| Whether you're accustomed to attending | | | | workout but is only offered at facilities that pay fees |
| gym-offered group fitness classes or working out to | | | | to Body Training Systems. |
| videos in the privacy of your own home, you are | | | | Power Pump is similar to Body Pump, except that it is |
| probably well aware that resistance training or weight | | | | not choreographed to set music and is therefore |
| training has been the "it" thing in fitness the past few | | | | instructor-based. Having an excellent instructor can |
| years. There's a plethora of equipment- resistance | | | | make this class exciting and motivating. This class also |
| tubing, bands, weights, medicine balls, Body bars, | | | | lends itself to a bit more variety than Body Pump, as |
| Coreboards, Bowflex machines, and everything else | | | | it often adds the use of tubing, balls, and hand |
| under the sun you can lift or pull. Then there is a vast | | | | weights. |
| array of classes, including Body Pump, Power Pump, | | | | Body Sculpting This group fitness class can have a |
| Pilates, Yoga, Body Sculpting. The list is endless. But | | | | variety of other names, but it basically involves |
| with all the variety offered comes some confusion. | | | | working the muscles of the body in any order by any |
| What one mode of toning exercise is the best? Is | | | | mode--from hand weights to tubing to your body, as |
| there a "best" way to tone the muscles of the | | | | in push-ups. This class is great to teach participants |
| body? | | | | how to use a variety of tools to strengthen and |
| I am personally a big believer in cross-training and | | | | sculpt the body. On the downside, it is very |
| variety. Your muscles get efficient with one format; | | | | instructor-based. If the instructor lacks certain |
| by switching modalities of resistance or weight | | | | teaching skills, the class may feel choppy. Participants |
| training, you can keep your muscles always guessing | | | | may feel like they took out every toy but didn't |
| and working hard. However, the best answer is to do | | | | really play with them. In other words, they got |
| the format that you enjoy the most. If you're doing | | | | variety, but didn't work any muscles to the point of |
| a workout that you do not enjoy, you will not stick | | | | true fatigue. As a participant, make sure you select |
| with it and you will never achieve the optimum | | | | heavier weights or greater-resistance tubing to |
| results. That said, let's discuss the pros and cons of | | | | optimize your own workout. |
| the most popular forms of weight and resistance | | | | Pilates/Yoga While Pilates and Yoga typically do not |
| training. | | | | use weights, there are some classes/videos that |
| Machines If you're known as a "gym-rat", you're | | | | incorporate the use of very light weights. Because |
| probably familiar with every weight machine in the | | | | most of the exercises are designed to strengthen |
| gym, but they can be very intimidating to first-timers. | | | | without weights, it is often unnecessary to use them. |
| If you have never used the weight machines before, | | | | Never use weights heavier than 5 pounds in a yoga |
| it's advisable to have a personal trainer or an | | | | or Pilates class. Both yoga and Pilates often use the |
| experienced friend show you how to use each | | | | weight of your own body for resistance, which is |
| machine and explain to you what muscles you're | | | | why both are so effective. They can also use the |
| working. Each machine isolates a specific muscle, and | | | | Swiss ball for additional stability challenge. They also |
| you can adjust the amount of weight accordingly. | | | | incorporate a lot of isometric contraction, that is, |
| The bonus is that you can easily mark your progress | | | | holding a muscle contraction. Both also focus on core |
| by performing a set number of reps and seeing your | | | | strength and balance, strengthening a variety of |
| weight increase every few weeks. | | | | muscles at one time rather than isolating muscles. |
| However, machines limit your range of motion, and it | | | | This makes both yoga and Pilates more "functional" |
| does take time to figure out exactly how much | | | | (translating to everyday activities better) because |
| weight you can lift on each machine. Also, in many | | | | we usually use multiple muscles at a time. We hardly |
| gyms, you will spend a lot of time waiting for a | | | | ever isolate one muscle in our everyday activity. |
| machine, so you do not get to work the muscles in a | | | | Some people believe that weight machines are for |
| desired order. Many people also find the machines | | | | men; yoga and Pilates is for women. But this is |
| boring and find that it takes too much self-motivation | | | | completely untrue. Men can benefit from yoga and |
| to count all your reps and encourage yourself to | | | | Pilates in so many ways, and both yoga and Pilates |
| continue your sets. | | | | were actually originated by men. The other benefit of |
| Body Pump or Power Pump These group fitness | | | | yoga and Pilates is that they do not lead to as much |
| class formats use a bar that you can add weighted | | | | as injury as Pump and Sculpting classes can incur. This |
| plates to the ends. The class typically focuses on all | | | | is due to the principles of control, breathing, fluidity of |
| the major muscles, spending about five minutes on | | | | movement, and body awareness that is key to both |
| each muscle group--quadriceps, chest, triceps, biceps, | | | | yoga and Pilates. |
| hamstrings and calves, shoulders, back, and | | | | After "weighing" the pros and cons, your best bet is |
| abdominals. Body Pump, a trademarked Body Training | | | | always yoga and Pilates. But don't be afraid to try |
| Systems program, is choreographed to set music, | | | | other formats to vary your routine. Above all, find |
| and the routine is repeated for a few weeks before | | | | one you enjoy and keeps you motivated to come |
| incorporating other songs/choreography. This is a fun | | | | back for more! |