Fresh Fitness Ideas

Young Couple DancingVariety is the spice of life, they say, and this is certainly true when it comes to daily fitness routines. Here are some fresh ideas to keep you active and engaged.

With spring around the corner, chances are you’re losing interest in the workouts you designed in January to begin meeting your 2013 resolutions. Or maybe you’ve been performing the same routine for weeks, months, or even years, without change?

Even if you just want some enjoyable entry points to the world of daily exercise, these suggestions may be just what you need.

1) Bodyweight Training: Whether you’re having difficulty making it to the gym or just want to set foot in a new section of it, bodyweight exercises provide a back-to-basics solution. The good news is push-ups, chin-ups, and dips remain as effective as ever. Interested in a modern twist? Try TRX suspension cables to really feel the burn.

2) Dance Workouts: This could seem like a blast from the neon-legwarmer past, but today there is greater variety with ZUMBA, hip-hop, pole dancing, and more. Besides improved conditioning and coordination, dance workouts provide the exhilaration of learning some sweet new moves. Considering you can go beyond the gym to take studio classes either with or without a partner, the possibilities are nearly infinite!

3) Outdoor Exercise: Even dedicated gym rats yearn to get out in nature sometimes, especially when the sun is shining. Be sure to get your fix by planning at least one outdoor conditioning session per week. In Greater Vancouver, that could mean a bike ride along the Iona Island Jetty, a brisk walk around Deer Lake, or hiking the revered Grouse Grind.

4) Interval Training: This workout method entails performing one exercise until a beep alerts you to move to the next in a predetermined series. The benefit is you’ll be constantly engaged and can easily track your progress. Not all interval training is as high-intensity as most CrossFit, but that approach certainly is a challenging and popular option.

5) Online Deals: This is an amazing way of getting your daily training done on the cheap. The recent rise of online coupon sites has brought an unprecedented boon of fitness savings. Most deals have reasonable expiry dates and all can be purchased in minutes. If you want to try something new, saving as much as %70 or more could be the push you need.

For more fresh fitness tips or an entirely new exercise program designed to suit your needs, consider scheduling a session with a personal trainer today.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 420-7800 or visit their web site www.karpfitness.com.