Bored With Exercise? (Part 3)

The next big thing?

If you’re easily bored, check out what’s in vogue right now and give it a try:

15.  Get your Piloxing gloves on!

We don’t know if Piloxing will be coming to our shores, but this blend of Pilates and kick-boxing, which is red-hot in Hollywood now, allows you to work on your core as well as get in a great cardio workout. Swedish professional dancer, Pilates instructor and bodybuilder Viveca Jensen designed Piloxing – it’s apparently a favourite with Victoria’s Secret models and a bunch of celebs. And before you brush it off as a fad, keep those weighted gloves and core-centric sculpting in mind – it could well be very effective.

16.  Spice up your dance moves

This one looks like fun and we hope it will cross the ocean – Masala Bhangra is an exotic dance routine done to hypnotic Bhangra music. It’s high energy, and fitness guru Sarina Jain blends traditional Bhangra dance steps with Bollywood moves to bring you a sparkling cardio workout. Some of her moves can be seen in Slumdog Millionaire. Visit masaladance.com for more info.

Online motivation

Get some digital encouragement with these fitness-focused and community-minded websites.

17.  Find a virtual cheerleader

If it’s motivation that you need, try strava.com, which is a bit like Foursquare for athletes.

Join the community, upload your data from your GPS unit, and share the results with your online friends all over the world. You can compete and climb leaderboards, plus get a great overview of performance.

18.  Community challenge

Nike+ works similarly – find an online community, compete with friends, track runs and take part in online challenges. You can link your activity with Facebook and Twitter. You attach the sensor to your shoe, so be careful not to lose it or damage the casing. See nikerunning.nike.com

Also see the SHAPE 10km challenge online at shapemag.co.za/ challenges/10k

19.  Do some PT

PTontheNET is an online portal that gives access to the latest exercise and fitness info, as well as workouts and instructional videos. See ptonthenet.com for info.

You tell us how you stay motivated

Carien du Plessis, runner, 38, political reporter, Johannesburg.

“I haven’t given strength exercises much thought. But I’ve been doing ultra-distances for three years, and this had a way of showing up my weaknesses. A personal trainer gave me exercises to do with Rocket weight bags or sandbags, which work the abs and arms. It’s tough, but doing these exercises makes me feel like a super-action hero.

“I’ve always loved running and climbing hills. Lately I’ve been slacking and incorporated a once-a-week hill session into my training, running as fast as I can up a hill and down again, nine or 10 times for two minutes up. It’s tough, but I’ve come to see hills as fun challenges.”

Rachel Manyathi, winner of the 30^th Golden Reef 100 Miler (160km) last year, 36, teacher, Johannesburg.

“I set small-, medium- and long-term goals. Then I adjust my training depending on the goal I’m working towards at that time. Hill repeats training make for a good short-distance focus, that is, two-minute repeats, five-minute repeats, etc. Nothing works better for me than cross training and a game of tennis. As a teacher, being involved in different sports helps a lot – I learn a lot about techniques.”