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Four Fitness Regimes for 2001
A key to achieving your dream of having a really fit and streamlined body is to go right back to basics and work on your ‘core stability’. With a strong core, you will be able to perform better at sport and exercise and support your limbs through the full range of movements required by forms of exercise such as swimming. Good core stability will also improve your posture and reduce your risk of suffering problems such as back pain in the future.
Physiotherapists have known about core stability for years but now the fitness industry has picked up on it. Until recently the only exercise class that really strengthens core stability is Pilates (a system of stretch based exercises).
I) REEBOK CORE TRAININGHowever from spring 2000 you can now try Reebok Core Training, a dynamic class comprising a series of exercises done on a specially designed ‘wobble board’. It is an egg-shaped platform that twists, tilts and turns with your body’s movements. Standing on the board causes hundreds of muscle fibres to fire up as you struggle to keep yourself upright.
(Contact: Reebok UK - 0800 305050 for more details)
II) BODYBALANCEBodyBalance is a recently launched yoga-based stretch programme that includes moves from Tai Chi and Pilates, It teaches postural alignment and rebalances tight and weak muscles from the inside out.
(Contact: Fitness Professionals UK - 0870 513 3434 for more information)
III) STABILITY BALLStability Ball (also called Swiss Ball) is a giant inflated sphere. Simple sitting on the edge of the ball engages your deepest abdominal muscles to stop you from falling off.
(Contact: ProActive Health UK - 01865 886300 (to mail order or look on their website at www.proactive-health.co.uk )
IV) BODYPUMPBodyPump is a gym based body sculpting class which combines strength training with aerobic exercise. These classes use decent-sized weights and do not give women the body-builder look they think they may end up with.
BodyPump classes are available in most Health clubs around the UK.
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