Alternative Fitness Ideas For Shaping Female Body | Workout & Exercises slideshows | Physical activities center

Pilates

Pilates is more than just a way to increase the strength of your abdomen and core muscles. It works using stretching and flexibility exercises to improve posture and other health benefits which include joint mobility and relieving stress and tension. Any exercise is great for wiping away the days stresses and Pilates is a low intensity exercise session which is good for all ages. No matter what your ability is you can get involved in a Pilates class although it is important to note that it is not an effective method to lose weight but works to tone muscle and relieve tension.

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Photo courtesy of www.localfitness.com.au by Wikimedia Commons : sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%B0:Yoga_at_a_Gym.JPG
greatist.com/fitness/25-most-kick-ass-alternative-gyms-us
http://voices.yahoo.com/alternative-fitness-exercise-firming-toning-4125951.html
http://www.timetocleanse.com/15-alternative-fitness-ideas/
Teaser : Photo courtesy of Vilanova i la Geltrú by Flickr : http://www.flickr.com/photos/vilanovailageltru/5157825456/

Martial arts

There is such a huge selection of martial arts classes available that there is easily something to suit everyone. Kick boxing, MMA, Karate and Judo are just a few of the options available to someone wanting to get involved with martial arts workout. Many of them offer fitness based classes rather than skill or competition classes which have boosted the interest in the sports. For example boxercise is a very common class which involves boxing moves to music to increase the intensity. Training for any type of martial arts will torch calories, build body strength, develop coordination and improve performance.

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Photo courtesy of Jo Allebon by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/joallebone/9390331247/

Stand Up Boarding

Stand up boarding is an outdoor sport that has become very popular recently. It is very relaxing once you master it and it is a great alternative to wave riding. Using a paddle board and an oar the objective is for the rider to stand up on the paddle board and use the oar to row along flat areas of the sea. It is a great hobby to take up and can allow you to cover vast areas of water with minimal effort. It builds coordination and balance and is a great way to workout without really noticing that you are.

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Photo courtesy of Mike Baird by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/9203506707/

Pole dancing

One of the newest crazes to hit the fitness industry is using pole dancing as a form of exercise. It is often called cardio pole because it helps to combat weight and improve fat burning. Working out with the use of a pole involves the participant building whole body strength to be able to lift their own body weight and manoeuvre themselves around the pole. It is a great workout for building abdominal strength and core stability to improve the balance of the pole dancer and flexibility is improved also. This is a high intensity workout and is best for people who have some training background.

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Photo courtesy of Christian Lendl by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/_dchris/8739743597/

Hip-hop/cheerleading dance

Finding different ways to workout is key to living a healthy lifestyle because just going to the gym can get boring. Hip Hop and Cheerleading is an excellent way to burn calories and have fun while doing so. Hip Hop is a form of street dance and involves high intensity music which keeps your motivation and workout intensity up. Cheerleading involves lots of different aspects such as flexibility, coordination, strength and also improving aerobic ability. Taking up any form of dance workout really improves the brains cognitive function and memory because of learning routines and new movements.

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Photo courtesy of USAG- Humphreys by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/usaghumphreys/6558453349/in/photostream/
www.pineapple.uk.com/classes_and_timetable/street_/_commercial_/_hip_hop/cheerleading.aspx

Body pump

Body pump classes are weight based exercise classes that usual run for 60 minutes. Each participant will be allocated a mat and to select a barbell or dumbbells that they feel appropriate. During the class a traditional format is for the instructor to pick eight songs which are aimed at specific muscle groups allowing each participant to have a full body workout each session. exercises that are common are squats, deadlifts and shoulder presses. The pro's of a body pump class compared to training alone is the motivation of being pushed by an instructor as well as your peers.

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Photo courtesy of FaceMePLS by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/faceme/3453466390/

Rock climbing

Many sports and fitness centres have begun installing an indoor climbing wall for their customers to use. Rock climbing used to be purely for extreme sports enthusiasts but many more people are now getting involved as a form of exercise. Indoor walls are artificial with placed stepping stones to challenge each climber depending on their experience, whilst roped via the ceiling for safety. Rock climbing is an excellent whole body workout which will build strength in the upper body as well as the core. As you being to progress in experience this exercise will also build coordination and confidence.

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Photo courtesy of Maria Ly by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/mariachily/5250476064/

Wave riding

Wave riding or surfing is an outdoor sport primarily but some centres also have an artificial surf machine with a continuous wave. Taking up different sports challenge the body to adapt in different ways and will boost calorie burns and strength gains. Wave riding involves learning to paddle out on a surfboard, try to catch a wave and then stand up on the board riding the wave into the shore. It is an excellent whole body exercise as it builds and improves balance and core stability making it a great abdominal workout. It will also build the upper body strength as a surfer needs to use their arms to push up and stand up.

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Photo courtesy of Mike Baird by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/3337064055/

Spin classes

Spinning classes are otherwise known as indoor cycling and it is a new trend that has taken off in the past few years. Spin classes involve a group of usually 10-20 people in one room all on stationery bikes with gears. There will be an instructor on a bike at the front who using music will get the participants to vary their speeds, resistance and position on the bike. It also involves standing up and cycling on heavy resistance. This type of class is mostly suitable for people who regularly train as the intensity can be pretty high for up to an hour. But the amount of calories burnt in that hour is between 700 - 900 for an average female.

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Photo courtesy of ROBERT ROCHE by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/bobroche/8217083178/
www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/caloriesburned/spinning/result?weightPounds=150&duration=60&activity=&met=11.0&submit=

Aerial arts

Aerial Arts involves exercising and producing routines while suspended from the ceiling using acrobatic equipment or silks. Aerial silk is a popular form of aerial arts where participants suspend themselves with their own strength on silk that hangs from the roof or ceiling. It is difficult to practice without the appropriate equipment but building upper body and core strength are essential to being successful in this type of session. If you have access to the facilities needed its a great way to combine exercise and dance/movement as it takes a huge amount of body strength to manoeuvre yourself using the silk and requires pure strength.