The Best Workouts You Aren't Doing

Whether you're new to the gym or have been working out for years, you've got to challenge your muscles in new and different ways to continue seeing results. If you feel like you've hit that workout plateau, don't worry. Not only are the workouts below fun, but they'll challenge you in new ways so that you can keep moving forward with your fitness goals.

1. Burdenko:

If you think water exercise is just for grannies in flowered bathing caps, you haven't tried this workout yet! The Burdenko Method, developed by Dr. Igor Burdenko, combines specific, core-centric exercises (performed both on land and in the water) to help develop balance, coordination, flexibility, endurance, speed, and strength.

Used by everyone from world-class Olympic athletes to professional ballerinas to both improve performance and for rehabilitation, this unique training method focuses on developing a balanced body (all exercises are performed both forwards and backwards) and incorporates the natural resistance of the water to build core strength, range of motion, and flexibility. To learn more and watch the Burdenko method in action, check out this video.

2. VIPR:

What exactly is a ViPR? This hollow rubber tube with strategically placed hand grips is being used by personal trainers and in group fitness classes across the country, thanks to its versatility and functionality. Closer in design than dumbbells to something you may actually need to lift, throw, or shift (like say, your suitcase), ViPR workouts challenge your entire body as one complete unit.

Rachel Buschert, an EQUINOX instructor who uses the tool with clients and students says, I look at it like a body bar, treadmill, Kettlebell, and medicine ball put together in one beautiful rubber tube that, with some creativity and hard work, can transform your body. Watch a ViPR workout in action here.

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3. Kinesis:

Named after the Ancient Greek word for movement, Kinesis is a piece of resistance cable exercise equipment that allows for a wide range of movement and a huge variety of exercise patterns. The Kinesis wall is a four-station circuit found in gyms and health spas, or you can use the single tower version for a total-body strength and cardio workout at your gym or at home.

Kinesis is a fantastic workout because it can combine cardio, strength, and flexibility training into a workout as short as 30 minutes. The cables 360-degree range of motion makes it an extremely versatile workout that can be customized for anyone from a beginner to a professional athlete, says Angela Gerken, a Wellness Manager for Canyon Ranch, which offers Kinesis classes at many of its locations across the U.S. Visit www.technogym.com to locate a Kinesis near you or to learn more aboutt the Kinesis home edition.

Watch a kinesis workout in action here.

4. Heavy ropes:

Heavy ropes are starting to make their way into serious workouts across the nation. But you won't be jumping rope with these-instead you'll be whipping, swinging, and waving the weighted rope (it's one heavy rope tied at an anchor point, with you holding both ends at the opposite end) nonstop for a serious cardio and strength session.

Try your hand at the ropes with a trainer, at a CrossFit location, or in EQUINOX's branded class "Whipped!" Watch the heavy ropes in action during a Whipped! workout here.




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5. Meditation:

While you may not think of it as a workout, meditation is an often overlooked but very important part of a fitness routine. Many studies are even showing a connection between the mindfulness that meditation creates and weight loss.

Think of your brain as a muscle, says Jennifer Galardi, a health and fitness expert in New York City. It needs to be trained (just like your abs) to be centered and focused. If you can quiet the mind, you can tune into a universal intelligence that is always present, which will help you assess what it is your body is really needing: a yoga class or a kick-butt cardio session? Pilates or Plyometrics? Or, you may actually need a day of rest.
By learning how to be present with meditation, you can make your workouts even more effective, Galardi says. And don't worry, meditation doesn't have to mean just sitting still. If you like running on the treadmill, focus on listening to the sound of your breath as you inhale and exhale. For more tips on getting started with meditation, check out this helpful beginner's guide.


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