate, which is normally 60 percent to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. In this zone, you are burning calories and strengthening your heart. Working out too hard moves your body from aerobic to anaerobic exercise which is less efficient.

Jazzercise Founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett recommends starting any exercise program slowly and only after consulting with your physician, and always pay close attention to how your body feels during any physical activity.

Find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Here’s how the numbers look for a 50-year-old:

220 – 50 = 170 maximum heart rate

Target heart rate = between 102 and 136 beats per minute (60-80 percent of your maximum heart rate of 170).

The American Heart Association tells us that if you can speak or sing easily while walking or exercising, you probably aren’t working too hard and can pick up the pace a bit.

Types of Heart Rate Monitors

Heart rate monitors range from basic models that will tell you what your heart rate is with the push of a button, to high tech instruments that provide continuous heart rate monitoring during your entire workout, display the number of calories burned and recall your heart rates from prior sessions. Others can even display altitude climbed while bicycling.

Simple models begin around $35 apiece. Polar offers a wide array of models helpful for beginners through competitive athletes, some of which come with software for planning fitness regimens.

Most monitors also come with chest straps that some people believe are more accurate and more convenient because you don’t have to stop exercising to find out your heart rate.

Polar Heart Rate Monitors can also be purchased through Jazzercise Elk Grove.

Do It Yourself

You can also find your heart rate on your own while exercising. Place a finger – not your thumb because it has its own pulse – on your carotid artery that runs vertically along both sides of your neck. Count the beats you feel for 10 seconds. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate per minute.

Track your heart rate to make reaching your fitness goals a snap.

Judi Sheppard Missett, who turned her love of jazz dance into a worldwide dance exercise phenomenon, founded the Jazzercise dance fitness program in 1969. She has advanced the business opportunities of women and men in the fitness industry by growing the program into an international franchise business that today, hosts a network of 7,800 instructors teaching more than 32,000 classes weekly in 32 countries.

The workout program, which offers a fusion of jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, cardio box and Latin style movements, has positively affected millions of people worldwide. Benefits include increased cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, as well as an overall “feel good” factor. Additional Jazzercise programs include Junior Jazzercise, Jazzercise Lite and Personal Touch. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

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