Keep fitness goals on track with three high intensity workouts

Too many summer barbecues? Maintaining a fitness routine in the summer can be a challenge with the constant temptation of outdoor parties always competing for your free time. But overindulging on the beach doesn’t mean that fitness goals have to be discarded. Try ramping up the intensity with any of these workouts that burn maximum calories in minimum time.

TRX Suspension Training. TRX training was one of the hottest fitness trends of 2009 and continues to gain momentum. It is a system of straps and holds anchored to a wall, door, or other solid support. Exercisers use the straps to pull, lift and stabilize their own body weight to increase strength and improve stability. TRX workouts can be done at home or in the gym.

Kettlebells: Kettlebells first made the fitness trends list in 2008 but this weight training program continues to be a hot format in gyms across the country. Kettlebells are round, cast-iron weights with a handle on top used for strength training. But unlike traditional weights, the handle on a kettlebell and the unique round shape make them more challenging to balance through a range of movements. Like TRX training, kettlebells add a challenging dimension to strength training because they force the exerciser to stabilize or or more joints to complete an exercise.

Sprints: Long cardio workouts have gone the way of high carb diets and have fallen out of favor with many fitness fanatics. A recent study reported that exercisers who used short sprints lost significantly more weight than those who exercised at moderate intensity for a long period of time. For exercisers who are short on time, this new trend is welcome news.