If you’re looking for a new innovative and HARD workout to try, sign up for Budokon. Developed by Cameron Shayne, Budokon is a fusion of martial arts and yoga that’s designed to create a healthy body and a sound mind which rings true to the JivaFit motto. And celebrities like Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston have been fans for awhile.

It’s a workout that requires you to use every inch of your body and every single muscle from head to toe. This class will help you get stronger without lifting a single dumbell–it’s all about using your body. The class starts with a yoga session, though you’ll do dancing dogs in addition to your downward dogs and classic Vinyasa movements will be modified to the rolling wave. The moves get progressively more challenging as the class gears up for the martial arts set. The crocodile for example requires you to jump to a fighting stance from lying flat on the ground. The practice finishes with kicking, punching, blocking and so on in a martial arts series.

If you want to give it a try, search the site for an instructor near you or watch one of Shayne’s workout DVDs. I tried a couple of them and unlike some fitness videos that aren’t don’t even compare to taking an actual class, these were pretty challenging.

Here’s a nice mind-body workout I found from MyYogaOnline. The ten minute routine will help you relax after the long holiday weekend, find inner balance and ease your mind and body before you start another hectic week.

There are plenty of abdominal exercises that can make you feel a little silly when you’re doing them at the gym, but it’s all in the name of flat abs, right? Here’s one of those exercises–the Wicked Wiper straight from an Olympic trainer as shown in Women’s Health. Only thing is, if you can actually pull this exercise off any snickering will be replaced by worship. Something to work towards…I’ll try it tomorrow, I swear.

If you’re up for the challenge, hang from a pull-up bar (you may want to enlist a friend to spot you) with your arms shoulder-width apart and palms facing outward. As you continue to hang, raise your hips, back and shoulders as much as you can to try to get your body parallel to the floor. Lift your legs up into a pike. Now like a windshield wiper, lower your legs to the right, raise them to the center and lower to the left. Amateur variation: Do the same action on a mat.

Have you ever wondered what order you should do your strength training exercises in, if it matters what muscles you work first or if you should mix up your routine each time? I asked our new contributing personal fitness trainer and coach Jason Onserud (check out his bio here) to give us the answers. Here’s Jason…

When you’re starting a resistance training program, there are guidelines to consider when you plan your routine. If you follow them, you’ll see better progress and reduce your risk of injury. You should change your training program every 5-8 workouts to prevent reaching strength plateaus and reduce the risk of injuries like tendinitis.

1. Start with your weak spots. The strength of the muscles you train at the beginning of your workout will improve the most. So if you feel your shoulders are weaker than your chest muscles for example, do the shoulder press before the chest press.

2. Train larger muscle groups before smaller muscle groups. For example, do squats (quadriceps) before sit-ups (rectus abdominus) and chin-ups (latissimus dorsi – upper back) before curls (biceps). If you train smaller muscles first, you’ll fatigue the auxiliary muscles and in turn limit your ability to train the larger muscles to the fullest. Read the rest of this entry »

With the vast array of Pilates moves and crunch variations out there, it’s easy to forget that a lot of other activities strengthen your core too. That’s why I love this plyometric exercise from Runner’s World that proves bursts of cardio can work your abs.

If you ever overindulge on the weekends–a night (or two) of cocktails, a giant brunch, one of everything at the baseball game and a heaping second BBQ helping–you might not feel your best come Monday. Instead of scolding yourself for everything you did wrong, start your week off with a few detoxifying yoga poses. A series of twists (like this workout from Tara Stiles) can be very cleansing and will help your body release accumulated toxins. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel rejuvenated instead of regretful.

Here’s an abdominal exercise from Denise Austin and Prevention that targets your core from every angle.

Start on your back with your arms at your sides. Bend your knees and lift them up so they’re over your rib cage.

Now for the hard part–pull your navel in toward your spine, contracting your abs and slowly start circling your knees.

Bring your knees down to the right, extend slightly out to the front bringing them around to the left and back to the starting position. Then reverse the circle. The smaller the circle, the easier it will be.

Go back and forth a total of ten times. Rest and repeat.

June is American Express Women’s Golf Month which means a bunch of courses across the country are offering free lessons, clinics, seminars and more. And once you get into the game, you should also know how to green your game (guys–this part is for you too!).

If you enjoy golfing, the beautiful courses and outdoorsy feel of the sport might make you look past all the un-eco aspects of golfing. But think for a minute about all the water those irrigation systems use and the potentially harmful chemical treatments used to keep the greens green. Some courses are better than others though, so start by choosing a spot to play from the Audubon Society’s list of courses that protect the environment, provide wildlife habitats and conserve natural resources. Then consider biodegradable balls and tees. And finally, dress green with a Fila golf polo for women made of 67% bamboo or a Patagonia Vitaliti Jersey Polo for men made of 70% organic cotton and 30% recycled polyester-jersey.

Sure, interval training is tough–the short bursts of high-intensity exercise alternating with active rest periods of slower, less intense exercises can really kick your butt! But the hard work pays off even beyond blasting last night’s ice cream splurge. Here are three reasons why you should do it:

1. You’ll get a great calorie blasting benefit. The mix of short intense exercises and longer aerobic activities can burn more calories than your average workout and interval training increases your metabolism for up to 36 hours after the workout! Read the rest of this entry »

Moving your ab session from the ground to an incline bench will recruit different muscles. Give it a try with this simple exercise.

Lie on your back on the incline bench, holding the top with both hands beside your head. Keep your body steady in that position. Pull your navel in toward your spine and lift your legs until they’re parallel to the floor, keeping your legs together. Now, use your abs to bring your knees to your chest. Slowly lower your pelvis and extend your legs to the start position. Keep your abs tight for 10 reps. Do 2 to 3 sets.