#working-out

Don’t let the heat of the summer interfere with your exercise routine. (Photo: Arthur Belebeau)  

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome, then sticking to the same exercise routine in hopes of a better body is nuts.

Here are five ways to mix it up and increase your calorie burn, for crazy-good results.

1. Let your playlist break up your run. “Every time the chorus of a song comes on, pause in place and hop your knees up to your waist—or higher if you can—on the beat. Start running again when the chorus is over and repeat the routine every other song,” says celebrity trainer Taryn Toomey.

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2. Distract yourself. “When we’re watching a video, studies show that we have a lower rate of perceived exertion, so we work out harder,” says celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak.

3. Keep your body guessing. “Constantly change the speed or incline of the machine you’re on—if it’s the treadmill, for example, every 30 seconds to a minute, increase it by 0.1 or 0.2 so your body is forced to adapt,” says celebrity trainer Justin Gelband.

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4. Pepper strength training with high-intensity cardio. In between every set of bicep curls or lunges, get your heart rate up. Celebrity trainer David Kirsch recommends a few sets of 20 jumping jacks, three minutes of jumping rope, or ten burpees (stand, jump forward into a squat, then jump up into a standing position).

5. Stay cool. “Our bodies burn more calories in the cold because it takes more energy to heat ourselves back up,” says Pasternak, who recommends keeping a workout room at around 66 degrees or exercising outside on a brisk morning. (This doesn’t mean you have to ditch your hot-yoga class—just know that the heat is keeping your muscles flexible, not torching extra calories.)

By Kayleigh Donahue  

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There’s a reason we tapped America’s toughest trainer for your body makeover. She gets results! These seven moves from her new BodyShred program will reshape and shrink you.

Your Plan: Grab an 8-pound weight and do each firmer for the time indicated. Take a 60-second break; repeat three times, six days a week. See a video of all the moves »

Pendulum Lunge - 1 minute

Stand with feet together, a dumbbell in right hand with arm extended out to side at shoulder level. Lunge forward with right leg and pass dumbbell under right thigh to left hand, extending left arm out to side as you step back up. Repeat on opposite side for one rep. Continue, alternating sides.

Jill’s Tip "Good form equals faster sculpting. Make sure your back’s straight and lunging knee tracks over your ankle."

The Ape - 1 minute

Crouch on balls of feet; place hands shoulder-width apart on floor outside right foot. Press weight into palms; jump feet up and to right, landing in a crouch. Continue, alternating three hops to right, then three to left.

Jill’s Tip "Stay low to really target your butt and thighs."

Sissy Squat to Side Crow - 1 minute

Stand with feet together and squat low on toes, hands shoulder-width apart on floor outside left leg. Lean left knee into right arm and bend elbows, shifting weight to left side until knees are stacked and balanced on elbows; hold for 1 count. Stand and jump, extending arms overhead; continue for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat.

Jill’s Tip "Try hopping knees onto elbows for a split second and work up to a full hold. Think: Nothing changes unless I try."

Single-Arm Mountain Climber - 1 minute

From a plank, extend left arm in front of you and lunge right foot forward, 12 inches behind right hand. Quickly switch legs, jumping right foot back and lunging left foot forward as you drive left arm behind you. Continue for 30 seconds. Switch arms; repeat.

Jill’s Tip "You may feel off-balance at first; if that happens, squeeze your abs. This engages your core to steady you."

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Bear Kick - 1 minute

Start on all fours on balls of feet with wrists under shoulders, knees under hips, knees lifted an inch off floor. Kick left leg under torso and out to right. Return to start. Continue quickly for 30 seconds. Switch legs; repeat.

Jill’s Tip "Kick as fast and strong as possible to up your calorie burn."

Sumo Touchdown - 30 seconds

Start in a wide squat, thighs almost parallel to floor, toes turned out, hands behind head, elbows out, abs engaged. Bend to right, touching right fingertips to floor beside right heel. Return to start; repeat on opposite side.

Jill’s Tip "If you can’t quite get your fingers to the floor, touch the outside of your shin instead."

Cauldron Crunch - 30 seconds

Lie faceup, holding dumbbell in both hands, arms extended to right, shoulders and legs a few inches off floor. Bend right knee and place right foot on floor as you crunch up and circle dumbbell counterclockwise around right knee, like you’re stirring a cauldron; lower to start. Repeat on opposite side.

Jill’s Tip "To cinch your waist, reach the dumbbell out as far as you can while making a stirring motion."

Rest 1 minute. Repeat all.

By Liz Miersch

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This group fitness class combines… basically everything. (Photo: Mark Sacro)

A workout that involves lunges, squats, and crunches might sound less like a good time and more like a tedious exercise routine. But if you add thumping music, drumsticks, and two kick-ass female founders, the whole game changes and you get Pound.

Pound is not your typical workout. It’s a group fitness class that combines Pilates, cardio, and conditioning with drumming. And, yes, you get to use special, lightly weighted drumsticks called RipStix as you move and sweat. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be an actual drummer, or even musically inclined, to get the hang of it. You just need to show up ready to rock.

“Usually, when we say ‘You get to hit things for 45 minutes, and you’ll burn 400 to 900 calories without even realizing it,’ people are in,” says Pound cofounder Christina Peerenboom. “Not only does it bring a serious fun factor to the mix, but it combines the science of music with the most effective exercise modalities into one simple format.”

Peerenboom started Pound with her friend Kirsten Potenza, both drummers, when they realized exercise was more of an ordeal, than an experience they enjoyed.

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“We bonded over struggles faced by many young women today, from the pressure to stay slim and fit, to the larger overarching questions like, ‘Who am I, and what should I do with my life, and what makes me happy?’” says Potenza.

That’s why they decided to start a new career and a workout that would inspire other women to take control of their bodies and minds in a 45-minute session.

“When we realized that the two things we loved most, music and a team, could be melded together, we created a way to fill the void that was missing for us,” says Potenza. “By being a support system for each other that fostered creativity, insight and self-discovery, we got down to the basics of what made us happy, both inside and outside the gym: MUSIC.”

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Peerenboom adds, “It’s not very often women get unbridled permission to step outside of any role and march to the beat of their own drum, but Pound gives them that: The permission to be loud. The permission to be aggressive. The permission to hit things. And ultimately, the permission to rock.”

You can find Pound in gyms, dance studios and wellness programs across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia, along with an exclusive program at Madonna’s Hard Candy gyms worldwide called Pound Rock Hard. If it isn’t offered near you yet, the girls have a DVD and nutrition system called Rockout Results that comes with your very own set of RockStix.

“Women all over the world are able to discover just how badass they can be through Pound, and that their bodies are more than just ‘beach ready’ or sexy,’” says Peerenboom, “Their bodies are the vessels that help them kick ass at life.”

By Susan Yara 

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