Trying out a variety of fun and interesting ways to exercise can help you stay motivated—and break up the 150 minutes per week recommended in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
Almost half of the respondents to a recent Student Health 101 survey said they are interested in fitness trends such as CrossFit™, ballet barre-inspired classes, and Zumba®. Many popular workouts are taught in classes led by certified instructors or require the use of special equipment. Both can come with costs.
Here are the details on different fitness fads, along with suggestions about how to try them on your own.
CrossFit involves a series of varied, high-intensity fitness classes led by trainers who provide individualized feedback. Each class features a different workout routine that incorporates movements such as barbell squats, pushups, pull-ups, and box jumps. It’s an excellent way to build strength and stamina and target all major muscle groups in a structured fashion. The strong support and teamwork among CrossFit members can also be beneficial.
However, participants who don’t use proper form and alignment are at high risk of injury. Consult your doctor before engaging in high-intensity exercise.
Newbies to CrossFit are also required to complete a series of beginner courses that introduce the movements, teach proper form, and provide modifications. CrossFit has a Web site as well, that posts the daily workout routine and offers video demonstrations.
Ballet barre-inspired classes have become increasingly popular. According to Matthew Herrold, a certified personal trainer in Somerville, Massachusetts, barre is “essentially a fusion of ballet and Pilates.” He adds that it’s beneficial for strengthening parts of the body not typically challenged in standard cardio and weight training.
Although the classes usually feature certain types of equipment, there are free online tutorials available that you can try at home.
Learn more about ballet barre.
Demonstartion of Zumba. (MP4)
If you like to dance, Zumba is a fun, easy way to get in a great cardio workout. This Latin-inspired trend involves a series of dance routines led by a specialized instructor. A recent study conducted by the American Council on Exercise found that Zumba is an effective way to improve your fitness, regardless of age or ability.
Cindy V., a student at Century College in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, shares, “Zumba is extremely fun! It’s like a night of dancing.”
Demonstartion of TRX. (MP4)
Popular among Navy SEALs, baseball players, and Olympic athletes, the name of this unique fitness approach stands for “total body resistance exercise.” It involves the use of suspension equipment, which facilitates your body weight to build strength.
A slide board is essentially a long board on which you can slide back and forth. (Socks are required and no shoes allowed!) The movements enhance coordination and work the core and lower-body muscles. Slide boards are versatile; you can do various types of lunges, leg curls, and slides on them.
However, Alex Wisch, a certified personal trainer in Cambridge, Massachusetts, cautions that slide boards are not for beginners. Wisch advises, “It’s important for people to master basic lower-body moves first to prevent knee injuries.”
Learn more about slide boards.
Trying out various fitness trends in a classroom means you’ll be supervised by a certified instructor and get support from others in the class. But the main drawback is financial. Luckily, there are many ways to stay active, have fun, and try some of the newest trends without burning a hole in your wallet.
Cindy points out that most schools have fitness centers and many offer classes. If you don’t have access to a school gym, consider searching in your community. Cindy says, “You might be surprised where classes are offered!”
If you’d prefer to try out a fitness trend at home, do an online search for free tutorials. Cynthia H., a student at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, North Carolina, explains, “You can use YouTube to duplicate a class.”
Julia G., a student at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina, prefers to practice yoga. To stick to her budget, she attends donation-based yoga classes in her community. These classes usually have a suggested donation of around five dollars, but you’re able to participate even if you can’t pay the requested amount. “I go to some donation-based yoga classes that cater to all levels of practice. I’m a college student and single mother, so every penny counts,” she says.
By being creative, you can stay physically active and try out some fun new fitness options without breaking the bank.
Jenna is a registered dietitian and certified group exercise instructor. She currently works at an eating disorder treatment center in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Zumba dance moves typically alternate between fast and slow rhythms, and can incorporate some resistance training. There are many different varieties of Zumba, including low-impact classes for older individuals or those with previous injuries and classes that take place in a pool. Many school gyms offer Zumba classes at no cost.
If you’ve never tried Zumba before, check out some free videos online. A major benefit of Zumba-from-home (besides that it’s free) is that you can control how long you’re going to get your dance on.
TRX training can be very effective at improving fitness, but only if done properly and consistently. It can be difficult to do without supervision from a professional.
The TRX Suspension Trainer itself is costly, at around 200 dollars. However, a lot of gyms now have a TRX trainer, and some fitness centers offer classes, so it’s not necessary for you to own the equipment. The TRX is designed to leverage gravity and total body weight in order to improve body strength, balance, flexibility, and joint range-of-motion. In addition to instruction manuals and books, TRX-training tutorials are available online, through DVDs, and on smartphone apps.
Respondents to a recent Student Health 101 survey suggested the following physical activities:
