Discover: Healthy trends + topics - Feb11

First up, from Dakshana Bascaramurty, Globe and Mail:

Tabata, a type of high-intensity interval training that was originally developed for Japan's Olympic speed-skating team, is fast gaining popularity...Named after Izumi Tabata, a former researcher at Japan's National Institute of Fitness and Sports, the compressed workout has a simple format: Do an exercise (such as push-ups or jumping rope) for 20 seconds at full intensity, and then take a 10-second break. Repeat seven times, varying exercises, for a total workout of four minutes. ...

Tabata training is effective, despite its brevity, because the body continues to burn calories at a high rate during the recovery period, says Martin Gibala, chair of the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton.

In a study published last year in the Journal of Physiology, Prof. Gibala and his research team found that participants who did high-intensity interval training for just 1½ hours total each week enjoyed the same physical benefits as those who did 4½ hours of endurance training on a stationary bike. Both groups had similar levels of muscle development and lipid oxidation (which improves endurance and reduces the risk of developing obesity and diabetes).

In educational interest, article(s) may be quoted from extensively.

On PiYo: Margo Basse, The Oklahoma Daily:

First there was the serenity of yoga, next came the toning of Pilates, then the high-energy of Zumba. It’s hard to say what’s going to be the next big hit in the wave of trends that run through the fitness industry. ...

[PiYo] class is a full-body workout that consists of plyometrics and cardio mixed with yoga and Pilates moves. Patricia Baker, the center’s PiYo instructor, teaches other fitness classes like spin and Zumba but has seen the benefits of her PiYo training.

Each session can burn about 200 to 400 calories. The class isn’t as high intensity as some of the other group classes offered but PiYo specifically works to tone the whole body. ...

“The class is like yoga in that we use some of the positions but we’re always moving,” Baker said. “This class is not for people who have the expectations of this being a zen class like yoga.”

On fitness' mark on fashion: Amelia Brown, Cornell Daily Sun:

One of the predominant [fashion] trends that is still being thrown around is inspiration via active wear. Calvin Klein did baseball-styled sweatshirts in gleaming alpacas in New York while Richard Nicoll sent chiffon sweatpants and silk track jackets down the catwalk in London. Although these looks seemed newly fresh and sumptuous, this is simply the most recent incarnation of a long history of relaxed dressing.

I’ll play the history back with the fast-forward on: Chanel liberated women from corsets by offering dresses in men’s underwear jersey in the 1920s; sport and exercise crazes gave way to more active styles by the 1950s; spandex and lycra became a staple of both active wear and fashion by the 1980s; and after 1980s workout wear and 1990s trashy grunge, we arrived at the year 2000.

The dawn of the new millennium brought about a new kind of comfort. Like the 1980s body-conscious Jane Fonda looks, this was not really about comfort; it was about sex. In 2001, L.A. label Juicy Couture launched the body-hugging velour tracksuit and never looked back. The suit consisted of a hooded sweatshirt and drawstring sweatpants in Miami-bright colors with a label that read “Made in the Glamorous USA.” That was exactly what people were looking for — comfort disguised under the cache of sexy glamour and, frankly, cache. As the craze exploded, it became not just acceptable but even chic to wear sweats outside of the gym.

On personal training: Jenny Lee, Vancouver Sun:

"Renewed interest in personal training" is the number-one fitness trend for 2011 by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and this is driven by baby boomers' interest in health and an anticipated economic upswing, he said.

How personal training will change:

1. Client expectations. Many clients will want to improve function to stay independent as long as possible, but a subgroup will seek new activities or assistance in training for sports-specific competitions. ...

2. Demand for knowledgeable trainers. Personal trainers will need to become more knowledgeable in two key areas: the motivations and aspirations of older adults, and the health conditions that can affect a client’s ability to work out...

3. More comprehensive continuing education courses. Trainers will need to know...not just about chronic health conditions and rehabilitation, but also learn about social and psychological perspectives, emotional issues, and lifestyle choices that affect their older-adult clients. ...

4. Proliferation of small-group training. Small-group workouts are still among the top fitness trends. These sessions are more economical and the social aspect can be motivating and fun.

On the benefits of home exercise: James Careles, Leader-Post:

"Home-gym users who achieve their goals tend to be self-starters who can discipline themselves and their schedules," says Christine Eckhardt, regional director of the Ruddy Family Centre Y in Ottawa.

There is also the matter of their equipment, and how well it suits their individual training styles. "It is vital to purchase home-gym equipment that you are going to enjoy using," says Matt Elsesser, Canadian territory manager for Life Fitness.

"If you like walking for cardio, then a treadmill makes good sense. Similarly, if you want to do weight-training and you don't like to lift free weights, then a weight machine is your best bet."

The Modesto Bee has alternate fitness options for gym-avoiders. And, finally, let's close on this clip from Judi Morales-Gibson, BeniciaPatch:

There are different types of belly bulge. The pot belly resembles Pooh's adorable pooch. The muffin top is the bit that pops out of your waistband. The classic spare tire resembles an inner tube around your middle. Then there's the dreaded booty do, when your belly sticks out farther than your booty do.

:-)