Get ready for a non-stop hour of
high-energy, total-body fat burn …
Imagine for a moment, your ideal fitness
class. Chances are, it would include a high-intensity, whole-body workout to
maximise fat burn; cardio and breathing techniques to work your heart and
lungs; stretching to increase flexibility and – most importantly – great
results! The Hour of Power aims to target all these in a high-rep weights and
aerobic work out that’s simple, yet effective.
The background
The Hour of Power class is based on the
Fitness 4x4 method, which shuns common gym classes’ strong focus on the lower
body and instead incorporates all four of your limbs into a workout. It was
developed more than 25 years ago by DraganRadovic, and is now led by his son,
Rajko. The idea is to move away from the many fitness fads around these days –
the moves are kept simple allowing you to really hone in on what you’re doing
and to enable your body to get in touch with the movements. Add a touch of
empowering music, team spirit and mental prowess and you’ve got yourself the
high-energy, liberating and physcially challenging class that is the Hour of
Power.
The experience
We were warned before the session began
that we should – for our first class, at least – stick to lighter weights. We
would be pumping away non-stop for an hour, after all. The class began with the
usual joint mobility exercises such as arm circles, but the biggest chunk of
the warm-up consisted of what seemed like a lifetime of body-weight squats (at
least 200!). Focusing on breathing allowed us to squat for longer than we’d
thought possible, and we were soon very warm!
Althought the rest of the class is
performed while either marching, bouncing or running on the spot, the focus
turns to the upper body. There is no rest during the Hour of Power, only active
recovery. For example, once we were done with the hundreds of reps of biceps
curls, we moved straight into shoulder pressess to recover. Biceps curls and
shoulder presses are then combined into one exercise ( curl and press) and
finally there’s the fat-blasting triceps extension.
When the intensive workout came to an end
we moved onto some yoga-style stretching and relaxation to bring down our heart
rates and work on our much-neglected flexibility.
The verdict
A handful of simple moves may not seem like
they could fill an entire hour’s worth of exercise, but the vast number of
fast-paced reps you are performing means they do, easily. Because the
resistance exercises are all performed while jogging on the spot, you can
really feel your heart pumping and your muscles burning. There is also a rule
in the class stating that when a member of the class shouts something
(anything!), the rest of the class must shout it back louder. This, along with
sequences in which you face a partner or make a circle, creates a great team
vibe even though it’s ultimately an individual workout.
This class is also a great way to work on
muscular endurance and cardio fitness, which means it complements a multitude
of sports, from marathon running to boxing.
