Workout trends: How effective are they?
By Deirdre Logan, Sports Editor//
Spring has sprung and college students everywhere are in search of the perfect workout regiment to get that ‘summer bod.’ Aside from the traditional gym workout, some High Point students have been dabbling in workout trends such as Crossfit, Pure Barre, and combat training.
Freshman Maddie Pfeffer has recently gotten involved in a spin class in her home town. “It is a room of 20 to 30 bikes,” Pfeffer said. “There are no lights and the instructor is on his own bike at the front of the class. Music is playing and we bike to the beat of the music.”
Spin classes are offered at High Point and according to Pfeffer, spin classes are great ways to get in shape. “The studio I go to, Fly Wheel Avalon in Georgia, takes the last two songs of each class and adds weights so you are working your abs on top of your legs and butt,” Pfeffer said. “I like the competition and biking to the music keeps me on track if I get lazy.”
Competition is everything when it comes to the perfect workout. Competing against others or just yourself can make or break it. Freshman Kathryn Kiefer knows all about competition.
“I train in Pennsylvania, at Philly Haganah Training Center,” Kiefer said. “I train in Boxing, Haganah, Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. My focus is in boxing and haganah.”
Boxing is a combat sport that entails learning techniques such as foot and hip movement, throwing a punch correctly, using your whole body behind the punch, and countering and blocking as well. Haganah is Israeli self defense used by the Israeli special forces.
“We do knife defenses and gun disarms, as well as hand to hand combats,” Kiefer said. “The goal is to cause as much damage to the threat in the most tactical way.”
Kiefer has been focused on combat for five years and can attest to its physical gains. She focuses more on function strength and conditioning rather than on deadlifts and brute strength. “Boxing isn’t just a workout, it’s an art and a sport,” Kiefer said. “It may be awkward when you start, but if you stick to it and put effort into learning the proper techniques, you’ll succeed.”
Similar to boxing, Crossfit is another great way to work on skills and form rather than distance conditioning and basic weight training. Freshman Emily Sokol has been training in Crossfit for the past two years in her hometown.
“It is a lot of strength training,” Sokol said. “We start the class with a skill then move on to a series of movements which we are to complete in a certain amount of time. That is the main workout and then we do more strength and stretching at the end.”
Crossfit is still relatively new and many question its effectiveness. Some claim it is better than any other workout they have done, while some make fun of its unique style. To Sokol and her family, it was effective in getting them in top shape.
“When I was doing it four days a week this summer I was super fit,” Sokol said. “I really liked the class because you are always in competition with yourself to see how much weight you can carry. I really see improvement in my body.”