You may have heard of High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT for short. It’s an incredibly popular way to workout. Lauded for its ability to yield big results for relatively short bouts of exercise, HIIT is all the rage, and rightly so.
A typical session consists of small bursts of high-intensity exercise (usually anywhere from 20 to 40 seconds) followed by low-intensity recovery periods. With the overall session lasting around 10 to 30 minutes.
This might not seem like much through the lens of an endurance athlete. But the evidence is mounting, and it seems that when it comes to HIIT, short really is sweet.
So here are 5 benefits of High Intensity Interval Training. Who knows, they might even make you think twice before going out on your next 10 mile run.
Fits around tight schedules. . .
To reap the benefits of High Intensity Interval Training, you only need to workout for a total of 10-20 minutes, three times a week. This is perfect for those who otherwise avoid exercise due to time constraints. Pencilling in three 20 minute sessions over the course of a week is much more conceivable than trying to fit in a big run every other day.
Plus, due to the heightened intensity of this style of training, you don’t need to devote huge amounts of time to it in order to see big results.
In a study focussing on healthy but sedentary individuals, it was found that just 1 minute of HIIT performed three times a week could improve blood sugar scores and aerobic capacity after just six weeks. So short, regular bursts of HIIT could prove effective even for the busiest people.
. . . and in tight spaces
A very convenient benefit of HIIT is the fact that it can be performed pretty much anywhere. There are lots of different HIIT sessions out there, designed to suit any fitness level and environmental obstacle. So whether you’re in a small bedroom or a back garden, you can make it work for your situation.
You can even try a low-impact HIIT session designed for hotel rooms. Which means, unfortunately, that a cramped B&B no longer serves as a valid excuse to skip a training day.
It may reduce blood pressure
Research is beginning to suggest that HIIT may be effective for reducing heart rate and blood pressure in obese individuals.
In one study, adults with high blood pressure performed HIIT on a stationary bike three days a week, for 20 minutes per session, over the course of eight weeks. At the end of the study it was found that the HIIT group’s blood pressure decreased as much as a second group who had been training for four days a week at 30 minutes per session.
It burns fat
High Intensity Interval Training is known for its fat-burning effects. And the reason it works so well is that it produces excess post-oxygen consumption (EPOC). Essentially, your body continues to burn calories for a longer period after a HIIT session.
In one study, from Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine, it was concluded that participants who performed HIIT on a stationary bicycle burned more calories in the following 24 hours than participants who cycled at a moderate and steady rate.
In other studies, out of Laval University and East Tennessee State University, researchers found that participants following a HIIT training programme lost more body fat than participants performing steady-state cardio for the same length of time.
So for anyone looking to burn more calories and, ultimately, lose more fat, HIIT could be a very effective option.
It provides variety
HIIT training exposes you to a huge array of exercises, targeting many different muscle groups. Full-body-burning burpees, ab-crunching crunches, shoulder-sculpting push-ups. They’re all there.
The diversity of this kind of workout ensures that your entire body feels the benefit. So it’s a very well-balanced way to stay fit. Plus, with all the variety of HIIT, you’ll be much less likely to grow bored in the long run.
Up the intensity
For some HIIT inspiration, take a look at these 6 plyometric exercises to fit into your next workout session. And don’t forget to stretch!
Image by Capri23auto from Pixabay
Becoming a certified lifeguard is a fantastic way to gain new skills and get involved in a role that can really make a difference!
And for anyone who’s interested in exploring this rewarding line of work, here are 5 benefits of becoming a lifeguard.
Improve your communication skills
Even when they’re not in the water, lifeguards are still interacting with people. Monitoring waterside behaviour, dealing with dangerous situations, and challenging unsafe conduct. These are skills that all lifeguards will learn, and they provide excellent boosts to communication abilities.
Increase your self-confidence
Lifeguarding is a highly responsible role. When on duty, a lifeguard is responsible for the physical safety of everyone in the water. This means that lifeguards need to feel comfortable taking the initiative, enforcing rules, and making judgement calls.
This level of responsibility, coupled with the autonomy that comes with it, can be a huge confidence booster.
There’s also the fact that being a lifeguard is plain fun. And knowing that it’s your job to look out for people and keep them safe from harm can leave you feeling really positive at the end of a shift!
Develop sought-after skills
Not only is being a lifeguard an incredibly rewarding job in itself, but it also paves the way for future employment.
Communication, self-confidence, team work, leadership, responsibility. These are all job market buzz words, and they’re all the skills of a good lifeguard.
Showing prospective employers that you’re capable of maintaining public safety, whilst working independently, demonstrates dependability and maturity. It also shows that you’re willing to take on roles of increased responsibility and autonomy.
Learn life-saving skills
When training as a lifeguard you’ll learn invaluable life-saving skills. And though hopefully you’ll never need to use them, they’re indispensable tools that you’ll be able to carry with you throughout the rest of your life. After all, what’s more transferrable than first aid training?
This also comes back to increased self-confidence. It’s incredibly liberating and comforting to know that, in any event, if the situation called for it, you could potentially save someone’s life.
Make new friends
From the training room to the pool, becoming a lifeguard is a great way to meet likeminded individuals. The training itself can often prove to be an excellent bonding experience, and working with other lifeguards on-shift (sharing experiences and developing together) can help build lasting friendships.
Fancy a challenge?
If lifeguarding may be of interest to you or someone you know, why not take a course and learn some invaluable life skills? Here at Jesmond Pool we offer a 5-day training course, see bel ow for details!
Stretching: a controversial topic. Does it work or not? And if so, which type of stretch is best? Should you do it before or after workouts? And though there’s much disagreement on the specifics, many experts and trainers do seem to agree that certain types of stretching can be beneficial to our fitness.
The first trick is in figuring out which type of stretching is best for your purposes. The second is learning how to perform those stretches in an optimal manner.
Which stretch is best?
The first point of call is to look at the different types of stretches and see what’s what. To begin, three of the best-known stretch types are static, dynamic, and ballistic. Here are their respective definitions according to the NHS:
“- Static stretch: stretching a muscle to the point of mild discomfort and holding that position, typically for at least 30 seconds or longer.
– Dynamic stretch: performing gentle repetitive movements, such as arm swings, where one gradually increases the range of motion of the movement, but always remains within the normal range of motion.
– Ballistic stretch: involves going into a stretch and performing bouncing or jerking movements to increase range of motion.”
Though there are wildly varied opinions on the subject, many coaches will advocate the practise of dynamic stretching before any workout.”
Of the above, probably the most popular amongst trainers and casual athletes is dynamic.
Dynamic stretching incorporates movement into your routine. And one of the main advantages of movement is that it warms your muscles up. Compare this to static stretching which, though it does loosen muscles, doesn’t have the same “warming” effect, and so doesn’t prepare your body in the same way that a dynamic stretch will.
Of course, this is not to say that static stretching is bad. In fact, many fitness experts claim that static stretching is the best method for increasing range of movement.
But when it comes to sporting performance, at least, dynamic stretching might just have the edge. Particularly as it subjects the body to slow and gentle variations of the more intense movements that are about to follow during the actual exercise or sport.
On the other end of the scale is ballistic stretching. This takes the principals of dynamic stretching a little further, adding in a “jerking” movement that pushes muscles past their normal range of movement. This distinction is important, as dynamic stretching doesn’t push you beyond your edge like ballistic stretching does. In fact, ballistic stretching is said to carry a higher risk of injury, and many experts advise that non-professionals should stick to dynamic stretching when warming up.
So, in quick summary, it could be argued that a combination of pre-workout dynamic stretching and post-workout static stretching may work as an effective and beneficial combination.
A few rules
There are lots of dos and don’ts when it comes to stretching, but here are a few basic suggestions that you might find helpful:
– Always wait at least an hour after waking up before stretching.
– If you’d like to incorporate both dynamic and static stretching into your routine, perform dynamic before a workout and static after.
– Try not to hold intense stretches for longer than 15 seconds at a time.
– Remember to relax and breathe; holding your breath whilst stretching will tense your muscles, thus defeating the purpose of the exercise.
Some dynamic stretches
You’ll find a huge amount of dynamic stretches out there if you go looking. And there are many different routines designed to suit many different sports and workouts. The main thing to remember, however, is to always warm-up the muscle groups that you’re going to be engaging whilst exercising.
That said, here are a few examples of dynamic stretches to use a general starting point:
And when you’re done stretching, why not try the Tennis Champ Workout or some good old fashioned plyometric exercises to get a real sweat on?
Photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels
Smart phones have changed the way we live. From how we communicate to how we shop and play games. They’ve revolutionised modern life in endless ways, making things more convenient and accessible than ever before. But one of the aspects of daily life they’ve changed the most is how we exercise.
With a smart phone in our pocket, we can track our activities in more detail than ever before. This is especially true of running. And whether you’re a complete beginner, a seasoned marathon runner, or a casual jogger, there’s an app out there to suit your needs and goals and push you the extra mile.
In this post we’ve rounded up 9 great running apps, covering every skill level and exercise goal.
For the beginner
Designed for the absolute beginner, Couch To 5k is a 9-week programme designed to get you (as you might have guessed) from the sitting on the couch to running a 5k. The programme consists of 3 runs per week, with the difficulty increasing each successive week. The added bonus? You can choose from a selection of celebrity voice coaches to guide you along as you go.
For the socialite
This is one for the lonely runners out there.
Struggling to drag your friends and family out for a Sunday morning jog? Runmates has you covered. It’s an app that lets people meet fellow runners and coaches in their local area, arrange and join runs, and build a community of like-minded individuals. Runmates is all about the community.
Available for Android and IOS.
Social media-meets-running. Endomondo is an incredibly social app, complete with its own news feed so you can follow friends and spur them on. It also allows you to send and receive pep talks, join and set-up challenges, and discover and create routes in your local area which people can compete to become the “champion” of.
Available for Android and IOS.
For the easily bored
Over 1 million runners have played Zombies, Run!, which tells you something about this unique and immersive story-focussed running app.
In Zombies, Run! You take on the role of a zombie apocalypse survivor, Runner 5, and have to run to gather supplies, rescue survivors, and defend your home, all whilst being chased by the undead hoard. For those who are interested in combining their workouts with some top quality immersive storytelling, this is a great choice.
Available for Android and IOS.
Run An Empire offers an interesting and unique gaming/fitness crossover experience. It’s essentially an empire-building game crossed with a running app. The premise is simple enough: you run to collect coins, and you spend those coins to upgrade, evolve, and expand your civilisation. Sounds addictive enough to keep you running.
Available for Android and IOS.
For the fundraiser
Raising money for charity on your morning run? That’s two helpings of feel good and some extra motivation to boot. Here’s how it works: you download the app, choose your charity, and run. Simple. And for every mile you move, Charity Miles will donate money to your chosen cause. Get fit and do good, all with one app!
For the traveller
Runnin’ City offers 450 “running tours” in 150 cities across the world, divided into 5, 10 and 15km routes. It even features an audio guide, and gives you a 30 second factual tidbit when you pass a point of interest. A great choice for travelling runners. And don’t worry, it still measures all the basic metrics. So not only are you getting a local history lesson, but you’ll know how far you’ve run, how fast, and how many calories you’ve burned.
Available for Android and IOS.
For the no nonsense runner
A very popular and widely endorsed fitness app, Strava is a feature-heavy all-rounder. It measures your progress, connects you to other runners around the world, and even features a tracking option that allows your family to see where you are whilst out running. It comes highly rated, and is a good option for anyone who wants to simply track and share their progress.
Available for Android and IOS.
Another all-rounder that features coaching, workouts, progress tracking, and achievement unlocks. Like Strava, this is currently (at the time of writing) an Editors’ Choice on the App Store. And, as it’s a Nike product, it’s likely a safe choice for anyone new to the fitness app world who’s looking for a quality experience.
Available for Android and IOS.
For more on running, take a look at our post: 4 Great Benefits Of Running.
Photo by Karl Solano from Pexels
One of the most popular reasons for exercising is to burn fat. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, get lean, or just stay generally fit and healthy, burning excess fat is at the heart of many long-term fitness plans.
And one of the most effective method for burning fat is, of course, cardio. But cardiovascular exercise is something of a blanket term, covering a myriad of different sports and activities. It’s defined as “anything exercise that raises your heart rate.” That covers a lot. From walking and running to tennis and football. But what are some of the most effective cardio exercises? And which ones could stand to help you burn the most fat in the most time effective manner?
Here’s our list of some of the most common and effective fat burning cardio exercises. . .
Indoor rowing
Both an incredible cardio exercise and a full body workout. Rowing targets a lot of body parts (lower and middle back, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and biceps). So whatever area you’re looking at working, chances are that a rowing machine will cover it.
This great all-rounder is a low-impact, high-reward exercise. It will improve muscle and joint mobility, reduce stress, and melts away fat whilst building up muscle.
Calories burned: 200 – 400 in 30 minutes.
Skipping
A classic, and the boxer’s staple. The humble skipping ropes have remained quietly popular in the face of modern cardio machines and fitness fads for good reason: they work.
Skipping is good for the heart, tones muscles in both the upper and lower body, and is incredibly effective for weight loss. What’s more? You can pick up a skipping rope for next to nothing, and the exercise itself requires barely any space to perform. So they’re an excellent choice for small budgets and smaller spaces.
Calories burned: 300 – 500 in 30 mins.
Running
The top dog of cardio. Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise around. Spend ten minutes driving through any town in the UK, on any given day, and you’ll probably spot at least one runner. And it’s not just because it’s free that people enjoy it.
Running is a mood-enhancing, fat-burning, addictive form of exercise. Known for its positive effects on mental health (), running gets you out in the fresh air, builds stamina and confidence, and requires nothing but a good pair of shoes and some comfortable clothing.
Calories burned: 300 in 30 mins (based on a rough weight of 10 stone).
Swimming
We’ve discussed some of the many health benefits of swimming previously on the blog. As a brief refresher, they include: lowered risk of diabetes, improved heart health, and greater longevity (among many more).
The beauty of swimming is its low impact nature, which means that anyone, no matter their level of fitness or age, can jump right in (pun intended) and start reaping the rewards of this fantastic water-based exercise immediately.
Calories burned: 400 in 30 mins.
Cycling
Many people are filled with dread at the mere thought of cycling through the streets of England, with its potholes, hills, and general scarcity of cycle paths. But the stationary bicycle is an altogether different beast. These can be found scattered around most gyms, and offer a stress- (and traffic-) free alternative to an otherwise wonderfully healthy activity.
Depending on how hard you pedal, cycling can be an intense fat burning activity. Another low-impact exercise, it’s great for older people or those starting out with a lower level of fitness. And not only will cycling obliterate fat, it will also do a nice job of toning up your legs, glutes, and abs.
Calories burned: 250 – 500 in 30 mins (depending on intensity and resistance).
Calculate your calories
The figures provided above are just rough estimates of the amount of calories you can expect to burn from 30 minutes of each exercise. But they are by no means completely accurate, as there are a number of factors, unique to you, that they fail to take into account.
If you’d like a more accurate projection of how many calories you can burn from the various activities, here’s a much more comprehensive calculator. It allows you to input your gender, age, height, and weight, then gives you an enormous list of activities to choose from (which even includes brushing your teeth, ironing, and gardening), before giving you estimate of how many calories you could expect to burn from each.
What’s your favourite?
As with many things in life, sticking to a cardio regime is all about motivation and enthusiasm. And those two things can only come from enjoyment, so it’s important to find an exercise that suits you. If you’d like to try out a variety of different cardio exercises, why not visit our gym, where you’ll find all manner of cardio machines to have a go at!
One of the most popular reasons for exercising is to burn fat. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, get lean, or just stay generally fit and healthy, burning excess fat is at the heart of many long-term fitness plans.
And one of the most effective method for burning fat is, of course, cardio. But cardiovascular exercise is something of a blanket term, covering a myriad of different sports and activities. It’s defined as “anything exercise that raises your heart rate.” That covers a lot. From walking and running to tennis and football. But what are some of the most effective cardio exercises? And which ones could stand to help you burn the most fat in the most time effective manner?
Here’s our list of some of the most common and effective fat burning cardio exercises. . .
Indoor rowing
Both an incredible cardio exercise and a full body workout. Rowing targets a lot of body parts (lower and middle back, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and biceps). So whatever area you’re looking at working, chances are that a rowing machine will cover it.
This great all-rounder is a low-impact, high-reward exercise. It will improve muscle and joint mobility, reduce stress, and melts away fat whilst building up muscle.
Calories burned: 200 – 400 in 30 minutes.
Skipping
A classic, and the boxer’s staple. The humble skipping ropes have remained quietly popular in the face of modern cardio machines and fitness fads for good reason: they work.
Skipping is good for the heart, tones muscles in both the upper and lower body, and is incredibly effective for weight loss. What’s more? You can pick up a skipping rope for next to nothing, and the exercise itself requires barely any space to perform. So they’re an excellent choice for small budgets and smaller spaces.
Calories burned: 300 – 500 in 30 mins.
Running
The top dog of cardio. Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise around. Spend ten minutes driving through any town in the UK, on any given day, and you’ll probably spot at least one runner. And it’s not just because it’s free that people enjoy it.
Running is a mood-enhancing, fat-burning, addictive form of exercise. Known for its positive effects on mental health (), running gets you out in the fresh air, builds stamina and confidence, and requires nothing but a good pair of shoes and some comfortable clothing.
Calories burned: 300 in 30 mins (based on a rough weight of 10 stone).
Swimming
We’ve discussed some of the many health benefits of swimming previously on the blog. As a brief refresher, they include: lowered risk of diabetes, improved heart health, and greater longevity (among many more).
The beauty of swimming is its low impact nature, which means that anyone, no matter their level of fitness or age, can jump right in (pun intended) and start reaping the rewards of this fantastic water-based exercise immediately.
Calories burned: 400 in 30 mins.
Cycling
Many people are filled with dread at the mere thought of cycling through the streets of England, with its potholes, hills, and general scarcity of cycle paths. But the stationary bicycle is an altogether different beast. These can be found scattered around most gyms, and offer a stress- (and traffic-) free alternative to an otherwise wonderfully healthy activity.
Depending on how hard you pedal, cycling can be an intense fat burning activity. Another low-impact exercise, it’s great for older people or those starting out with a lower level of fitness. And not only will cycling obliterate fat, it will also do a nice job of toning up your legs, glutes, and abs.
Calories burned: 250 – 500 in 30 mins (depending on intensity and resistance).
Calculate your calories
The figures provided above are just rough estimates of the amount of calories you can expect to burn from 30 minutes of each exercise. But they are by no means completely accurate, as there are a number of factors, unique to you, that they fail to take into account.
If you’d like a more accurate projection of how many calories you can burn from the various activities, here’s a much more comprehensive calculator. It allows you to input your gender, age, height, and weight, then gives you an enormous list of activities to choose from (which even includes brushing your teeth, ironing, and gardening), before giving you estimate of how many calories you could expect to burn from each.
What’s your favourite?
As with many things in life, sticking to a cardio regime is all about motivation and enthusiasm. And those two things can only come from enjoyment, so it’s important to find an exercise that suits you. If you’d like to try out a variety of different cardio exercises, why not visit our gym, where you’ll find all manner of cardio machines to have a go at!
Photo by bruce mars from Pexels
Zumba is an exciting workout involving dance and aerobic movements. It’s based on salsa and other Latin dance styles, and offers a lively, fun, and energetic fitness class for everyone. But for those who’ve never tried it before, you may be a little reluctant to get involved before learning more.
So let’s take a look at what makes Zumba a great workout, and how you can use it to dance your way to fitness!
The general health benefits of Zumba
As always, first things first. What are the health benefits of Zumba? Well, one study found that, after one hour of Zumba, participants had burned an average of 817 calories. That’s more than cycling and running. So as far as fat burning is concerned, we could all do much worse than a weekly Zumba session.
Also, because it involves dancing, Zumba will increase your coordination. This isn’t necessarily a direct health benefit, but indirectly it means you’re less likely to fall over and injure yourself. This can be especially beneficial for the elderly.
Zumba is also a great full-body cardiovascular workout. Because you’re dancing, you’re using your entire body. And because of the fast-paced nature, and sustained duration, of dancing, it elevates your heart rate.
It’s fun
One thing that’s undeniable: Zumba is fun. Unlike many other workouts, it’s not just about reps and sets. It’s about dancing. In this way, Zumba doesn’t feel like an ordinary workout. It’s more lively and, in some respects, more enjoyable. In other words, you’ll never dread leaving the house to go to a Zumba class.
Also, if you’re the kind of person who is easily bored by a regular gym routine, Zumba could be perfect for you.
This brings us to the social side of things. Zumba is a fitness class. But at its heart it’s really a dance class. And dancing is naturally social. When people dance, they usually dance together. It’s natural. So Zumba feels comfortable, and there’s always a strong group dynamic. And because of this, you don’t have to worry about feeling self-conscious.
It’s good for routine
A huge advantage of participating in Zumba is that you can find classes everywhere. There are 15 million people currently taking part in Zumba, in over 200,000 locations in 180 countries around the world. This means that no matter where you are, you can probably find a Zumba class nearby.
And even if there aren’t any classes around, there are plenty of DVDs and online videos to keep you going. So even if it’s snowing and you’re stuck at home, your Zumba routine doesn’t have to suffer for it.
It’s for anyone
Some people are put off by the idea of dancing, believing that it requires too much technical skill and flexibility. But Zumba, though a dance-based workout, definitely wasn’t made only for those who know their salsa from their rumba. Zumba was designed to suit anyone. It’s supposed to suit both beginner and advanced participants alike. In fact, it’s even been referred to as “exercise in disguise.” So don’t be put off if you’ve never danced before!
Really, it’s not about how fit you are. It’s about having fun, letting go, getting healthy, and working out in the most feel-good way possible.
Zumba time?
Want to get your dancing shoes on? If the answer is yes, then why not come along to one of our Zumba classes at Jesmond Pool and Gym? Classes run weekly on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. For more information on times and prices, visit our Zumba class page.
