Health and fitness ideas for getting toned in 2017

It’s the New Year, so what will we be doing to get the ‘new me’? We spoke with Ben Lucas, owner of Flow Athletic and Flow After Dark about what the most popular (and fun) options are this year.

Olympic lifting for women

Trainers have been saying this for years, but I finally think the message is starting to stick as I’m certainly noticing more and more women who are loving the weights room.

Olympic lifting is when an athlete attempts to lift a maximum weight with a barbell. This is also known as the 1 rep max because the objective is to identify the heaviest weight that you can possible lift.

Strength training is critical to keeping our bodies healthy, especially as we age. It helps preserve muscle mass and increase your metabolism to burn more calories even at rest.

In fact, Studies have shown that a good strength program can elevate your metabolism for up to 38 hours post workout.

Strength training with not necessarily make you bulky as running will not necessarily make you lean. People who get ‘big’ either have the hormone profile for it, or they work extremely hard to achieve it.. don’t think that it’s easy! In fact because weight lifting speeds up your metabolism you are more likely to get lean unless you are training and eating for the specific purpose of getting bulky.

Digital Health Care

There’s no doubt that technology is been having a moment in the sun with the rise of Apple Watches, Fit Bits and so many health trackers (which are set to continue their growth in 2017), but there’s a new site called TheHealthClinic.com.au which is Australia’s first live nutrition clinic and its set to revolutionise health care.

THC is a platform where you can consult a healthcare professional from your desktop or your phone. Consults take place via a secure online video portal so no longer do you have to drive to the clinic and spend time waiting for your appointment.

Furthermore, the site has a bunch of health trackers to help you keep track of your progress.

I definitely like this one, not only because it’s a time saver, but you are also more likely to follow up with your practitioner to make sure you are on the right track if its convenient.

A Twist On an Old Favourite

There’s no doubt that the world loves aerobics, yoga, running and indoor cycling, so how do we keep their golden oldies fresh? Add some theatrics of course!

Want to do aerobice? Dress up with retrosweat! Yoga? Try a silent yoga disco, Spin? Try karaote spin.

There are so many spin offs launching, make sure you check them out as there is much fun to be had!

Dancing

No longer do you have to commit to a nightclub to go dancing (which I’m sure if a relief to Sydneysiders!)

No Lights No Lycra is a concept that is now available Australia wide.

No Lights No Lycra is a dance community that started in Melbourne by two dance students. There is no light, no lycra, no teacher, no steps to learn, no technique, just free movement. It’s a space where you can completely let go, shake out the stresses of the week, and lose yourself in the music and the physicality of your body!

If you do however want to follow an instructor, cardio barre classes, such as Barre Attack are a great way to get the heart rate up!

Hybrid Classes

While the world is going crazy for a 30 minute HIIT classes, and so they should as they are both fun and effective, some of us still enjoy doing the hour of exercise but we want to keep it fun and exciting.

Enter the hybrid class.

One of many advantages of a hybrid workout is that you benefit from two different workout styles within your designated training hour. This is great for time poor people and it’s also a really easy way to have a holistic approach to your training.

For example, in a Strike class (Bike x Strength), you get the benefits of getting your heart rate up and a calorie burn before you even lift a weight. By the time you move onto the strength component of the workout, your body is already in fat burning mode, which is only maximized once you start lifting weights.

When trying to burn fat, many people turn to cardio, which is great as it can shrink down fat, however it can also shrink down muscle.

Other examples of a good hybrid class include TRX and Megaformer as well as any Cardio x HIIT and Strength combination that you could do from a gym, local park or comfort of your own home

Ben Lucas is the owner of Flow Athletic and Flow After Dark, former NRL player for the Sharks, ultra endurance runner and celebrity training

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