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Take care of your muscles
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Today’s trends in fitness
For those who long for a little variety in their fitness routine, here are some new trends taking shape — for indoors and outdoors — that may be just what you need to take your fitness to the next level.

Body weight training

This new trend in fitness works by using your own body weight as resistance, which can help you shape muscles, tone, increase flexibility and ultimately, burn fat.

High intensity interval training

This routine is great for those who are short on time, requiring extreme exertion in short intervals followed by a shorter recovery time.

Yoga by air

Yoga’s newest offering is called aerial or antigravity yoga, which combines classic yoga moves with acrobatics; all while being suspended in the air from a hammock.

By engaging in a workout routine, you’ve already proven that you care for your body. But do you have a care plan for the muscles that take you to your next level of fitness? Here are some ways to keep those hard working muscles in top shape so you can give it your all at every workout.

Warm up and cool down

Regardless of the sport or activity you pursue, it’s always best to ease into it slowly and build your endurance as you go. Warming up can include light jogging, walking or performing the activity at a very slow pace. At the end of your routine, be sure to lightly stretch out each major muscle group you worked.

Have a backup plan

In case of injury, always have a reliable pain relief and support product on hand, such as KT Tape, an elastic sports and fitness tape designed for muscle, ligament and tendon pain relief and support. It’s lightweight, comfortable to wear and can be used on many common injuries, such as lower back pain, knee pain, shin splints and tennis elbow. For more information, visit www.kttape.com.

Listen to your body

If you should experience any sharp or sudden pains while exercising, don’t ignore the warning signs. Working out through the pain may make a small injury much worse. As a general rule, if it feels wrong, stop the workout.

Engage in various activities

A body involved in different exercises will call on different muscle groups. This type of cross training prevents overly stressing one area of muscle.

Allow the body to rest

In order to achieve the maximum benefit of your workout, your muscles need proper nourishment. This means sleep is extremely important, but it also means resting for a few days in between workouts. A proper rest period will give muscles time to heal.