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      3 Kilojoule-Obliterating Swimming Workouts

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      Usually when you say the word “swimming” your knee-jerk reaction is to imagine all the reasons you typically avoid pool workouts: chlorine-tinted hair, soggy towels in gym bags… However, water provides 12 to 14 percent more resistance than air, so swimming has the potential to blow your current dry-land routine out of the water when it comes to cardio conditioning and total-body toning!The real key to a strong swimming workout: move past your sea turtle pace and into a fast, kilojoule-obliterating one.How? By maximising your strokes for more power and efficiency. Once you get stronger and faster in the pool, you’ll wind up a lot leaner when you get out.FreestyleGreat for core, glutes and shouldersBurns 860kJ in 30 minutes at a moderate pace (based on a 60kg woman)DO IT Think of your arms as a windmill. As you pull your front arm down into the water (the pull phase, in water-rat speak), bring your back arm out of the water behind you, over your body and slice it back into the water (the catch phase). Visualise your body’s “long axis”: a line running from the top of your head to the tips of your pedicure. It remains stable while your body tilts side to side. To flutter kick: “Point your toes and kick from your hips and glutes without bending your knees much,” says swimming coach and Ironman triathlete Desirée Ficker.HONE IT Freestyle’s power is in the catch phase. To grab the water instead of slicing back in with a straight arm, bend it into an “L” shape, elbow slightly up, hand pointed towards the pool bottom. Hold your hands flat, like paddles, says physiologist Deb Whitney, who’s worked with the American Olympic swimming team.DRILL IT Practise rolling your shoulders and hips at the same time. Get into a sidestroke position, right arm extended in the water in line with your head, left arm resting along your hip, and do six to 12 slow flutter kicks. Then do one regular freestyle stroke (left arm/right arm). Next, roll onto your left side and repeat the six to 12 kicks. Drill for a couple of laps.BREATHE EASY Resist the urge to turn and lift your head above the surface to grab air. Instead, rotate it in line with your body, inhaling when your face is halfway out of the water. (When you take a breath, keep one eye in the water, the other above it.)READ MORE: This Do-Anywhere Workout Will Have You Sweating Up A StormBackstrokeGreat for obliques and lower abs Burns 860kJ in 30 minutes at a moderate paceDO IT Think windmill again, but on your back. Bring your right arm out of the water at your waist, arc it over your head (elbow slightly bent) and slice it back into the water, leading with your pinkie (catch phase). Pull it down beneath your body (pull phase) and repeat with your left arm. As you stroke, pivot at the waist. And flutter kick with straight, not rigid, legs.HONE IT The key to supine floating is tilting your head back so it’s in line with your spine (your impulse is to look at where you’ve been – or who you’re about to smack into – but that makes your hips and butt sink). As you arc your arm back to the water, “point your palms away from your body with your pinkie facing down, so you catch, hold and pull the water as your hand goes back in,” Whitney says.DRILL IT Improve the side-to-side pivoting motion. Assume the sidestroke position, right arm extended in the water in line with your head, left arm resting along your hip. Do six to 12 flutter kicks, then turn onto your back for one backstroke (left arm/right arm). Flip to the opposite side for six to 12 more kicks. Drill for a lap or two.BREATHE EASY Keep it rhythmic. Experiment to figure out what you’re comfortable with, such as inhaling on every right arm pull, exhaling on every left arm pull.READ MORE: Top Hacks To Summer-Proof Your SkinBreaststrokeGreat for glutes, hamstrings and quads Burns 1200kJ in 30 minutes at a moderate paceDO IT Pull your knees to your chest and hold your palms together in a prayer position. Kick out and apart with your legs (think frog), then squeeze them together straight behind you. Next, push your arms out in front of you. Glide for a moment, then turn your palms down and push outward (catch phase) and down (pull phase) in a circular motion. Keep your head steady and chin forward, gazing forward as you breathe and slightly down towards the bottom of the pool at the pull phase.HONE IT Finish each kick with your ankles relaxed and your toes pointing to the bottom of the pool so your insteps can clap together. “Take advantage of the power of each kick by gliding as long as you can, your body in an arrow shape,” Whitney says. Rushing into your next stroke will slow you down by creating drag, compromising your form and making you less efficient in the water.DRILL IT Exaggerate the glide with two frog kicks, then one arm pull. On the second kick, keep your arms out in front and let yourself glide. Drill for a couple of laps.BREATHE EASY Exhale underwater; inhale as your face comes out.Looking for more? Try these swim-ready moves if you want to strengthen and tone all over. More

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      The Ultimate Core Workout For Abs Of Steel – From A Trainer

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      We get it: the ultimate way to show off your hard-earned gains in the gym is to have shimmering, chiselled abs of steel. Luckily, this ultimate core workout, made up of different abs workouts, is an intensive all-over toning routine to get you from A to Teyana Taylor hotness. Why are abs workouts important? We’re so glad you asked! Having a strong midsection is far more beneficial than an iconic crop top moment. It’s imperative for stellar posture, which supports the spine. A good posture is so much more than looking great in outfits and appearing slimmer, too. It prevents injury, aches and pains and even reduces wear and tear on your joints. Translation: you can push back purchasing a walking stick. That’s not all: doing this core workout will support your body in other ways. It naturally elevates every workout or sport, since the force you produce is far greater when your powerful midsection is behind it. A muscly midsection protects your internal organs, alleviates back pain, improves your running, burns fat… the list is endless. How to do this *ultimate* core workout Fitness Trainer and Owner of FIT BEST Training, Renché Seyffert, created this workout for all levels. Here’s how: When to do it Add this routine to the end of your regular workouts two to three times a week. This abs workout takes just 12 minutes to complete. Short on time? Pick just one or two combos and repeat for as much time as you have! How to time it For best results, try working for 50 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds between each move. But you can scale things, depending on your level. Beginners: Use the 40/20 principle. work for 40 seconds then rest for 20 seconds. Make it harder: Add extra weights to each move, either on your legs, weight plates (for advanced movers only) or use dumbbells. Ready, steady… work!READ MORE: What You Really Need To Know About Running For Weight Loss, According To ExpertsThe Ultimate Core Workout Combo 150 seconds – Shoulder taps (targeting the core and shoulders)10 seconds rest50 seconds – High plank knee circles (targeting the core and hip flexors)10 seconds rest50 seconds – Combination: 2x shoulder taps; 2x knee circles; repeat for time 10 seconds restCombo 250 seconds –  Commandos (targeting the core and arms)10 seconds rest50 seconds – Plank jacks  (targeting the core and legs, while increasing the heart rate)10 seconds rest50 seconds – Combination: 2x commandos and 2x jacks, repeat for time 10 seconds restREAD MORE: How To *Actually* Lose Belly Fat With Diet And ExerciseCombo 350 seconds – Tricep dips in bridge position (targeting the core and triceps)10 seconds rest50 seconds – Toe taps in bridge position  (targeting the core)10 seconds rest50 seconds – Combination: 1x tricep dip; 2x toe taps, repeat for time 10 seconds restREAD MORE: The 15-Minute Tone Up WorkoutCombo 450 seconds – High plank reaches (targeting the core and shoulders)10 seconds rest50 seconds – High plank leg lifts  (targeting the core and glutes)10 seconds rest50 seconds – Combination: 2x reaches; 2x leg lifts, repeat for time 10 seconds restCheck out the entire workout here:
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      This Do-Anywhere Workout Will Have You Sweating Up A Storm

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      When you have to travel or prior commitments (whether it’s your family, kids, work or friends) are making it impossible to get to the gym, it’s always great to have a simple, do-anywhere workout tucked into your back pocket. This one, from SWEAT 1000‘s Andrew Rothschild, is perfect for any space, even a smaller-than-ideal hotel room or the beach, and it will get your heart rate up — just what you need to get all those endorphins pumping and calories burning.Do each exercise move as described, working as hard as you can and resting as indicated. If you’re looking for even more of a burn, repeat the workout from the top for just under 25 minutes of intense calorie burning.The Do-Anywhere WorkoutWarm Up1 minute: bouncing side to side

      1 minute: jumping jacksLower-body WorkoutDo all four exercises in a row, sticking to the time frames. Recover for one minute, then start from the top. Repeat three times. Work hard for the recoveries and use the rest to reset and refocus.40 seconds: squats

      20 seconds: squat pulses

      20 seconds: squat jumps

      40 seconds: reverse lunges, alternating legsREAD MORE: Sculpt A Great Butt With This Home Booty WorkoutFull-Body And Core WorkoutDo all three exercises in a row, sticking to the time frames. Recover for 30 seconds, then start again. Repeat three times. Once again, maximum effort will get you maximum results, so push hard during the exercises and work for those recoveries.30 seconds: 2 push-ups, 4 mountain climbers

      30 seconds: burpees

      30 seconds: cross mountain climbersREAD MORE: 30 Plank Variations That Will Transform Your Core From A TrainerGetting into fitness and looking for more inspo? Buy a copy of The Women’s Health Big Book Of Walking Workouts on sale now! More

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      7 Proven Pilates Benefits And The Best Apps To Download

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      Pilates is all about slow, controlled movements – but its fitness and health rewards are supercharged. Whether you go for a class on a mat, using gravity for resistance, one on a reformer, or a more contemporary variation with equipment like spring-loaded chairs and larger Megaformers, you’ll walk away with feel-better benefits on day one. Here, we look at the fantastic Pilates benefits and Pilates apps to try.Pilates tones your musclesWhile people often say Pilates leaves you with “long, lean muscles,” technically, all muscle is lean mass. But the workout does strengthen and stretch your limbs in one go. “Oftentimes, people feel that their body has been compressed, tense and tight beforehand but leave the studio feeling looser and more aware of their body,” says Marina Kaydanova, founder of BK Pilates in the U.S.READ MORE: What is Pilates? A Complete Guide for Beginners, Inc. 34 Exercises + 15 Best Online ClassesPilates sculpts a rock-solid coreProbably the most well-known Pilates move — the Hundred — is all about abs. But exercises that target your tummy are hardly the only reason it’s a dynamo core workout. Most Pilates moves require you to keep proper alignment and challenge your stability to stay balanced, which helps fire up your midsection. In fact, in a British study, after just 12 weeks of a Pilates routine, a majority of people showed improved core strength.It makes you more flexibleNo wonder Pilates has been a favourite of dancers for decades. The workout is about strengthening and stretching – and research has shown it comes with a major muscle-loosening pay-off. After only eight weeks of a Pilates routine, people showed improved the flexibility in a study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness.READ MORE: Total-Body Toning Spring WorkoutPilates improves your postureA big focus of the workout is maintaining good alignment and balance as you slowly move through all the exercises. So it makes sense that doing a mat or reformer routine on the reg will help you sit and stand tall the rest of the time too. A strong back, glutes and abs won’t just look good but are also key for nailing perfect posture.It might ease your achesPilates helped relieve chronic back pain for participants in many studies. “It can help relieve lower-back pain, partially because it adds support to your core,” says Kaydanova. A regular routine can also help prevent future injuries by improving your flexibility and mobility.READ MORE: Build Killer Abs With This Quick Core WorkoutPilates counts as cardioCardio while lying on your back? Sign. Us. Up. All right, it might not pack the same punch as running intervals, but Pilates does include a dose of cardiovascular exercise. Classes on a reformer are better for this than those on a mat, since the reformer’s springs and jump board allow for more energetic moves. But mat Pilates can rev your heart rate too: plenty of new workouts introduced are enough to create a sweat.Pilates might help you lose weightWomen who did Pilates three times a week for eight weeks lost weight and centimetres in their waist and improved their BMI, in one small study from Pamukkale University in Turkey. Keep in mind, though, that study participants were overweight and sedentary to begin with – so if you’re already active, you might not notice a dip on the scale.A 2022 literature review concluded that there’s no outright proof showing that Pilates can significantly create weight loss, since studies are scarce. Nonetheless, tons of women on TikTok swear by the practice as a powerful weight loss tool.READ MORE: 6 Cardio Myths You Need To Stop Believing Pilates apps to tryPilatesAnytime

      This app boasts “the largest library and greatest variety” of Pilates workouts, including on the mat, reformer, with equipment and barre fusion. After a 15-day free trial, PilatesAnytime is R499 per month.

      Alo Moves

      A holistic app, Alo Moves includes fitness, meditation, nutrition and self-care content. There’s a range of yoga and Pilates programmes. After a free trial, the app is R231 per month. Alo Moves is not available on Google Play.

      DownDog Pilates

      From the creators of DownDog Yoga, the Pilates app is highly customisable. Choose your level, music, instruction voice, and boost your workout by body focus. The premium version is around R178 per month.

      The Movement Lab On Demand

      This subscription-based service is an accessible form of legendary classes at The Movement Lab. With the R449 monthly fee, you’ll score 6 recorded in-studio sessions a week and supplementary elective content, plus an existing library of workouts.

      Glo

      Having been around since 2008, Glo sports a wide variety of workouts, including Pilates, HIIT and meditation. Get access to daily live classes and 8 000+ on-demand sessions for R534 a month.

      Blogilates

      Popular Pilates pioneer Casey Ho takes her YouTube classes into app form. The free app includes monthly challenges, a workout calendar and body-focused sessions.

      This article written by Laurel Leicht originally appeared on Women’s Health US More

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      6 Cardio Myths You Need To Stop Believing

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      Fact: cardio has great benefits: it strengthens the heart and lungs, reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol and helps burn calories. Phew! Having said that, skipping, running and the rest isn’t a panacea – which hasn’t stopped all sorts of cardio myths from being perpetuated. Here, we explain the truth to the most common cardio myths – and how to make sense of the workout itself. Myth 1: Cardio speeds up weight lossFACT: Hours logged on those fast-paced gym machines are a surefire way to melt off the weight – after all, it’s the foundation of the cardinal rules of weight loss, right: fewer calories in, more calories out? Well, yes, but… not all weight loss is equal. “You may lose weight faster doing cardio only, but unfortunately it’s the wrong kind of weight,” says personal trainer Greg Justice.Cardio alone burns away both fat and muscle. FYI: losing muscle is the opposite of what you want since muscle is what burns fat all day long – even at rest. Besides that, it’s the key to longevity, as emerging studies are showing.For a lasting change, you have to integrate strength workouts into your routine. “Weight training builds lean muscle mass, which elevates your metabolism and burns more fat, even when you’re not exercising,” says Justice. But! If you’re dead set on getting your heart rate up, there are tons of ways to get the burn with the muscle gains. Justice recommends Metabolic Resistance Training, a hybrid method in which weight training is done at a fast pace, with minimal rest. One example of this double whammy: kettlebell training. Or, lean into these HIIT workouts, which blend resistance and weight training with fast-paced cardio:Cardio & strength workoutsMyth 2: If you can’t do cardio for an hour, it’s not worth itFACT: Flat-out not true. Repeat after us: all body movement has benefits – even in terms of calorie burn! What you can change? How efficiently you burn them. “You may be able to do steady-state cardio longer and burn more calories during that time, but the key is what happens after your workout,” says Justice.“By doing high-intensity interval training [HIIT], you incorporate intense periods of work with short recovery, so your metabolism is elevated and you’ll be burning kilojoules for up to 38 hours after your HIIT workout is completed.”If you prefer to pray at the altar of the treadmill, take heart. “The American Heart Association says that doing three 20-minute sessions of cardio at a vigorous intensity (like running) is the equivalent of doing five 30-minute sessions at a moderate level (like fast walking),” says exercise scientist Wayne Westcott. Even 10 minutes at a high intensity is beneficial. Plus, a study suggests that short, infrequent bouts of slow running can do your heart good. The lesson? Every minute counts as movement – and that’s beneficial. READ MORE: “This Is How I Conquered Perimenopause Symptoms And Lost 14KG”Myth 3: Fasted cardio burns more body fat FACT: This one comes from the idea that if your body doesn’t have readily available food kilojoules, it’ll dip into the body’s stored supply, shrinking that muffin top. Research bears out that the opposite is true: A 2011 meta-analysis concluded fat burn is consistent regardless of whether or not you’ve eaten before a workout. In 2014, another study confirmed this data. And other research shows a negative effect of muscle catabolism (muscle loss) from skipping a pre-workout snack or working out on empty. “Your body needs energy to perform and energy comes in the form of food,” says Justice. “I’m not talking about gorging yourself, but having a small snack before doing cardio can actually help you perform at a higher level.”Myth 4: You must stay in that “fat-burning zone” FACT: Like a lot of fitness fallacies, this cardio myth is half true. At a lower intensity – the heart rate deemed the “fat-burning zone” – you will indeed burn a greater percentage of your kilojoules from fat. The zone in question is typically between 64% to 76% of your maximum heart rate – but it depends on a number of factors, including your age. But before you go ahead and skip every treadmill workout, as Westcott explains, it’s total calories burned that matter for weight loss.The math: If you run at 11km per hour, you burn 25 percent of your kilojoules from fat, while walking at half that speed burns 40 percent from fat, says Westcott, citing past research. So far, walking has an edge.Bottom line: Working out at a higher intensity equals more kilograms lost. However, if you need to find the right formula for you (excess stress can push you away from fat-burning potential, no matter how hard you work), speak to a pro. READ MORE: No Need To Run! This Is The Exact Way To Burn Fat With WalkingMyth 5: Running means you’ve completed leg day FACT: If only that were true. Unless you’re doing full-on sprints uphill or cranking the bike’s resistance to the point where you can barely push the pedals, you aren’t getting much muscle-building benefit from your workout. So while you feel like your legs and glutes did some work, in order to get the awesome metabolic gains of building up those largest muscles in your body, you have to incorporate strength moves like squats, deadlifts, and lunges. Not only that, but strength workouts will make you a better runner and cyclist. “Back when I coached track at Penn State, our runners dominated the sport,” says Westcott. “We were the only ones at the time having our athletes strength-train. Now, of course, everybody does.”Myth 6: The more you sweat, the more fat you burn FACT: While this is a very novel idea that we’ve all tried at once point (black bag under your hoodie, anyone?), it’s not true – especially not when you understand what sweat actually is. It’s good to also understand that some people naturally sweat more or less than other people. Sweat is water leaving your body. It’s made up of electrolytes and a small amount of waste products – but none of that is fat. Sweat is, instead, a way for your body to regulate its temperature when it’s high. How the body actually burns fat? Through carbon dioxide that is breathed out of the body through rigorous exercise and by burning stored fat for energy – something that can only happen through a calorie deficit. If you’re looking to lose fat, look to your diet first and not only at sweating as much as you can. More

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      Your Easy 10K Training Plan And Tips To Crush It In Just 6 Weeks

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      So, you’ve aced a 5K and now want to work toward crushing a 10K race? Well, having an easy training plan and expert-approved tips makes it SO much easier to cross that finish line.Ready to get started? This plan, designed by running coach Kim Maxwell, is for beginners so no need to feel intimidated. The plan will ease you into running a longer distance, starting with a few 15-minute long runs. Most of the weekday runs take less than 30 minutes and the longest run tops out at eight kilometres. Totally doable, right?READ MORE: The Only Half-Marathon Training Plan You Need Per Run CoachesNow that you’ve downloaded the plan, let’s decode the terms Kim uses in the programme: The easy run:Don’t focus on speed/time, rather run slowly. The aim here is to improve your fitness. If you run too hard, you’ll throw out the week’s training.The tempo run:This prepares your body to deal with sustained running at a consistently hard pace. Your pace should be challenging, but comfortable – just below race-day pace.The easy run with pick-ups:Gradually increase your pace from your easy-run speed to 90 percent of a sprint speed by the end of the prescribed interval. Think of it as a skills session. It also deters from the monotony of the easy runs and promotes good form. For four kilometres: 4 x (800m easy + 200m pick-ups). You should be at a 90 percent sprint for the last 20m of each 200m interval.The time trial:This is a race, but focus on trying to hit an even pace at each of the kilometre markers. Start out at a moderate pace and finish strong. Record your time and the weather conditions on the day so you can track your progress and always use the same route – five-kay is a good distance.The turnover drill: Turnover is the number of times your feet hit the ground per minute. The higher the number, the less time you’re spending in the air. A turnover drill means measuring this – wait until you’ve hit your stride, then count how many times your right foot touches the ground in one minute and times by two. Slow down for a bit, then go again, trying to increase the number.The long run:As the name suggests – this is your longest run of the week. Focus on completing the distance rather than speed.Looking for more running tips? Here are 11 starter tips all newbie runners need to know. More

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      11 Starter Tips Every Newbie Runner Needs To Know

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      Newbie runner? Or keen to start? Even if you’ve been pounding the pavement for a while now, sports scientist Ross Tucker has some simple tips to help you with your running, whatever the level:1. Set a medium- and a long-term goalSet yourself a shorter-term goal, to provide the first motivation for running.2. Expect to get worse before you get betterThe body takes a while to adapt when you start out, so expect some days to go well, others not so well.3. Listen to your bodyParticularly early on, give your body every chance to recover and adapt, don’t force anything.READ MORE: Fix Your Running Stitch Instantly With This Crazy Simple Trick4. Pick comfortWhen it comes to clothing (including shoes), go for comfort, ahead of gimmicks and gadgets.5. Alternate hard and easyAvoid consecutive hard days (long runs, time-trials, speed work), rather alternating easy with challenging days.6. Eat small meals oftenThe practice of smaller meals more regularly during the day helps keep energy levels up.7. Look after your shoesMake sure that you replace worn shoes before it’s too late. For most, 600 to 800km is a safe “life-span”.READ MORE: The Best Running Shoes For 5k, 10k And 21k8. Be on the lookout for over-trainingSymptoms like lethargy, poor recovery, unexplained muscle soreness, insomnia and general irritability mean you should back off and take it easy for a day or two.9. Everyone needs speedRegardless of whether you’re a 29-minute 10km runner or a back-of-the-pack fun-runner, speed work will help your running. One session a week, minimum, will give you a boost and invigorate your running.10. Variety is the spice of lifeAvoid allowing running to become routine. Mix your routes, run with a watch, run without a watch, run off-road, run on the track.11. RestEveryone needs complete rest at least once a week. So give your body the break it deserves, and make the most of the other days of running. More

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      Fix Your Running Stitch Instantly With This Crazy Simple Trick

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      You know the feeling only too well… you’re on track for a PB in your five-kay. Your legs are feeling strong and you just passed that woman with a pram who beats you every Saturday. And then, out of nowhere, you feel a sharp pain in your side. You try to ignore it, but it builds and twists and next thing you know, you’ve totally lost your rhythm. And that elusive PB. Sound familiar?

      Stand Straight, Run Faster

      Now for the good news: The fix for your stitch could be as simple as tweaking your posture. Crazy, right? But it’s true. Research in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that people who round their upper backs are more prone to these crippling cramps and feel more intense discomfort. A hunched posture may compress the nerves that run along your spine and into your tummy, making them more sensitive to pain, says lead researcher Dr Darren Morton. Exercising may irritate those already tuned-up nerves.

      READ MORE: 5 Signs You’ve Bought The Wrong Running Shoes

      Fix The Stitch

      Use these two steps to get rid of that irritating pain and get back on your game.

      STEP 1: Do a hunch check: stand sideways in front of a mirror and compare your posture with this diagram. If you line up with the red, your posture needs work.

      READ MORE: Can Wearing Wrist Weights On A Walk Really Tone Your Arms? We Asked A Fitness Expert

      STEP 2: Need to realign? Gently correct the bend with this stretch: lie on the floor and place a towel folded or jersey to 10cm thick under your shoulders (perpendicular to your spine); clasp your hands behind your head. Lie on the towel for 30 seconds; sit up for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.

      Want more? Here’s how to determine common aches and pains from running. Plus, the best running shoes for every distance. More