CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Technogym
As technology continues to advance, fully connected fitness equipment and digital solutions offer an increasing amount of options for the everyday athlete looking to diversify his or her fitness routine. This is especially important for athletic performance training, the combination of highly advanced physical equipment and digital apps that track, train and motivate users—essential in meeting any kind of fitness goal.
The best workouts that combine both strength and cardio are interval training or circuit training. Interval training incorporates both components by simply alternating periods of different exercises with various intensities and durations. By incorporating both cardiovascular and weight-training exercises in interval training, exercisers can work both their aerobic and anaerobic systems. In other words, they can build the endurance to go longer, build muscle to become stronger and attain a healthier physique overall. However, it is important that rest periods are kept short, so one doesn’t sacrifice any aerobic advantage.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are the most efficient type of interval training and are perfect for busy fitness lovers who don’t have a lot of time on their hands but are still looking for results. You can still find the same—if not more—fitness benefits from doing 30 minutes of HIIT versus a 60-minute run. Interval training also pumps up one's metabolism even hours after the exerciser has finished their workout, so that their body continues to burn calories throughout the day. This is ideal for weight loss.
Interval training is perfect for a class setting by designing circuits to fit class members’ needs. It’s great to design classes for specific fitness levels. If that’s not an option, setting up different stations with various equipment will keep the beginners motivated, while also ensuring the more advanced fitness-goers are challenged and engaged.
By using equipment that is versatile as well as focused on cardio and strength training, fitness instructors can design an all-inclusive interval workout for class members using the following steps.
- Divide classes into groups and allow one group per station.
- Establish specific exercises and number of reps per station.
- Have everyone rotate left-to-right or right-to-left to the next station when it's time to switch to the next exercise.
- If the trainer leads the class by time versus reps, it will help alleviate any disruption to the flow of the class by keeping everyone moving together.
- The trainer can set up a circuit mixed with cardio stations (think high knees or rowing) and strength-training stations (think sled pushes or pull-ups).
Monitoring each class members' workout is essential for this kind of highly intensive training. If possible, trainers should use an application in which members are wearing a heart-rate monitor that the trainer can use to track individual heart rates. Heart-rate monitoring is a safe and effective way to see who is not working hard enough and who may be pushing it too far. It can also be a useful tool to motivate participants. Using an application with a sound timer helps the trainer stay focused on watching and correcting the form of the members, while the members are focused on working out, not keeping time. Using equipment that provides real-time data, such as wattage output, is also a great way for trainers to monitor member performance throughout classes.
COMPANY BIO
Fully connected equipment and corresponding digital solutions can make this process seamless, whether you’re in a class format or working one-on-one. Leading fitness and wellness brand Technogym offers fully connected fitness equipment and digital wellness solutions that are meant to enhance athletic performance. SKILLATHLETIC Training, available with pieces from Technogym’s SKILL LINE, specifically the SKILLMILL and SKILLROW, offers completely unique, connected training solutions, when paired with the brand’s Mywellness App, which connects directly to Technogym pieces and can track users on both an individual and group level. SKILLROW and SKILLMILL’s MULTI DRIVE technology allows users to perform both cardio and strength training in one workout. The SKILLMILL is the ideal machine for HIIT workouts as you can transition from one exercise to the next seamlessly. Trainers and members can monitor vital performance measures during high-intensity training on the SKILLMILL Connect and Console, obtaining real-time data via Bluetooth Smart. With Technogym’s TEAMBEATS, trainers can easily access the necessary tools to design engaging group exercises that are unique to their training style. Using the UNITY SELF console, class organizers can set timers, select and control the music and display the performance of each class participant on large screens, turning a group of individuals into a team motivated to reach a shared goal and can be used for heart-rate training to ensure safe and effective workouts.
