That's Fit

Debra Messing is a big ol' complainer. She hates to exercise, and she doesn't care who knows it. But, with a job like hers, it's not really something she can skip.

How does this Reno 911! star keep in such svelte shape when her kids are keeping her busy and away from the gym? She has some special equipment that she uses in front of the TV, and you'll be surprised at what it is.

Have you given much thought to Sandra Bullock's butt? We're thinking about it, and we can tell you how to get it.

Toys are the ultimate tools for getting fit without the angst often associated with deliberate exercise. For both adults and children, the tools recommended in this video will keep the whole family fit while having fun.

Want to get fit? Low on cash? No problem -- I know of a great way to get fit ... for less than $5!

I used to travel for work; often for three weeks out of the month if not more. I've stayed in my fair share of dives (in fact, there was one place in Texas where you had to request the "big room" otherwise you couldn't open the bathroom door without standing on the bed and jumping in). But even in the nicer hotels, fitness wasn't usually high on their list of comforts.

But my traveling days were several years ago; today, hotels are putting more emphasis on fitness equipment and making work outs easier for their guests. Some hotels are even adding to the standard weight machines and having Pilates and other classes conducted on site. The Kimpton hotel chain supplies guests with yoga mats and equipment; a channel on their in-room TV allows them to follow a yoga routine.

If you're traveling this summer and aren't sure your hotel room will be quite so well-equipped, consider throwing a jump rope in your suitcase. It hardly takes up any room at all and provides an excellent aerobic workout.

If there's one downside to resistance training, it's the soreness typically experienced a day or two after the most recent workout. Fortunately, our bodies becomes more and more adjusted to the workload over time and soreness becomes less and less of a problem. Still, those days after starting a new workout can be brutal. That's why some new research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research may be the physical reprieve some newbies are looking for.

Women's Health magazine highlights this study in their current issue, citing the discovery that performing quick bursts of cardio between strength training sets reduces post-workout soreness. Because cardio pushes more blood to muscles when done at elevated intensity, the quick delivery helps prevent further muscle damage and also begins a rapid repair. This, as stated, leaves you feeling less sore in the days to come.

For optimal results, the article suggests 30- to 45-second bursts of intense cardio between your resistance training sets. A very easy way of doing this (and a method that does not require you to occupy too many pieces of gym equipment at once -- a big no-no in some circles) is to bring a jump rope with you and get that thing spinning in overdrive in between sets!!

There's a workout, and then there's a Work Out. And THEN, there's a BOXING WORK OUT. Trust me, there's a reason why boxers are able to spend over a half an hour in a ring exchanging punches and not go into cardiac arrest. It's because these guys and gals have trained their butts off for months before ever stepping foot in that arena, let alone that ring. But, you don't have to be Rocky Balboa to get the benefit of a boxing workout, which is why I am this week highlighting some of the basic boxing moves that you too can add to your fitness routine.

First of all, be sure to always maintain a proper stance. This means keeping your feet a little more than shoulder- width apart, with your dominant foot in the back (in other words, if you're right handed/footed, than you want your right foot in the back and for your left foot to lead). Try your best to stay on the balls on your feet, which will allow you to do all your fancy stutter-stepping footwork (or for now, just keep you balanced). Your hands should be made into fists and kept close to your face. Your elbows need to be tucked closely to your body. From here, you're ready to start dotting some imaginary bad guy's eyes.

Do you have trouble jumping rope? You won't with the JumpSnap, which is something we've talked about here at That's Fit once before, but it warrants another turn.

Jumping rope is, by all accounts, an excellent workout. And, there are loads of reasons to do it -- jump ropes aren't necessarily all that expensive, you don't need a partner, and it doesn't require much room.

However, as I found when I coached volleyball and asked my players to jump rope, there is one serious problem with it -- some people are really, truly bad at it. Honestly, I had a team of 12 girls, all of whom were in great shape and very athletic, but about half of them had real trouble jumping rope at a decent pace, which totally shocked me.

Even though spring is less than a month away, winter is still very much here. Between the blustery cold temperatures and the solid foot of snow I'm currently staring at, it will clearly be at least a few more weeks before an outdoor workout of any kind can safely be done. Looks like it's going to be a gym workout until then.

Ahhhh....the warmth, the comfort ... the wait? Easily one of the worst parts of any gym workout is waiting for machines, equipment, and -- depending upon how crowded your gym may be -- a mere 3 x 3 space to call your own. This is something I refer to as the "Gym Stall," and it's more than enough to drive you a little nuts when you're trying to squeeze in a workout.

So, what do you do when you've mustered up the determination to get dressed, tie your sneakers tightly, and then drive all the way to the gym, only to find that you won't be able to get on a single piece of equipment for at least a half an hour? Do you reverse-slap the air as you let out an audible "forget about it?" Do you hop back in your car and drive home? Or do you wait out the half an hour, passing the time reading eight-month-old gym copies of National Geographic? Between the three, the third option is probably the best. At least you do eventually get your workout done (and maybe even learn a thing or two about the aboriginal people of Papua New Guinea). But who has that kind of time? Most people don't, which is why your cardio and/or resistance training workout needs to get done in the time that's been allotted. Here's just a few workout alternatives that may help you do just that:

All the treadmills taken? Look for a reasonable alternative; the elliptical machine, the stair stepper, the recumbent bike, the rowing machine, etc. The important thing is to make sure that you will at least burn the same amount of calories that you would during your time on the treadmill. You'd be surprised at the variance that exists with regard to calorie burning from one machine to the next. A quick way to find out how many calories you will burn in, say, a half an hour on a particular machine is to pay close attention to the Calories per Hour readout. Obviously, since for this example we are trying to figure out how many calories will be used in a half an hour, simply divide this number by two. Is it more or less than how many calories you typically use while on the treadmill? If it is more, than you are fine. If it is exactly the same, that's also cool. But, if it's less, you may want to continue for as long as you need to on that machine to at least match the amount of calories you would normally burn while on the treadmill.

We may be over the hump, but the holidays aren't over yet! Are you headed somewhere to celebrate the New Year? I'm hopping on a plane, which means just when I want to look my cutest for the party I'll be smack in the middle of eating out all the time and having no time or place for my usual exercise routine. I may not be able to do exactly what I normally would at home, but many exercises travel just fine. Some that can be done almost anywhere with little or no equipment:

Sometimes the old adage of 'paralysis by analysis' comes into play in a big way when trying to design a new workout for yourself. Part of you knows that it's very important to mix things up every four to six weeks, while the other part of you fights you on such change because it fears not getting the same, good results from the new workout.

What is a person to do?

I say you wing it. In fact, try spending a week at the gym without a plan at all. But, here's the catch: You can't just sit around and figure out what you're going to do next. Nope. Any and all downtime must be filled with steady activity. "Wait, but you just said it was downtime," is what you may be saying right now. "How can downtime be filled with activity?"

Easy. As you figure out what exercise you will perform next, you will either jump rope, jog on the treadmill, or do any cardio exercise that keeps your heart rate up. Then, once you have decided, you are to hurry over and perform that exercise. If, while performing that exercise, you figure out what you're going to do next, great. If not, guess what? Yup, it's back to the cardio, where you will stay until you think of where you will head next.

A workout of this kind is a great way to make a week at the gym different and maybe even fun, but it's not really one that you would want to follow for much more than that. While this is certainly a great way to change things up a bit, you should soon get back to a more structured exercise routine.

Jump roping really is excellent exercise. It's a great cardiovascular workout, does wonders to tone your calves and thighs, builds endurance, and even appeals to your inner child by being so much fun. But unfortunately you also need a lot of space to let that rope go flying around -- or do you? Not if you have this Ropeless Jump Rope. Now you can jump rope anywhere you can jump! It makes a snapping sound to help you keep a good rhythm, plus it tracks calories burned, jump repetitions, and how long you've been exercising. It even has a talking mode that will keep you up-to-speed as you go.


Via Book of Joe

Remember when you were a kid and the highlight of your day was when you got to jump on the bed at a hotel or your friend's trampoline? Kids have so much energy to burn off, and jumping's a great way to do it -- it's exhausting! And we often forget that we have a lot of energy to burn off too, but it often gets pushed aside during our busy days, only to keep us awake at night when we should be sleeping. Maybe we should try jumping too?

Laugh all you want -- I'm serious. Jumping is a great new fitness trend that's actually be around for a while. Jump training, also known as Plyometrics, has bee used for decades by athletes, and it's being incorporated into normal people's fitness too. And guess what -- it's fun. Check out this video if you don't believe me.

There are a number of ways you can stay fit with a jumping routine, including:

Just because you're stuck in your tiny apartment or a small hotel room, doesn't mean you have a built-in excuse to not work out. Small spaces are good places for getting in your daily exercise too. Courtesy of Go Workout Mom, here are some ideas for working out wherever you may be:

• Jogging in place
• Jumping jacks
• Squats and pliés
• Push-ups (wall ones work good if you don't have the floor space)
• Tricep push-ups (Use a chair or bench)
• Bicycle crunches
• Jump rope (even if you don't have a rope, this can work; mimic the movements of the hands and feet)

For more inspiration and to read the full workout, check out the original post. And remember, the two perfect accessories to a home or on-the-go gym is a resistance band and a pair of running shoes.

How do you keep up your routine in a small space?

If you're looking for a fast and efficient way to get in shape that needs little space and equipment, then consider indulging your inner child by taking up jump roping.

Even though it's most commonly thought of as a kid's activity, jump roping has long been used in training by boxers. And in recent years it has been gaining popularity for training in all kinds of other sports, including basketball and tennis, because of its awesome total-body benefits. Jumping rope for only 15 minutes will burn around 200 calories, and it will strength your heart, muscles and bones. Jumping rope also promotes agility and balance, and improves coordination, rhythm, and timing. A nice list of "features" for an exercise to have! And jumping rope doesn't necessarily deserve it's negative reputation as being hard on the knees and hips -- it's actually easier on your body than running (due to the fact that you land on the balls of your feet and can better absorb the impact).

Getting started jump roping is definitely inexpensive -- all you need is a good pair of cross trainers and a rope. When shopping for a jump rope there is no right or wrong: plain rope or beaded, thick or thin -- it's really just a matter of personal taste as far as weight of the rope and the sound it makes as you use it. If you're really cheap you can even pull down a piece of clothesline from the backyard! But whatever kind of rope you choose, one important thing to get right is the length: when you step in the middle of the rope and hold up both ends they should just reach your armpits/chest area.

As far as form goes, make sure you warm-up and stretch first. Then make sure you stand up straight while jumping with your head held high, keeping your shoulders relaxed and your elbows to your sides. Jump low and avoid hard surfaces like concrete to minimize the impact on your joints, and like any physical activity you should consult your doctor before getting started.

Jump roping is not for everyone, but it definitely deserves a look to see if it's for you. It's so easy and burns calories so quickly it might be just the thing to help you liven up your routine if you're bored, or help break through a nasty fitness plateau.

Everybody needs new ideas now and then for either getting in shape or staying in shape. Even the fittest and healthiest people need to switch up their routines now and then, to avoid boredom and reenergize their motivation levels. Here are some ideas for trying something new, from old "tried and trues" to the latest in DVD home workouts:

• Dance! Research has shown that moving your body to music, or dancing, makes the time go by faster and can be great exercise. Need some specific direction? The Samba is a fun and upbeat option, either through lessons or an at home DVD in your living room.
• Jumping rope burns as much as 400 calories for every 30 minutes! And if you want to go at an easier pace, especially if you're just getting started, you can still burn 200 calories in 20 minutes by jumping a little slower. Not to mention it does a great job at toning and shaping your legs and midsection.
• Get in shape for a special occasion with a specially designed DVD called Women's Health: The Wedding Workout DVD. Even though the title says it's for weddings, apparently it's great for any special occasion -- like a vacation or family reunion.