Get fit

Shape, Nov, 2005 by Leslie Ryan

jump rope. If you're time-crunched, you can still do your body good in just six minutes. A recent study found that short bouts of very intense exercise several times a week improve cardiovascular endurance as well as traditional aerobic training does. Try jumping rope fast for 30 seconds, rest one minute, then repeat three more times.

get fit news

in the gym

ask the trainer

Q I usually alternate 15 minutes on the treadmill with weight training or ab work to keep from getting bored. Is this OK?

A Keep doing your routine. "Breaking up your cardio is probably better or at least as good for your fitness as doing it all at once," says Tom Wells, P.E.D., visiting professor of exercise science at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash. Unless you are training specifically for a 10k or longer endurance race, intermittent work at the same intensity has been proven to offer benefits similar to continuous work, Wells says. In fact, the shorter segments may end up being advantageous because you'll be able to run at a higher intensity, thus reaping both the cardiovascular and calorie-burning benefits of longer interval training. "An added bonus," Wells says, "is that those who break up their cardio workouts have been shown to have greater success in sticking with their exercise program."

--Linda Lewis

* TREND REPORT

Find Body Rev at Bay Club Marin in Corte Madera, Calif., and Washington Athletic Club in Seattle, or online at bodyrev.com.

REV UP

YOUR WORKOUT

WHAT IT IS Created by former Navy SEAL Alden Mills, BodyRev is a new cardio weight system designed to elevate heart rate and tone muscles simultaneously. You hold the BodyRev like a medicine ball--it has removable weights in the center of the device--while doing squats or lunges. Then "rev" it, rotating it in a circular motion, to supercharge the exercises, many of which simulate daily movements like lifting a child or picking up a bag of groceries.

BODY BENEFIT You'll constantly engage your abs as you strengthen your legs, butt and core. Plus, the "revving" motion ups the calorie burn by working multiple muscles.

--Daisy Whitney

Stylish strides

Realizing that not all women like skimpy workout wear, WalkStyles (walkstyles.com) has designed walking clothes for women who want comfortable performance apparel that accentuates the figure without flashing skin. Relaxed silhouettes matched with accurate sizing, quality construction and attractive detailing make these easy-to-wear pieces a flattering find.

--Dinah Erasmus

best gym socks

* Surprisingly thin and lightweight, the latest socks don't sacrifice cushioning or comfort.

To determine the best, we walked, ran, weight trained, elliptically trained and otherwise sweated in 21 styles. Below are our top seven picks. Invest in a new one and you'll feel the difference with the very first step!

--Dimity McDowell

LEG SHAPER

workout schedule

Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg as part of your regular lower-body workout. If you're a beginner, start with light-resistance tubing, gradually working up to the medium-resistance band for all 3 sets.

TO PROGRESS

Use heavy-resistance tubing or superset each set of leg presses with 1 set of squats.

trainer's tip

Contract thigh and buttocks muscles before you start the rep, then focus on keeping them tight throughout the rep to ensure maximum work for the target muscles.

* seated single-leg press

Strengthens quadriceps, hamstrings and buttocks muscles

* SIT on edge of chair, abdominals tight and chest lifted so back is naturally curved, with both feet on floor. Loop medium-resistance tubing around arch of left foot.

* GRASP ends of tubing, palms facing in, and bend elbows to 90 degrees, elbows anchored at your sides. Lift left foot off floor, keeping a 90-degree bend in knee [A].

* TIGHTEN thigh and buttock muscles and straighten knee, pressing heel out and down as you extend leg, without moving torso [B].

* HOLD for a single count, then return to starting position. Complete reps, then repeat on right side to complete 1 set.

--L.L.

point, click--get fit

NEED SOME MOTIVATION?

Consider a fitness blog. Short for "weblog," blogs are Web pages that serve as public electronic diaries--and many women are now using them as fitness tools. Most fitness blogs include journal-style progress updates, weigh-in charts and even pictures of the site owners as they go from flabby to firm.

Fitness blogs can be a helpful record to refer to if things get tough and can help you click into a network of other health-conscious people for encouragement and motivation. "If it's late at night and there's no one to talk to, these Internet groups fill a really important gap," says Katherine Tallmadge, a registered dietitian in Washington, D.C.

The beauty of a blog is you don't have to be an Internet whiz to set up your own. Just a few points and clicks will get you a free Web page on blogger.com, where you can choose from one of several basic designs and create your first entry within minutes. Once you're up and running, go to weigh-better.com to connect with your fellow fitness bloggers.