1. NEW Fitness: Exercise Partners
A decade ago the mantra was that having a workout partner was the holy grail of accountability and success. Article after article touted the magic of workout partners, and so fitness enthusiasts across the globe obediently found their own fitness friend.
While this rule was made with good intentions, the reality is that not all workout partners are beneficial for your results. In fact, many exercise partners actually serve as a distraction rather than an asset when it comes to getting the most from your gym time.
The new rule about exercise partners goes like this: the right exercise partner can enhance your results, but the wrong exercise partner will kill your training time. Choose your exercise partner with care, or choose to workout with a group of like minded people on the exact same goal. There is always someone at EFF bootcamp who can fill that role.
2. NEW Fitness Rule: Athletic Shoes
Athletic shoes have undergone major changes over the past decade. Designs used to emphasise stability and cushioning, with bulky designs intended to give you the most support possible.
Today biomechanical experts have introduced the concept of minimalistic footwear, suggesting that it reduces injuries. While the bulkier shoes from yesteryear prompted strides with a forceful heel strike, putting stress on joints, the minimalistic designs encourage a softer landing with a mid-to-forefoot strike.
Should you swap out your favourite pair of workout sneakers in favour of a more barefoot design? Not necessarily. Simply working on softening your stride or your landing form on exercise, by eliminating heel strikes could also do the trick.
3. NEW Fitness Rule: How To Get A Six-Pack
The old school way to a six-pack was to save your ab workout for the end of your gym visit. You’d stop at the exercise mats to spend ten minutes cranking out crunches and sit-ups.
Today the popularity of stability exercises and functional training is on the rise. This means engaging your core (abdominal) muscles throughout your entire workout, not in an isolated movement after your main workout is complete. Exercises that require that you stiffen your core against resistance strengthen your abdominal wall, while protecting you from potential injuries.
Avoid an exercise routine that’s centred around seated weight machines, as these do not engage your core. Instead seek out exercise that force you keep your form, like planks, mountain climbers, quality form push ups and burpees. And remember to squeeze those abs while you work it!
4. NEW Fitness Rule: How To Do A Push Up
Push ups from your knees are so last millennium! Not only does this position put unnecessary pressure and stress on your knee joints, it’s not as challenging as other techniques since it doesn’t allow for full range of motion to be achieved.
So what do you do if a full push up isn’t manageable? Find another angle, rather than drop down to a full push up, do a half push or a quarter push up. Then as your strength builds up, go deeper into the push up. If you still want to use the modified push up the Watch this video, it will help with form.
As your strength increases lower your push up until you are doing a full, traditional pushup.
5. NEW Fitness Rule: Your Pre-Workout Meal
Have you ever struggled through a workout on an empty stomach, fighting hunger pains as you feel the burn, simply because you read somewhere that exercise on an empty stomach burned more fat? You can stop doing that.
New research is showing that eating a small, sensible meal before your workout results in a higher fat-burning rate compared to workouts out on an empty stomach. It has also been shown that your workout will be more intense and more effective when hunger isn’t on your mind.
Keep your pre-workout meal small and sensible, such as 500ml water and an apple. The intention of the pre-workout meal is to provide energy and fuel for your muscles in order to get the most out of your time in class or during exercise.