REGYMEN—How it works and why you need it in your exercise routine!

10 January 2019
Cut out image of a man running with a blue to green gradient background

Are you looking to improve your health and overall fitness goals in 2019? The next wave of workouts is here.

 

REGYMEN Fitness, a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout that utilizes heart rate monitoring technology, is now at the YMCA at Edinburgh, the Blocker Norfolk Family YMCA and the YMCA at Town Center. Think “boutique fitness” in the YMCA without the boutique prices.

So why is REGYMEN the next wave of workouts? As fitness enthusiasts, avid gym goers, or those just getting into fitness, we should be looking for new ways to improve our overall health to help us reach our fitness goals. By utilizing heart rate monitoring technology, a wide variety of equipment and exercises in a fun, social environment, you’ll make the most out of one hour in the gym with REGYMEN.

There are three different workout programs in REGYMEN—BURN, BOX and BUILD. BURN, REGYMEN’s main workout format and the format we will have at the three locations mentioned above, is a combination of cardio and strength training. BOX, currently at the YMCA at Town Center and available later this year at our two other REGYMEN locations, is a combination of strength training and boxing on a heavy bag. And finally BUILD, which the Y will launch at select locations after this year, focuses on strength training with some short bursts of cardio to get your blood pumping.

At the Y, we use Myzone heart rate technology to monitor your REGYMEN workout. Personal trainers will coach you throughout the workout to work through four main “zones”: blue, green, yellow and red. These zones represent your heart rate effort. One of the goals of each REGYMEN workout is to spend at least 15 minutes combined in the yellow and red zones, which would mean you spend 15 minutes of your workout exerting close to max and max energy (or “work effort” and “max effort” as REGYMEN refers to it). By spending time in these zones and focusing on interval style training, you’ll get what we call the “after burn affect,” or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). After a workout, your body is working harder to return to a normal state. This means it is consuming more energy, resulting in max calorie burn that could last up to 36 hours after a workout. Think of that as free exercise!

With each workout, women can expect to burn anywhere from 400–600 calories, and men can expect to burn 600–1,000. Every workout is different, which means you’ll never do the same workout twice…which is a great way to fight exercise boredom! By utilizing a variety of equipment, such as ski ergs, rowers, kettlebells, air bikes, TRX and more, you’ll keep your body guessing and break through those frustrating fitness plateaus.

If you’re ready to completely crush your 2019 resolutions, then it’s time to sign up for REGYMEN. We are offering a 2,000 calorie challenge to members and non-members—take as many workouts as you can for free until you reach that 2,000 calorie threshold. For women, that’s typically 3–5 workouts, and for men 2–4 workouts. Call the location you wish to sign up at or visit ymcashr.org/regymen for more information.

Get your burn on!

 

—Contributed by Jillian Kelly, Association REGYMEN Director, YMCA of South Hampton Roads