HEALTH AND FITNESS
THE GIRLY EXERCISE CLASSES THAT ’ LL GET YOU SHREDDED
... train like a girl ( and get real results )
The average woman has just two-thirds the muscle mass of her male counterpart , and yet we suspect some of these seemingly ‘ ladylike ’ training routines will leave most fellas panting in the dust ( or , the water , in some cases ). From Ballet Barrecore to Aqua Aerobics , here are five traditionally female fitness activities worth signing up for . If you ’ re man enough , that is .
PILATES Thanks to the Kardashians of this world , it ’ s probably unsurprising that a great deal of ‘ girly ’ fitness classes concentrate on building a bigger butt . But working on your glutes has many benefits aside from getting dat ass .
“ Glutes are underused , but they are part of your core ,” says Vinny Lewis-Jamerson from Ten Pilates in central London . “ The stronger and more stable your core , the more power you can generate .”
Piling the pressure onto neglected muscle groups is a recipe for disaster . Therefore , dipping into Pilates to focus on muscles used less frequently improves flexibility , builds core strength and helps aid concentration with breathing techniques . Plus , it ’ ll also boost your sex life , as regular Pilates gives greater control of your pelvic floor .
YOGA For men who lift , yoga should top the list of fitness to-dos . Tight muscle groups – usually hamstrings , pecs , shoulders or glutes – limit your ability to train your whole body . Tight shoulder joints , for example , stop you from stretching your pectorals fully , which will reduce your ability to build chest mass . Yoga opens up movements to be more about quality than quantity , boosting your ability to train once back in the gym .
Into cardio-heavy sports like running , football or rugby ? Yoga ’ s focus on breathing teaches you to control lung capacity , allowing the body to take in more oxygen from fewer inhalations by training it to oxygenate more efficiently .
One of the challenges of being a committed fitness fanatic is figuring out how not to waste rest days . Yoga will be more challenging than expected , but demands only a brief recovery time and will loosen tight muscles to maximise your rest period .
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