Dance class is a great workout—a half-hour burns about 200 calories—but there’s the little issue of shimmying in a room full of strangers. Here’s the solution: Do your dancing at home with these great new DVDs. Read More
You might think: Core generally refers to your abdominal muscles.
You should know: This term also includes the muscles that run up the back and stretch down to the butt and the front and inner thighs, says Michele Olson, PhD, professor of physical education and exercise science at Auburn University–Montgomery, Alabama. This group of muscles is where much of the body’s strength comes from; you use it to kick a ball, lift a heavy box, and even stand up straight. Read More
Here’s a workout for your body and mind: A study in the journal Sleep found that people who did six months of a slow-motion version of Tai Chi called Chih—a meditative sequence of 19 movements—felt less tired during the day and could concentrate more, compared with people who received only health education over the same period.
It’s unclear whether the benefits stemmed most from mental or physical effects, but the Tai Chi participants also got the benefit of burning 272 calories an hour. Find a class near you. Read More
Who has time to burn megacalories during the holidays? You do! This speedy workout from Equinox instructor Lashaun Dale, based on her popular Cardio Bootcamp & Sculpt class, will blast up to 350 calories in just under 30 minutes, and you’ll build strength while you’re at it.
Do this routine just three times a week to keep those holiday pounds at bay—and look extra svelte in your holiday finery. (Hitting the buffet big-time? Add a brisk 45-minute walk on alternate days to burn another 250 calories a day. You’ll toast more than 2,000 calories a week!) View the slideshow.
Say hello to gorgeous shoulders and a defined upper back with these moves, based on the exercises group-fitness instructor Randy B. Washington teaches in his Top it Off class at Crunch Miami.
The trick to this über-effective routine: repetitions done at a fat-burning pace with few or no breaks in between. Do this 12-minute routine 3 times a week for 3 weeks, and you’ll be ready for that strapless holiday dress. View the slideshow.
You can burn 65 percent more calories simply by cutting your mile-walking time from 17 minutes to 13 minutes—and a strong core can make it easy to walk that distance in less time. Here’s a core-strengthening move from Dixie Stanforth, MS, an American Council on Exercise spokeswoman who teaches kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin; do this exercise two to three times a week. Read More
Try the Wide-Stance Side-to-Side Squats from The One-Minute Workout by Andrew Oye and Robert Dothard (Hilton, 2008; $19.95). Read More
Tone your arms and legs, trim your waistline, and knock out all that holiday stress with this boxing-and-kickboxing workout designed by Anthony Briganti, creator of Equinox Fitness’s popular 639 Kick class. To lose up to 6 inches in a month, do the 15-minute combo drill. View the slideshow.
Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa answers our most uncomfortable questions–providing straight talk about blushing, sweaty workout clothes, and more. Read More
Shorter days on the horizon may mean biking, running, or walking in the dark. Stay safe with our favorite new reflective gear.
The bright yellow bands on the Brooks NightLife Jacket ($90) are easy to spot from dawn to dusk, and the reflective panels and trim kick in for increased safety after sundown. The zip-up jacket is water- and wind-resistant and features a vented back for increased breathability. Read More
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