Everyone wants to get fit this year, but how do you do it? You’ve seen infomercials on TV and thought to yourself, “Oh that would be nice”. Maybe you’ve heard of people who have done these programs and have lost a couple pounds and gained some muscle as well. Isn’t it about time you did that as well? Let’s take a look at a couple of these programs.
CrossFit: This particular one has risen to popularity in recent years and has many participants across the nation. To be more specific, CrossFit Inc. is a company that was founded by Greg Glassman in 200 to promote his own workout philosophy. It advocates a mix of aerobic exercises, gymnastics, and Olympic weightlifting. If you are interested in participating in CrossFit, join a local CrossFit gym and have a couple sessions with a trainer to see if it is the right fit for you.
Zumba has also become very popular. It involves dance and aerobic elements and is advertised as a dance part instead of a workout. Zumba was developed by Alberto Perez during the 1990s. Approximately 14 million people take weekly Zumba classes in over 140,000 locations across more than 185 countries. Your local fitness studio may offer classes so try to take one there.
Insanity workout is a 60 day DVD program which costs about $120. It was developed by Shaun Thompson who is a fitness trainer and choreographer. The program advertises max interval training; where an individual works out strenuously for about 3-4 minutes then cools down for 30 seconds before starting it all over again. There is no need to purchase any additional equipment in order to participate in insanity.
P90X, short for Power 90 Extreme, is another DVD workout program which costs about $140. This particular system was developed by Tony Horton and was launched in 2003. It takes elements of weight training, martial arts, yoga and calisthenics along with periodization combined with a nutrition and dietary supplement plan. Contrary to Insanity, P90X requires the purchase of equipment including: yoga blocks, mats, dumbbells, pull-up bars, push up handles, etc.
There are also many other workout programs, but these are some of the ones which have been heavily publicized in the media the last couple of years. If you’re looking to build muscle or loose fat, these programs are for you. However, please be sure to consult your primary care physician if you have some concerns about starting a workout program.