What do you choose?
Going to the gym is a necessary evil for many people. Of course you know it’s healthy, but you can also spend the time working up a sweat more usefully. And more fun. It’s a shame really, because there are often a lot of options in a gym. We list 9 popular workouts. Something for everyone!
1) Fitness
Fitness is often mentioned in the same breath as boring and that is a shame. There are in fact a lot of possibilities. You can limit yourself to cardio workout and some exercises on machines, but today many gyms offer motivational circuit training, for example, and there is an increasing focus on functional training. In functional training, the activity depends a lot on your goal. For a runner, the training will be very different than for someone who wants to reduce back pain.
Fitness training goes further than just the equipment. You can also challenge yourself with free weights, balls, barbells, dumbbells, skipping ropes and elastics. Good guidance is always important. A trainer can determine which exercises are right for you and can help you keep the workout challenging and avoid injury. Go for variety and change training regularly. That way you will achieve optimal results.
2) Body pump
Do you want all the benefits of fitness, but in a group setting? Then is body pump a very appropriate lesson. During this one-hour workout, you target all muscle groups. Barbells are used in the class and you perform all kinds of exercises with them: such as squats, presses, lifts and curls. They are the same movements as in the fitness room, but without a device. You will be helped by the exciting music, enthusiastic instructor and equally hard-working fellow athletes. Because you choose the weight yourself, you influence the intensity.
3) Spinning, cycling and RPM
If there’s one thing that’s good for your fitness, it’s spinning. Many people are afraid to get on a bicycle and see it as a real war of attrition, but just as many people are downright addicted to it. Under the guidance of an instructor you will cycle standing and sitting to the beat of the music. You combine endurance training with interval training and fat burning. Because you determine the resistance on your bike, it is suitable for all ages and both beginners and advanced. The classes for spinning, cycling and RPM may differ slightly, but the principle is the same.
4) Xco and Body Shake
The Xco is a tube full of grit used in the Xco and Bodyshake workouts. The workouts are aimed at your natural corset: you therefore mainly train the abdominal and back muscles. When you shake the tube to the left, the grit follows with a delay. Every movement therefore has an extra load. The Xco is available in different sizes so that you can train at your own level. With the Xco you train the condition, muscles and connective tissue. Of course you also burn calories.
5) Zumba, Body Jam and Sh’bam
You can also challenge yourself with dance-like workouts. During these classes you burn a lot of calories in a very fun way. Dancing improves coordination and strengthens muscles. Zumba is mainly inspired by Latin American dance, sh’bam is a work-out with show and musical elements and Bodyjam is a mix of movements from Latin, hip-hop, disco and funk.
6) Pilates, Yoga and Body Balance
Not all workouts at the gym are fast paced. Also with a lake relaxed workout you can train your body. Pilates is a whole-body exercise method. With the right breathing and balance you train both strength and flexibility. In yoga you assume more postures. You will also learn breathing techniques and meditation. This also improves your flexibility, strength and the shape of the muscles. The Bodybalance is a combination of yoga and Pilates, but also has aspects of tai chi in it. For all three, body and mind work together.
7) Body Combat and Kick Fun
For lovers of martial arts, Bodycombat and Kickfun are ideal. The combat is a powerful cardio workout with exercises that consist of combinations of different fighting techniques such as karate, boxing, taekwondo and muya thai. You are mainly concerned with burning calories to uplifting music. With the Kickfun you use a punching bag. With boxing gloves you can indulge yourself in the bag through combinations of punch, kick, knee and elbow techniques. You work on your condition, muscle toning and motivate your fellow athletes by working together.
8) Aerobics and steps
Moving to music, that’s what it stands for aerobics. There are different shapes and levels. In some classes the steps are simple, while in others you follow complicated choreographies. In an aerobics class, ‘dancing’ is often alternated with muscle-strengthening exercises. With Steps you use a raised platform (the step).
9) Boot Camp
Bootcamp is based on the US military training routine. A training consists of running, interval training and fitness exercises, all outside. With the training you build up condition, strength, flexibility and explosiveness. The training is tough, but suitable for everyone.
