Tag: barre

Fitness Trends from CanFitPro Toronto

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CanFitPro is one of my favourite weekends in Toronto. Thousands of fitness professionals from around North American invade the Metro Toronto Convention Centre sweating, and laughing, and having a fatiguing good time all in the name of healthy, active living. An epic star studded line up including Jillian Michaels, Tosca Reno, and Hayley Wickenheiser helped kick of the rad weekend and keep the energy high all conference long.

The convention centre was buzzing, and the trade show was hopping – or Zumbaing. Here are my top 5 trends from this years CanFitPro.

1. Dance Fitness: Barre was huge this year. I’ve blogged previously about Barre workouts and moves you can do in the comfort of your own home, now many new (and American) brands are sharing their version of barre and making it more mainstream. Want to try it at home? Check out my post with the leaders in Toronto Barre, Barreworks, here.

Zumba continues to hold a significant place in the professional learning at CanFitPro. This year they offered a certification courses on their Zumba Step (think 90s step aerobics with a Zumba flair) so I’m sure those classes will be shaking their way into a studio near you soon.

2. Technology: Metrics matter and most manufacturers of fitness equipment have figured that out. The hottest metric is the new Schwinn MPower Echelon Console which takes your traditional indoor cycling bike to the next level by allowing the users to monitor calories, distance, revolutions per minute, and watts. Watts is a significant metric as it allows the user to monitor their intensity through the technology by putting numbers to their perceived levels of exertion.

Apps also continue to be popular with many free apps becoming available through big name brands such as Nike, Strava, and Schwinn, as well as other independent apps including Tabata Timers which allow the user to complete intervals (see trend 5) in an easier way.

3. Bright Colours and Bold Patterns: Fashion is always a key part of the CanFitPro expo with many big brands showcasing their gear. This year a common theme between big athletic brands like New Balance, Asics, Sketchers, and Zumba, as well as many small independent retailers was neon brights and funky bold patterns. Pants, tanks, tees, and shoes of every colour of the rainbow were available – A trend I personally love and hope continues. What am I loving now? Check out these Oakley Printed Strength Tights, available online for $90.

tights24. Functional Fitness: Strength training that uses your own body weight continues to lead the strength and conditioning field. This is great news for people wanting to get fit from home (or in the park) without needing lots of equipment to do so. I believe much of this comes from the added interest of obstacle races. These mass fitness events are challenging the “average Joe” to get after it and they are doing so on their own, at home, and these functional moves are giving them the results they need to rock their race (and live a healthy lifestyle), without a significant financial investment. Looking for moves you can try at home? Check out my Fit From Home Tab for ideas to get you moving and building strength in the comfort of your own home.

5. Interval Training: Whether you’re out on a run, in the pool, on a bike, or integrating strength training, intervals (including Tabata timing) is hot! Two styles of intervals were all over the conference this year and those included the ever famous Tabata, and the Copenhagen.

  • Tabata includes :20 seconds of hard breathless effort, followed by :10 seconds of easy recovery. This is completed for 8 rounds which takes a total of 4 minutes. In it’s authentic form it is so challenging (hard & breathless will do that to you) that it should only be completed once, so can be book ended by a 15 minute warm up and 15 minute cool down to give you a solid 30 minute sweat session.
  • Copenhagen includes :10 seconds of hard breathless effort, :20 seconds of hard effort, and :30 seconds of moderate effort repeated 5 times for a total of 5 minutes. This interval is followed by a two minute recovery and then repeated in it’s entirety for another 5 minutes. Add a 10-15 minute warm up and cool down and you’re set!

As above, these intervals can consist of either a single exercise, such as a run, or bike, or can be alternated with various  activities including a Tabata of burpees and squats or a Copenhagen of burpees, jump squats, and regular squats.

Tune in to CHCH Morning Live Monday August 11th at 9:15 am to see the Copenhagen interval and hear me chat about my favourite fitness trends.

Have a funky interval set you love? Leave it in the comments!

Raise The Barre On Your Next Workout

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With the benefits of developing muscle while improving your flexibility, balance, and range of motion, and not to mention all the celebrity endorsements, it’s no wonder that ballet-inspired workouts are hitting the fitness scene in full force. With the help of Paulina Witkowski and Barreworks, these 5 ballet-inspired moves will help lift, lengthen, and tone your entire body all in the comfort of your own home. All you need to find your inner ballerina is a countertop or a sturdy table or chair – tutu optional.

Plié in Second Position

IMG_3207Stand with your feet wide in second position (feet wide apart, balls of feet pointing outwards externally rotated from the hips), legs straight, and hands gently resting on the back of the chair. With your spine tall and abs tight Plié squatting down by bending your knees directly above your heels (do not bend knees over toes). Straighten your legs (squeezing inner thighs and glutes). Repeat 20 times total.

Hip Abduction with Pulses, Circles, or Knee Flexion

IMG_3208Stand tall with your right hand resting on a table, counter, or the back of the chair. Engage your abs and lift your left leg out to the side of your body as high as you can, keeping your spine long and straight, and your knees and toes facing front (not up to the roof). Raise your left arm out to the side, into second position with your elbow slightly bent and palm facing front. Perform 20 pulses of the leg, engaging the glutes and lifting it up to the roof.

For extra credit consider completing small circles with the leg moving it 5 rotations forward and 5 rotations backwards. For an even greater challenge, keep the leg raised as high as possible, and bend the knee hinging the heel towards the glutes. Repeat on right leg.

Parallel Front Attitude into Lunge

IMG_3204IMG_3206Stand tall with both hands resting on a table, counter, or the back of the chair. Engage your abs and lift your right knee in front of your body as high as you can, keeping your leg parallel, toes pointed with foot below the knee, and spine straight and tall.

Step the right leg behind the body, keeping the heel raised into a lunge position. The right shoulder, hip, and knee should be in a vertical line as you keep the spine tall and long. Lift the right knee returning to the starting parallel attitude position. Repeat the entire sequence 10 times total before switching to the left leg.

Calf Raises

IMG_3205Standing in parallel position, press toes into the floor and raise heels off the floor as high as possible. Keep the core engaged, and spine tall and straight. Repeat 20 times total.

Attitude Sequence

IMG_3204IMG_3203Stand tall with both hands resting on a table, counter, or the back of the chair. Engage your abs and lift your right knee in front of your body as high as you can, keeping your leg parallel, toes pointed with foot below the knee, and spine straight and tall.

Hinge forward at the waist, keeping both hands on the chair and slide (or as Paulina directs “lick”) the right foot along the floor and lifting the right leg with bent knee behind the body. Lift the right knee returning to the starting parallel attitude position. Repeat the entire sequence 10 times total before switching to the left leg.

Ready to move your barre from home to the studio? Check out my studio review of Barreworks here!

Catch us Tuesday March 12 at 9:15am as we share this sequence on CH Morning Live. View it here!