Photo: Hoopnotica Marina Del Rey, California
Robert Gallagher for TIME magazine
Pumping Up The Workout
By Elisabeth Salemme Thursday, Feb. 07, 2008
Exercise classes have come a long way since the days of step aerobics and Jazzercise. And in an effort to counter the crammed schedules and low motivation that millions of people use as excuses for not going to the gym, fitness gurus keep coming up with inventive ways to work out that promise to be enjoyable and effective for both tenderfeet and old hands. Here are three new techniques that have recently begun to catch on in health clubs around the country.
By Elisabeth Salemme Thursday, Feb. 07, 2008
Exercise classes have come a long way since the days of step aerobics and Jazzercise. And in an effort to counter the crammed schedules and low motivation that millions of people use as excuses for not going to the gym, fitness gurus keep coming up with inventive ways to work out that promise to be enjoyable and effective for both tenderfeet and old hands. Here are three new techniques that have recently begun to catch on in health clubs around the country.
Hooping
The hula hoop, a backyard mainstay since the 1950s, has been drafted for gym duty--only now it's larger and heavier and requires more dexterity to maneuver. In classes set to music, exercisers learn a series of moves that, when combined, work a variety of muscles. "You get the whole body involved," says Rayna McInturf, founder of Los Angeles-based Hoopnotica, the largest adult-size-hoop retailer.
BENEFITS: Hooping adds fun to exercise, which means people are more likely to actually do it. "It takes you back to your childhood," says Dr. Cedric Bryant of the American Council on Exercise. "And for many people, their last positive experience with being physically active was in their childhood." Another plus: it works the body's core and can help participants burn more than 400 calories an hour.
RISKS: Like any exercise, hooping can be harmful if participants don't stretch properly.
AVAILABILITY: Though hooping studios are sprinkled throughout the country, it can be done anywhere...
The hula hoop, a backyard mainstay since the 1950s, has been drafted for gym duty--only now it's larger and heavier and requires more dexterity to maneuver. In classes set to music, exercisers learn a series of moves that, when combined, work a variety of muscles. "You get the whole body involved," says Rayna McInturf, founder of Los Angeles-based Hoopnotica, the largest adult-size-hoop retailer.
BENEFITS: Hooping adds fun to exercise, which means people are more likely to actually do it. "It takes you back to your childhood," says Dr. Cedric Bryant of the American Council on Exercise. "And for many people, their last positive experience with being physically active was in their childhood." Another plus: it works the body's core and can help participants burn more than 400 calories an hour.
RISKS: Like any exercise, hooping can be harmful if participants don't stretch properly.
AVAILABILITY: Though hooping studios are sprinkled throughout the country, it can be done anywhere...
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