Buff up Before Break.
Spring Break is quickly approaching, especially for those wanting the perfect bikini body in time to spend a week out of school and in the sun. Running on the treadmill and doing sit ups can get old fast, so here are some different ways to get fit and have fun.
Hybrid Training
Tires, sledgehammers, ropes; is this a construction site or a new way to work out? At The Bar Fitness in Phoenix, owner Brad Rogers and his staff lead workout junkies as they rotate from station to station, doing different workout drills. Participants are kept on their toes while they jump on a tire holding a weight, do sit ups while lifting a sledgehammer above their head, and walk on the treadmill — sideways. “Hybrid training concentrates a great deal on core work, overall body development and is a cost effective way of getting in shape,” according to The Bar. Interested? For $149/month, you can have unlimited access to hybrid workouts.
Sumit Yoga
There are many different types of yoga, each offering its own unique benefits. The basic concepts of yoga include stretching, holding and meditating.
Pick your Pain. The Various work out machines available at The Bar Fitness.
If you’re interested in these same concepts, but want a more intense workout, give Sumit Yoga a try. These “hot yoga” studios around the Valley incorporate music with what founder Sumit Banerjee calls the “yoga dance,” along with many poses that reflect Bikram Yoga.
John Mayer, Beyonce, and Train are just a few of the many artists that are commonly played throughout the Sumit Yoga experience.
The one hour 20 minute class is held in a room that ranges from around 95 to 100 degrees, making a post-workout shower a requirement. According to Sumit, “In a yoga class, you practice poses that require stretching and compression of the joints, muscles, ligaments and other supporting structures of the body. Your body naturally protects itself from physical exertion by generating heat from the inside muscles outwards.”
Sumit offers a two-week unlimited trial for just $20. All you need is a yoga mat and a water bottle.
Kickboxing
Everyone has those days where all they want to do is hit something.
Kickboxing can be a perfect way to let out emotion, while getting a good workout. “Kickboxing Fitness sessions improves endurance, strength, muscle tone, coordination and flexibility,” says Christopher Terry, owner of 1 on 1 Boxing Fitness. “It also builds lean muscle and burns fat.” Not only is kickboxing a challenging way to get in shape, but it also teaches self-defense skills. A typical boxing workout, which lasts 50 minutes, consists of skills training and conditioning.
Interested? 1 on 1 Boxing Fitness offers one session for $20, or eight sessions for $120.
Boot Camp
Want to get in shape, but cannot find the time between work, school and a social life? Boot camp can be a perfect option, if you can stand rising before the sun three times a week.
More and more personal trainers are starting boot camps at parks around the Valley. The average boot camp starts at 5:30 a.m., and lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. While this may sound like a version of torture, getting a jump start in the mornings can improve sleep patterns, and make for a much more productive day.
Personal trainer Troy Anderson holds a boot camp every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at Hanger Park in Tempe. Between 10 and 15 early risers participate in his 45 minute work out, which changes each month.
Anderson tries to switch things up by playing an unusual sport (i.e. handball, Ultimate Frisbee) at the end of boot camp each Wednesday. He has also included scavenger hunts to different workout stations, and other competitive workout “games” to keep clients motivated and having fun. Interested in testing your college alarm clock? Anderson offers the first month of boot camp ( four weeks, three times a week) for $49.
Contact the reporter at mkthornt@asu.edu
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
That is such a deal for hot yoga! I’m definitely going to try that unlimited two week class.
What an informative article. I’ve been thinking about taking a yoga class, and am now also considering a kick boxing class!