Myth: Guys don’t do dance fitness

The Myth and The Madness

Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good

 

 

 

MYTH: GUYS DON’T DO DANCE FITNESS

 

 

 
While most of us are still adjusting to the New Year, for a lot of gym users, this time of year means one thing – it’s tourist season. Not in the traditional sense that people are coming to see Anne of Green Gables, but rather lots of new faces are piling into the gym with every intention of making good on their fitness resolutions only to stick around for a couple of weeks never to be seen lifting a weight again…that is, until next January.

It’s great to see people getting active and all, but nothing grinds an avid gym user’s gears more than inexperienced people taking over all of the equipment, slowing down everyone else’s workout. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – if you want to be successful in the New Year, you’ve got to set realistic goals, don’t give up early on, and keep trying new things that will keep your fitness interest.

Guys sweating it out at a dance fitness class? Now THAT would be trying something new for sure…or would it?

The truth is, guys are into dance fitness. Well, at least the smart ones are, anyway.

Guys who already like to get down with dance fitness know it’s a great cardiovascular workout that works muscles in a different manner than more traditional workouts. It improves coordination, helps with flexibility, and increases range of motion. Plus, you get to workout with a group of women and pick up a few dances moves along the way. The worse case scenario is you end up having a few laughs and losing a few pounds.

Dance fitness has become really popular in the last few years, and as I mentioned last month, it’s one of the hot fitness trends of 2012. Classes like Zumba, UFIT, belly dancing and pole dancing continue to bring in big attendance numbers. Shows like So You Think You Can Dance, and Dancing With The Stars show really strong, muscular men dancing with beautiful women. From personal experience as someone who teaches both group and dance fitness, I can tell you the number of male participants has increased steadily in the last four years. I have seen men lose lots of weight just by attending these types of classes.

My friend and Charlottetown Zumba fitness instructor, Julie Whitlock, weighed in on this myth with her own observations:

“My classes have attracted more females than males, but Zumba Fitness worldwide has so many guys that participate and teach. In fact, the creator of Zumba is a male. It can be intimidating for men to walk into a class that is mostly made up of female participants. The guys that do participate quite enjoy it. You don’t have to be coordinated or even know how to dance; you just have to follow the instructor’s lead. It’s a very welcoming environment and the music is infectious. I would enjoy having more males attend the class because it’s fun, easy, and a great workout for everyone.”

Fitness, like life, is usually more interesting and successful when you step outside your comfort zone, so if you’ve found that your resolutions have been unsuccessful for too many New Year’s in a row, try something new. Dance fitness is affordable, but if it’s not for you, check your local gym or community centre for other new classes to try. But don’t knock it till you try it. You might actually like it!

Yours in fitness and health,

Ryan Cairns
CSEP-CPT

Catch Ryan Cairns each month in G! and online at www.sparkfitnessnow.com.

 
How to spot a “Gym Tourist”

1. Pays for a year membership and comes for less than a month.
2. Wears the nicest designer fitness clothes, but has no clue how to use any of the equipment.
3. Talks on their cell phone.
4. Never works out their legs.

The Myth and The Madness Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good       MYTH: GUYS DON’T DO DANCE FITNESS       While most of us are still adjusting to the New Year, for a lot of gym users, this [...]

Read more »

Myth: Resolutions don’t work

The Myth and The Madness

Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good

 

 

 

Myth: Resolutions don’t work.

 

 

 

Did you achieve your fitness and health resolution for 2011? While some of you may have hit your fitness goals (good for you, by the way!), it’s safe to say the majority of resolution-makers out there didn’t.

It is far too common that people have the same fitness resolutions year after year. While most people have great intentions for the year ahead, the only difference ends up being the amount of weight they want to lose is now higher than the year before.

Let me hit you with some knowledge. Here are three tips to keep in mind when making your resolutions that will make them easier to keep:

1) Make realistic goals. Aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week, not the 10-20 they lose on The Biggest Loser. Making realistic goals will set you up for realistic success.

2) Don’t give up before you even start. So many people get completely off track around the holidays. Exercise goes out the window and eating goes through the roof. A healthy lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle. You have to make exercise and healthy food choices a part of your EVERYDAY life.

3) Do something different. Stop doing the same things you always do. It’s a new year, so it’s time to shake things up! If it didn’t work last year, it isn’t going to this year. Try something new.

Speaking of something new, here are the fitness trends to look for in 2012.

Bootcamps
Originally based on military style training that usually involves running, jumping, bodyweight, and interval styles of exercise. People are pushed harder than they would normally push themselves.

Dance fitness
The dance fitness craze has taken off in the last couple of years and shows no signs of stopping. With the popularity of TV shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, fitness classes like Zumba are still bringing in big numbers.

Yoga
Yoga has been around forever…literally! Yoga is used to strengthen muscles in isometric holding positions. Yoga can be used to breathe, relax, and meditate as well. Hot Yoga will stay hot this year (pun intended).

Activity-Driven Kids
Childhood obesity rates continue to soar, so in 2012 we’ll be seeing more fitness geared toward children to get them up and moving around. Interactive video games for Nintendo Wii or XBOX Kinect are a great option to get kids active when it’s too cold to go outside.

Older Adult Fitness
Baby Boomers are taking their health seriously and trying lots of new fitness classes that are less intense, or hiring personal trainers who can create age specific programs. They want to be able enjoy their retirement and staying active is key to making that happen.

Personal Training
More and more people are looking to hire educated and certified personal trainers to help tailor a plan to achieve their goals. Personal trainers teach safe techniques, give advice, and motivate.

Functional Fitness
Gone are the days of doing bodybuilding exercises for an hour and then cardio for another hour after that. Functional fitness combines compound movements to work lots of muscles at once, getting your heart rate high and burning lots of calories. Examples are CrossFit, kettlebell, and TRX training.

Technology
You will see more people in the gym this year with their Iphones out. There is an app for everything these days including how to monitor and achieve optimal personal health and fitness. It brings fitness to your fingertips.

Whatever your fitness resolution is for 2012, try something new. Doing different things is good for both your body and your mind.

Yours in fitness and wellness,

Ryan Cairns
CSEP-CPT

 

For fitness tips, videos and more check out Ryan’s website www.sparkfitnessnow.com.

The Myth and The Madness Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good       Myth: Resolutions don’t work.       Did you achieve your fitness and health resolution for 2011? While some of you may have hit your fitness goals [...]

Read more »

Myth: You STILL can’t escape the holiday weight gain! (Part II)

The Myth and The Madness

Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good

 

 

Myth: You can’t escape the dreaded holiday weight gain – Part II

 

 

 

You survived Thanksgiving and Halloween – congratulations! But now you’re up against the most tempting holiday of them all – Christmas.

Who doesn’t love the holidays? You get to watch movies like A Christmas Story and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. You sing along to catchy festive tunes like “All I want for Christmas” by Mariah Carey. However, this time of year can be brutal for weight gain.

As I mentioned in last month’s article, holiday weight gain is usually exaggerated. While the most anyone would realistically gain is between two to five pounds, the problem with gaining that small amount of holiday weight is that most people don’t lose it and it just keeps accumulating over the years. Average that over five years and you’ve easily put on ten to twenty-five pounds without even realizing it. Now that’s a very big deal!

The most common cause of holiday weight gain is the over consumption of high calorie foods that are readily available. It can feel like there are endless boxes of chocolates, tins of peanut butter balls, and lots and lots of booze everywhere you turn. Staff parties and multiple family dinners may bring on holiday cheer but they can also add unwanted inches around the waist.

Let’s face it, this isn’t your first Christmas and it certainly won’t be your last. You know what hasn’t worked for you in the past so maybe it’s time to try a new approach. If you love Santa Claus but don’t want to look like him, I’ve got a workout you can try that’s short on time but big on results. Consider this my early Christmas present to you!

HOLIDAY TABATA WORKOUT

Total time: 20 minutes

Items you’ll need: clock or stopwatch, enough space and a flat surface

Exercise 1:     (a) Bodyweight squats     (b) Jumping jacks

Exercise 2:     (a) Plank    (b) Running in place

Exercise 3:    (a) Alternating lunges     (b) Push-ups

Exercise 4:    (a) Hip lifts       (b) Mountain climbers

Here’s what you do:

Begin with Exercise 1, starting with (a) bodyweight squats for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest. Move onto (b) jumping jacks for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest.

Repeat Exercise 1 for a total of 8 sets (4 of each). Rest for one minute and move on to Exercise 2. Follow the same 20 seconds of activity, 10 seconds of rest circuit for the rest of the Exercises.

Each Exercise lasts about four minutes and entire workout should be 20 minutes total. Try doing this workout 3 to 4 times per week and help keep the Santa belly at bay.

 

 

Happy Holidays!

Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT

 

Back away from that delicious candy cane bark and get moving! For fitness tips, videos and more check out Ryan’s website www.sparkfitnessnow.com.

The Myth and The Madness Ryan Cairns CSEP-CPT dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good     Myth: You can’t escape the dreaded holiday weight gain – Part II       You survived Thanksgiving and Halloween – congratulations! But now you’re up against the [...]

Read more »

Next Page »