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Are You Cross-Training?
Friday, May 10th, 2013
Image courtesy Sura Nualpradid/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
You’ve heard the mantra: Go to the gym three times a week to make a difference. But to really make a big difference in the way you perform and the way your body looks, more than three one-hour workouts might be needed. And cross-training is a great way to improve fitness and boost your performance in boxing or kickboxing classes.
“Many people don’t know the definition of cross-training,” says fitness expert and ACE personal trainer Franklin Antoian, author of The Fit Executive and founder of iBodyFit.com. “Cross-Training is taking part in another sport that’s not your main sport, to improve your performance.”
Anything that’s not your primary workout fits the bill, he says. “Anybody can walk or run. Any activity that raises your heart rate can be considered cardio, and that’s cross-training. If your heart rate goes up when you walk, do that. If you have to sprint, do that. Maybe you like to hike or surf or ride your bike. Anything that gets your heart rate up helps.”
But Why?
“Cross-training is going to increase your aerobic capacity–it’ll let you box longer without getting out of breath,” says Antoian. “Weight lifting is going to make you stronger, and anytime you’re stronger, you’re going to kick harder and hit harder.”
Besides that, he says, shaking up a workout routine simply does a body good–it’s basic biology.
“Your body can get used to anything if you do it all the time,” he explains. “A gym membership is great for you–you’ll lose weight, get stronger, your coordination will increase, all that good stuff. But after awhile, your body gets used to it. You’re going through the same motions and that heart rate doesn’t go up so much. After awhile, you’re not going to improve. You’re going to maintain. That’s not bad, but if you want to get the full benefits of your training, after awhile, you have to mix it up.”
How Much?
Antoian says if you’re visiting the gym two or three days a week, you should be cross-training another two to three days.
“The American College of Sports Medicine says you should be doing some kind of cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week,” he says. “So whatever you’re doing at the gym, you want those 30 minutes of cardio, five days a week. And then you want to lift weights or strength train two days per week.”
That says, he cautions that everyone needs at least one day of rest per week to let their muscles and systems recover. And, he says, even beginners can cross-train to get the most out of all their workouts, and without investing in a lot of equipment or additional memberships.
“Anybody can walk or run,” he says. “You just need a pair of sneakers.”
Healthy Living for People on the Go
Tuesday, May 7th, 2013
Dear Reader,
If you have unlimited time to work out during the week at any point in the day you like, this post is not for you; also, please clear out of the gym before 5:30 so the “nine to fivers” don’t have to crawl over you to get to our machines.
Sincerely,
That Guy Glaring at you from the Corner
However, if you’re constantly on the go – whether it be a full schedule of family activities, two hour commute, owning your own business, or the nomadic consultant lifestyle – you’ve come to the startling realization that we’re adults now; there just aren’t enough hours in the day to work, eat, and sleep, much less work out. What is an adult to do? Well, you have to get creative!
Here are five points that might help pull you out of the pit of despair that comes from a week (or for some of us – month) without exercise due to life’s many obligations.
1) My buddy in the Navy would always tell me to “plan the dive and dive the plan” – if you know you have to travel, find a way to front or backload your week with exercise.
This is sort of a no-brainer for those among us who travel frequently – if you know you’ll be on site with a customer from Tuesday through Friday, make sure your Saturday through Tuesday is full of activity. The rest of the points below will only be more rewarding if you go into the trip with the kind of sore muscles that come from packing in a bunch of cardio, High-intensity interval training (HIIT), or heavy weight exercises that hit all the major muscle groups in the days before you leave. And, as any professional athlete would tell you, two-a-days never hurt anyone (unless you’re reckless about it). If you like cardio, run before work and lift weights after. Maybe you want to hit the 6AM boxing class and cycle after work… whatever the case, there’s no reason not to give this concept a try.
2) No time to hit the gym? No gym in your hotel? Shave an hour off the workout process by doing body weight exercises in the comfort of your basement/hotel room/condo.
If you’re shaking your head saying “but I need the elliptical!”, or if you scoffed and said “how am I supposed to get swoll without heavy weights?”, then you’ve probably never heard of Insanity®, P90X®, or LA Boxing – all of which incorporate variations of squats, push-ups, and other resistance-based exercises into their programs. If you can Google the exact calories in your quad half caf venti three pump vanilla three pump hazelnut soy extra hot no foam with whip and cinnamon sprinkles latte, you can find some creative body weight exercises for the next time you can’t get to the gym.
3) If you’re out of the gym’s service area and are wrapped up in client activities or family stuff (i.e., holidays, kid’s sporting events, dog constantly needing walking) focus on nutrition.
A friend who is a fitness model in Miami always tells me that 70% of her chiseled abs come from nutrition, and from how I’ve seen her regulate her intake, I believe it 100%. This is the reason why I do my best to focus on nutrition when I’m unable to exercise. Of course you should always pay attention to what you eat – none of this “I can have four margaritas tonight because I ran this morning” or “deep-fry that please, I did bicep curls this afternoon” – but when you get into the mindset that you’ll redouble your efforts on nutrition when you can’t work out, life will feel a great deal healthier. Additionally, drink water. Seriously, DRINK WATER; I don’t care if it’s from the tap in the office bathroom. Water keeps you toned, and your body desperately needs it, so you have at least two good reasons to chug.
4) So now that you’re thinking more about nutrition, make sure that you don’t skip meals.
It can be tempting to give up breakfast to rush your children off to school, or to skip lunch because you’re working with a needy client, but it’s absolutely critical to keep a steady intake of calories. Your body will thank you for eating 500 calories five times a day rather than 1,000 for lunch and 1,500 for dinner; that kind of uncertainty will only make your body rebel and store fat. If you don’t think you’ll be able to steal away from a day full of meetings to run out to your nearest Press or Chopt, buy something before work and find a place to store it. Most offices will have a refrigerator in which to store your fruit plate, but I’ve been known to find an insulated lunch bag in the event my client doesn’t have such a resource.
5) Booze.
Travel and family can be stressful, so you may be tempted to cozy up with that crazy aunt, hit happy hour with your client, or maybe put the kids in front of the television and relax with a bottle of wine. If this is going to happen, don’t get crazy about it: health experts have no problem with moderate alcohol consumption. If done in moderation, there are relatively few adverse health effects. That said here are some ills of alcohol that you’ll want to keep an eye on:
a) Calories in the drink: clear liquors will typically have fewer calories than dark, and mixers can absolutely kill your weight loss goals. Tonic is as bad for you as Coke heavy, so give club soda a try. If you’re a bourbon drinker, try it over ice instead of in a soft drink. It looks classier anyway…
b) Irrational eating: resolve yourself to stay away from the Big Slice on the corner before you go out for drinking. Locate the only vegetable on the menu prior to order your first drink. A few habits will keep you away from the irrational behavior that comes from hearty intake at happy hour.
Did you catch the moderation part?: Remember that irrational eating will only get more irrational the more you drink, the “hangover hunger” will only get worse, and the energy you have to exercise the next day will only go down as your intake goes up.
Here Comes the Bride, There Go the Pounds
Saturday, May 4th, 2013
Here Comes the Bride, There Go the Pounds
Is there something sparkly and new on your left ring finger? Congratulations! For many brides, the question that follows the wedding date and venue is how to best drop a few pounds and look their very best on the big day.
Eating clean and healthy is a great way to start, but it’s hard to do that all the time, and especially when sampling caterers’ food and bakers’ cakes (not to mention all the delicious offerings of engagement parties and showers) is on the agenda. Exercise, then, is vital. But what’s most effective for a bride-to-be who wants to look her best?
According to the Mayo Clinic there are a handful of exercises that burn a lot of calories. Their database says that running for an hour at 5 mph will burn 606 calories. Climbing on a stair machine for that same 60 minutes burns 657 calories, hiking burns 438, and playing singles tennis will burn 584 (all for a 160-pound person).
In that same hour, a high-energy, non-boring (Stairmaster? Really?) boxing or kickboxing workout will burn 800 to 1,000 calories. Winner! And at the same time, it tones your entire body–all major muscle groups get a workout, everything tightens up, and serious change happens in a minimum amount of time. All of this happens in a fun, energetic, supportive atmosphere that makes that hour fly by.
“Boxing and kickboxing involve exercising the core with almost every movement,” says LA Boxing trainer Tedd Shelton. “At the same time, you’re working out your arms and your legs–you tone everything with high-energy, fast-paced exercises. And it all promotes self-confidence and self-esteem as you see yourself getting fitter and better at it.”
The best part? MMA workouts are great for almost everyone. “No one should feel intimidated,” says Shelton. “Our members are at all levels. Some compete, some are older and trying to get in better shape, and some are just looking for something other than going to a gym and getting on a treadmill.”
Want to lose weight for your wedding? Boxing and kickboxing just can’t be beat.
Want to be slimmer, stronger, and faster? Go to bed.
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013
Whether you’ve just started your journey to a healthier life, or you’re a fitness freak, there’s a good chance you’re making tough sacrifices and putting in some seriously hard work. You may have left the fried foods behind, you’re doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, and heck, you may even drink kale smoothies on the regular (yuck, but good for you). There’s also a good chance, you’re neglecting the most important – and easiest—part of achieving your fitness goals; sleep.
Recent studies cited by the National Sleep Foundation show that a lack of sleep may sabotage a person’s ability to lose weight, even if they eat healthy and exercise regularly. One such study performed by the University of Chicago concluded that restricting sleep to 4 hours for just one week in healthy young adults created the same levels of glucose and insulin as seen in diabetics! Another recent study by the Department of Physical Education at the National HsinChu University in Taiwan (a world leader in physical fitness laboratories), that showed people who regularly get less than 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep showed lower levels of muscular endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness.
Now studies like these where people are purposefully deprived of entire hours of sleep is admittedly “extreme”, but chances are you’ve found yourself – with late work, travel, early gym sessions, active social lives, and that two-hour season finale of “Teen Mom” you’re “so pumped for” – in situations not to different from these!
It’s scientific fact that, “Chronic sleep debt raises your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity,” according The Center for Sleep & Wake Disorders in Bethesda, MD, and that your immune system also becomes compromised, “so you’re more susceptible to catching every virus that comes along.”
It’s also scientific fact however, that you could probably be doing a better job at getting those crucial Zzz’s. Lay off the afternoon caffeine, minimize exercise right before bed time, keep your sleep space as dark as possible, even lay off the cell-phone right before bed (the artificial lights have been shown to disrupt sleep chemicals in the brain), and don’t worry, American Idol will be the same show tomorrow on your DVR.
You’re already doing all the hard stuff and kick’n butt at it, why not do the easy stuff? Go get some sleep.
For more information on sleep, facts vs. myths, tips on how proper sleep can maximize your weight loss, muscle gains, and athletic performance, head on over tohttp://www.sleepfoundation.org/.
Feeding the Workout
Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
Photo courtesy of winnod/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Feeding the Workout
If you work out at 6 a.m., you likely skip eating first because it’s just too early for breakfast (and let’s face it, who wants to lose another 15 minutes of sleep at that hour of the day?). If you work out at 6 p.m., it’s probable you head to the gym before dinner.
Nobody likes exercising on a full stomach. The flip side is that working out without eating anything beforehand can leave you without energy and with a good case of the shakes. What’s a healthy person to do?
“In general, regardless of when you’re exercising, it’s important to have good hydration so you have fluids and electrolytes in your system, and carbohydrates with some protein, because they’re the fuel you’ll use,” says Washington D.C. nutritionist Tricia L. Psota, Ph.D., RD, LC. The secret, she says, lies in good snacking habits.
The Early Exerciser
“If you’re exercising first thing in the morning, you’ll want a small snack and something to hydrate your body, about 30 to 60 minutes before your workout,” she says. Some people like to chow down a sports gel or bar that early in the morning, but another good option is a simple banana and glass of water.
“A banana is a great source of potassium and it’s easily digested, and the water will give you electrolytes,” she says, adding that something like a Vitamin Water can also help.
It’s also important to nourish the body post-workout as well. “The first thing you should do is have a recovery meal when you get home,” says Psota. Here, you want to replace sodium and electrolytes that have been lost to sweat, and give your muscles some protein to help them repair damage and grow. An English muffin with some peanut butter and a piece of fruit, or scrambled eggs or egg whites with vegetables and a piece of whole wheat toast are great choices in the morning, along with a glass of milk or fruit juice (but watch for empty calories in the juice).
The Mid-Day Athlete
If your workout is happening later in the day–mid-morning to mid-afternoon–Psota recommends a regular breakfast followed by a healthy snack about 15 minutes before exercising.
Here again, a banana, cup of milk, or sports gel with a glass of water might be just the thing to fuel up. But Psota cautions that the easy-to-grab sports gels and bars aren’t necessarily perfect. “There could be a lot of sugar in there, and they’re not the ideal source of carbohydrates,” she says. “You can do water and pair it with a piece of fruit, or have some jam on a slice of bread.”
The Late-Night Workout Enthusiast
For those who like exercising later in the afternoon or evening, rules are similar to the early morning riser. “If you’re eating dinner at 5 and exercising later, you don’t want to have much fat or fiber in that meal,” says Psota. “You’ll have GI discomfort.” She recommends a meal heavy in carbohydrates with some protein: pasta with lean meat and vegetables, turkey or ham sandwiches with fruit on the side, a tuna melt, or rice and beans, all with water or a vitamin-fortified drink.
After that workout, have another snack: a smoothie with low-fat yogurt and frozen fruit, graham crackers with peanut butter, or Psota’s favorite–chocolate milk with a banana.
She cautions, however, against automatically reaching for the Gatorade every time you work out. “There are a lot of options for rehydrating that offer electrolytes without a lot of sugar and calories,” she says. “One is 989 OnDemand, which is water without sugar or calories, but with electrolytes. If you need sugar, fruit juice is a good option. You have to be cognizant of sugar, calories, and sodium with some sports drinks. Most of us get plenty of that elsewhere.”
Nutrition: Okay, let’s call it-the Easter Bunny is a total jerk.
Friday, April 12th, 2013
March Trainer of the Month: Ivan “King Shango” Ziglar
Wednesday, March 6th, 2013
March Trainer of the Month: Ivan Ziglar
This month’s spotlight is on Ivan “King Shango” Ziglar, the 29-year-old professional fighter who hails from the Tidewater, Virginia area. LA Boxing members who’ve taken Ivan’s hour-long classes have first-hand experience with the kind of intensity he brings to the gym. That same drive and energy is also what’s behind his professional fight record of seven wins (with four knockouts), two losses, a draw and one no-contest.
Ivan’s next fight is this Friday night, March 8 at the Resorts Atlantic City in Atlantic City, NJ when he takes on Samuel Rogers in a light middleweight bout scheduled for six rounds. Friday’s bout marks a return of sorts for Ivan who started his professional career six years ago in the Philadelphia area. In that time, he’s built a fan base in the local DC area that is looking forward to following him up to Atlantic City to catch the bout. (Tickets are available here from Ticketmaster.)
Ivan’s been training for about two months in preparation for the Rogers fight, and we spoke to him recently about what exactly that entails. “In the morning I’m at the boxing gym,” says Ivan. “I go through a routine of warm-up exercises, shadow-boxing, heavy-bag, speed-bag, and jump rope. If I’m sparring, I’ll cut down some on the heavy-bag work. All total, that comes to about an hour and a half.”
In the afternoon, Ivan’s back in the gym again for another hour and a half of conditioning work. “My routine varies some, but I’ll generally go through circuit drills, treadmill, sometimes swimming.”
Ivan notes that he’ll incorporate some of his own drills into the classes he teaches at LA Boxing. In other words, LA Boxing members are getting state of the art fitness instruction and boxing technique from a professional fighter at the top of his game.
Ivan says he owes much of his success to his top-notch team—his trainer Butch Miller, Purcell Miller, David Shehi and LA Boxing member David Ramirez. However, his initial inspiration comes from his first boxing coach, his father. “I was introduced to boxing by my dad, who had been an amateur boxer, at an early age,” says Ivan. “I didn’t take it real seriously as a youth, but then as I got older I got more dedicated.”
Before turning pro, Ivan fought in the amateur ranks for seven years, where he first found his true calling in the sport of boxing. “This is my spirit,” Ivan says of his dedication to his craft and trade. “This is my life.”
Ivan knows that even if they can’t make it to Atlantic City Friday night, LA Boxing members will be pulling for “King Shango” to once again leave his mark in the ring.
LA Boxing at the Golden Gloves. How our fighters at local clubs look to fare in America’s premier amateur boxing tournament.
Wednesday, February 20th, 2013
LA Boxing at the Golden Gloves. How our fighters at local clubs look to fare in America’s premier amateur boxing tournament.
Look around next time you step into a class at LA Boxing. Some of your classmates might be LA Boxing’s next entrants in the country’s major amateur boxing tournament, the Golden Gloves. Our area clubs have already sent a number of fighters to the regional and national competitions in the novice and the open divisions. And it’s hardly any wonder they’ve done so well, given the club’s first-rate facilities. Add to the mix the club’s professional trainers, men like Terrance Wood and Randolph Kennedy, who’ve made boxing not only their career, but a central part of their lives.
The Golden Gloves was the brainchild of Chicago journalist Arch Ward, who first conceived of the idea of a citywide amateur boxing tournament, first held in the Windy City in 1928. By 1934 the competition extended past the Illinois state lines, including other Midwestern cities, like Cleveland and Detroit, whose was 175 lb. winner would go on to be heavyweight champion of the world, the incomparable Joe Louis.
Soon the tournament came to encompass virtually every major metropolitan area across the country. Now a national tourney, other premier fighters would also have their starts as amateurs in Golden Gloves before embarking on their professional careers. From the heavyweight ranks, among others who fought in Golden Gloves, there is the greatest of them all, Muhammed Ali. Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield were also Golden Gloves fighters. Welterweight and middleweight legends who got their starts here include Oscar De La Hoya, Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler, and from Washington, DC., the great Sugar Ray Leonard.
In fact, the Washington metropolitan area has always had success in the Golden Gloves tournament. Most recently, Washington’s 2012 team came in first place. LA Boxing heavyweight Albi Sadikj was a part of that team that went to Las Vegas last year, and may very well wind up in Salt Lake City for the national finals of this year’s tournament in May.
Sadikj fights in the open division, which is distinct from the novice division. “Novice is the beginner stage,” says LA Boxing trainer Terrance Wood, who handles Sadikaj. “Fighters with ten or more fights are in the open division, only they go to the nationals.”
The novices, Wood explains, can only go as far as the regional tournaments. And last year LA Boxing fighters captured two regional crowns in the men’s novice division, Yurii Polishchuk, at 141 pounds, Zarifbek Nishanbaev at 152, and another in the women’s novice division, Stacy Sneeringer, 147.
The three of them, says Wood, are going professional this year. “ Yurii and Zarifbek are debuting on the same card at the Hard Rock Café in Hollywood, Florida on March 15,” says Wood. “Stacy is debuting April 5 in West Virginia.”
Albi Sadikaj is returning to Golden Gloves competition this year, where the veteran will be leading another formidable group of LA Boxing fighters, all of them, aside from him, novices. Wood, who works out of the Alexandria, Arlington and Bethesda clubs, trains 16-year-old Christian Bratton, fighting at 132 lbs with a 6-1 record.
This weekend marks the Golden Gloves debut of two LA Boxing fighters out of the Rockville gym, trained by LA Boxing trainer Randolph Kennedy. Saturday evening two of his junior welterweights, Michael Martin and Mikhail Koslov, will be fighting at Sugar Ray Leonard’s Boxing Gym in Takoma Park. Kennedy has another 16-year-old, Michael Cates, who’ll be fighting for the regional championship in the novice division at 126 lbs in April.
In addition, two LA Boxing trainers will be fighting in the Golden Gloves this year. Zach Steel who teaches at Rockville, is fighting at middleweight, and his brother Daniel Steel, an instructor at the Bethesda gym, is fighting at light heavyweight.
Neither Wood nor Kennedy is surprised at the success LA Boxing fighters have had at Golden Gloves over the last two years. When asked if he thinks his fighters are likely to do well this year, Kennedy answers, “Oh, yeah”—a Randolph trademark, known to anyone who’s ever trained with him or taken any of his one-hour classes.
“We train hard,” says Wood. “The dedication and support that the staff and ownership has created a family at LA Boxing. It’s a certain chemistry that gives us a big plus. And we appreciate it.”
Add that chemistry to the ability of the boxers themselves as well as the experience and talent that their trainers bring to the ring, and you have to like LA Boxing’s chances in this year’s Golden Gloves competition, the country’s premier amateur boxing tournament.
Valentine’s is a red-letter day to hit the reset button. Team up with your partner for better fitness.
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
Valentine’s is a red-letter day to hit the reset button. Team up with your partner for better fitness.
So what if you didn’t book reservations a year in advance like your friends warned? You’d rather spend this Valentine’s Day with your significant other like you do every other evening, cuddling, watching TV and enjoying the days of wine and roses—and quarts of chocolate ice cream.
It’s not love that puts on the extra weight, it’s lethargy. It’s especially tempting in the winter months to stay around the house, but with spring just around the corner anxiety over the five pounds you want to lose will bloom just as surely as the cherry blossoms. But don’t panic, the answer is literally staring you right in face—your partner in life and love is also your workout partner.
There are dozens of different routines tailored especially to couples, combining strength and aerobic training and flexibility. But regardless of your exercise of choice—whether you share long runs or bike rides together, stretch each other out, or hit the heavy-bag for an hour at an LA Boxing class—it’s about more than shedding excess pounds with your beloved.
First of all, there’s commitment. According to Fitness Magazine, research “shows that 94 percent of couples stick with their fitness programs when they work out together.” If you’ve committed to another person, you’re already in the habit of making important decisions and sticking to them. Committing to your fitness goals with the person you’re committed to will help you get through the rough spots as well as the good times.
Second, in addition to strengthening your body, exercising together will strengthen your relationship. According to lifescript.com, partner workouts “gives the couple a way to learn and grow together.” Try something new together. Boxing in fact has become popular with couples—even sparring. And provided they’re both in control of their emotions as well as their bodies, it’s a great way to train together. Let her wail away mercilessly at him with crosses and hooks, while he practices his defensive techniques, slipping jabs and bobbing and weaving.
Or you and your significant other can try each other’s favorite sports. Get him on the yoga mat and her out rock-climbing. Expand your horizons, but along the way, whether you’re your partner’s teacher or student, be patient and calm. Learning how to teach and how to listen and learn is the key not only to good fitness but also a strong relationship.
Third, well, it’s about sex and sex appeal. Exercise is good for your libido, says lifescript.com. “Studies show that men and women who exercise report better and more frequent sex with their partners.” Breathing, sweating, and touching is what exercise and sex have in common. The toned physiques you and your sweetheart are building in your regular fitness routines at the gym are the same warm, infinitely and intensely responsive bodies that you embrace in your private moments of passion.
Remember, it’s Valentine’s Day: Love the one you’re with—and work out with the one you love.
LA Boxing’s Workouts Incorporate High Intensity Training – Achieve Superior Results
Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
LA Boxing’s workouts incorporate High Intensity Training principles. And that’s what makes the results far superior to those of other workouts.
No wonder that class you just finished at LA Boxing left you both drained and amped up for more. An hour’s worth of squats, sit-ups, spiderman push-ups, planks and working the heavy bag here is equal to two to two-and-a half hours anywhere else. That’s because LA Boxing workouts incorporate the principles of HIT, or High Intensity Training.
“It’s a new type of training that takes away the rest time and uses a program that is constant movement,” says Tim Tao, LA Boxing’s Personal Training Director. With 14 years of experience in personal training, Tim heads the club’s Personal Training program in Maryland and DC. “A decade ago an hour workout would consist of approximately 28-30 minutes of exercise and then another 32 minutes of rest,” he explains. “HIT says get rid of the rest periods and keep going.”
Perhaps the biggest fitness advantage to HIT is that it keeps the heart rate up at a steady level the whole time. “You don’t want your heart-rate going up and down like a roller coaster,” says Tim. “If you’re doing a regular workout your heart rate will go up to 140-150 when you’re working and then drop down to 80-90 beats per minute when you’re resting. By keeping your heart rate up for the whole time, HIT integrates a cardio workout into a weight training regimen.”
HIT started to become big a few years ago, explains Tim, “when the concept was adopted by fitness programs like P90X and the Insanity Workout.” But Tim, a veteran of combat sports who was on the wrestling team at the University of Maryland, says nothing beats the LA Boxing workout. “It’s better than Zumba, better than step aerobics, or getting on a treadmill. LA Boxing’s boxing and kickboxing classes provide the highest caloric burn of them all. It’s the best class environment around. Members get a better workout and lose more fat quicker.”
The other obvious advantage to HIT is a practical one—it’s a timesaver. Washington, DC-area residents are a busy group, notes Tim, himself born and raised in Rockville. “Maybe you don’t have two hours to go to the gym for a class, or an hour for a personal training session. But you can do half an hour PT session. I can do the exact same workout in half the time someone else does in an hour. It’s not doing less, it’s just compressing.”
So after class go ahead and treat yourself with a cold fruit smoothie—you just fit two hours of fitness into one.
