In a celebration of the 100th release of BodyCombat™, Edinburgh Leisure is hosting a day dedicated to this popular workout, loved by many across the city.
Being held on 21st September at Edinburgh Leisure’s Meadowbank Sports Centre from 9.30-11.30 am, entry is free for members or just £5 for non-members.
BodyCombat is a workout combining multiple martial arts disciplines set to music which appeals to all ages and abilities as it is incredibly adaptable to the individuals’ fitness level. One of the oldest and most popular fitness class programmes, it comes sixth in popularity behind BodyPump, RPM, Aquafit, Yoga and Pilates.
Alex Smith, Fitness Class Manager at Edinburgh Leisure said: “Last year Edinburgh Leisure hosted 400,000 BodyCombatters across the city and we want to celebrate their commitment to the programme. Even if you’re new to BodyCombat, come along and give it a try to master the moves and feel the movement.”
BodyCombat is available at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre, Drumbrae Leisure Centre, Craiglockhart Leisure Centre, Leith Victoria Swim Centre, Meadowbank Swim Centre, Royal Commonwealth Pool, Gracemount Leisure Centre, Glenogle Swim Centre, Portobello Swim Centre and Kirkliston Leisure Centre.
Spaces are limited so make sure you book your place now online or via the Edinburgh Leisure app.
A new analysis of monthly Spotify playlists reveals the most popular songs for a January workout, as Brits head back to the gym
ACRAZE’s Do It To It proved best for getting hyped back up after Christmas, as well as Eminem’s Till I Collapse and The Chainsmokers’ Closer
Google searches for new gym memberships have increased by 111% since the end of December – perhaps due to New Year’s resolutions
A new analysis of user’s monthly Spotify playlists has revealed which tracks are best for getting hyped for the gym again in January – with ACRAZE’S Do It To It on top.
The research, conducted by fitness experts Fitness Volt, analysed over 9,353 tracks from Spotify’s most popular January gym and January workout playlists to determine which songs feature most – creating the ultimate back-to-gym playlist for the new year.
ACRAZE’s Do It To It – featuring girl group Cherish – is the best-suited track, appearing in seven of the playlists analysed. With a tempo of 125 BPM, the song is ideal for cardio.
Next up was Eminem’s Till I Collapse, also appearing on seven playlists, which would work well for a high-intensity workout thanks to its higher BPM of 171. The third-most popular track was The Chainsmoker’s Closer, which appeared in six workout playlists.
It makes sense that high-tempo songs appear frequently in January playlists, given many people are now getting back to their usual workout routines and will be trying to hype themselves up again after the festive break.
Some artists also appear more frequently in gym playlists than others; Lizzo is amongst the most popular, with featured tracks including Fitness, Water Me, Grrls and Truth Hurts.
Other artists that appear numerous times across the analysed playlists were Kanye West, Big Sean, Flo Rida, Rihanna and Tiesto.
Top 20 tracks for January workouts
Do It To It, ACRAZE
Till i Collapse, Eminem
Closer, The Chainsmokers
The Motto, Tiesto
Elated, January’s Blessing
Where Are You Now, Lost Frequencies
INDUSTRY BABY, Lil Nas X
POWER, Kanye West
Shivers, Ed Sheeran,
The Box, Roddy Rich
Can’t Hold Us, Macklemore
Stronger, Kanye West
Numb/Encore, Jay-Z
Acapulo, Jason Derulo
Abcdefu, GAYLE
Levitating, Dua Lipa
We Own It, 2 Chainz
Boom Boom Pow, Zafrir
HERO A, Yuki Hayashi
Feels Like Summer, Weezer
There’ll also be an influx of new gym-goers who have dedicated themselves to pursue working out as their New Year’s resolution, and who’ll be listening to more motivating music.
It seems that Brits are already keen to get themselves back to working out, with Google Trends data showing that searches for ‘gym memberships’ are 111% higher now than they were at the end of December.
A spokesperson at Fitness Volt commented on the findings, saying: “Many gym-goers will find it hard to motivate themselves to get back to working out after some time away from the gym – and one of the best ways to amp ourselves up is to listen to high-tempo music.
“For those who are looking to create dedicated gym playlists, it’s recommended to include some slower tracks that will work for warming up and cooling down after your workout. You may also want to consider noise-cancelling headphones to enhance the experience.”
Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is a five-day religious festival celebrated around the world. The festival is celebrated by many different faiths, bringing family and friends together.
Here are some tips to help you enjoy a healthy Diwali:
Celebrate with healthier food choices
Traditional sweet treats and flavoursome food is a key part of the Diwali festivities, and it is fine to allow yourself to enjoy some of your favourite dishes. Avoid over-indulging for a prolonged period and try to make some healthier food choices, such as fresh fruit and unsalted nuts, rather than fried foods and sweets.
Healthy Food Preparation
If you are responsible for preparing food for the festivities, look after the health of your loved ones by avoiding too much fat, salt or sugar in your cooking. Include plenty of heart-healthy ingredients such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal foods, for example wholemeal chapatis, brown rice and wholemeal pita bread.
Move more during Diwali
Take the opportunity to get more active during Diwali. Keep your normal routine going as well as finding opportunities to include more activities, such as walking and dancing.
If you know you will be consuming more calories during Diwali, why not build a workout in at the start of the day to compensate.
At the beginning of 2020 BX Plans had a mission to ‘get the world fit for free’. Pre-Covid the publishers decided that fitness for all was paramount and wanted as many people as possible to experience the benefits of this timeless workout plan.
Twelve months on and the way we live, learn and exercise has been radically changed. Many of us are either in forced or voluntary isolation removed from our normal everyday routines. That’s why the publishers of BX Plans are offering a free download of the XBX 12-minute workout app for women for a limited time. Perfect for ‘lockdown living’ it is a great way to get fit and stay fit during the winter months.
Created almost 70 years ago and used by the Royal Canadian Airforce, BX Plans has become a fitness phenomenon. Its popularity has grown over the decades because of its easy to use, no fuss approach to exercise.
There’s no gym equipment needed, and no expensive gym fees to worry about.
Ian Walton, publisher of the BX Plans for men and women said: “I had used the 5BX Plan in my younger days and as I passed 60, I decided it was time to get fit again. I published the books because I believe it is the best fitness plan ever devised; so simple.”
There is no doubt that BX Plans has helped millions of people maintain their fitness.
Many high-profile celebrities including members of the Royal Household such as Prince Phillip and Prince Charles have enjoyed the benefits of BX Plans. In a recent Telegraph articleDame Helen Mirren says, “It is the exercise I have done off and on my whole life. It just very gently gets you fit. Two weeks of doing it and you think: ‘Yeah, I could go to the gym now.”
The BX Fitness plan is great for men and women of all ages as well as children aged between 7-17. It is available in 5 languages which include English, French, German, Spanish and Polish.
The books are available worldwide and can be bought direct from the BX Plans website or Amazon.
A free eBook is available for both men and women to download. Customers who prefer a book can get 30% off any book purchase which can make a great Christmas gift for a loved one or friend.
The app is fully illustrated and designed to guide users through daily workouts with many charts to choose from. The flexibility of the app on a variety of devices allows workouts to be done with ease in the comfort of the home, office or anywhere else suitable!
This free download can make a great Christmas present for a friend or loved one so remember to share the news.
