Fitness

The Wellness Now coalition presents the ninth annual Open Streets OKC on Sunday, April 7, from noon to 4 p.m. The event takes place along NW 23rd Street from Robinson to Western avenues. Open Streets is a fun health and wellness project sponsored by the Oklahoma City-County Health Department, Oklahoma’s Credit Union and the Substance Use Prevention Alliance.

Streets will close to vehicle traffic, allowing for biking, walking, skating and dancing on NW 23rd. The afternoon features physical, fun activities sponsored by local businesses and local food trucks offering healthy choices. Learn more at http://www.openstreetsokc.com/.

– Oklahoma City-County Health Department

A new year is a great time to set new goals for yourself. If your resolution is to take your fitness to the next level, here are three fun ways to work out:

1. Get outside and go for a run – If the weather is nice, lace up your favorite running shoes, and hit the pavement.

2. Do an at-home workout – Find a fun workout DVD and get active from the comfort of your home.

3. Participate in group fitness – The best motivation can come from your peers. Grab your friends and join a class at a local gym.

– Meaghan Hatch, Jones PR

If your onsite gym or fitness programs have lost their appeal, it’s time to hit reset.

Right now, the “gamification” of fitness is all the rage. Try exploring ways to launch company-wide fitness challenges with quests and leaderboards. For example, you can assign points for attending yoga sessions or taking the most steps in a day. It’s a great way to turn the heads of millennials and get remote workers involved, too.

Or you can go old school and start a kickball or soccer league after hours. As long as it’s fun and interactive, your employees will be game.

– Matt Parrott, Corporate Fitness Works

Walking is good for your health, and it can also be good for your wallet.

Some employers have been incentivizing employees to get moving — and become healthier — with fitness trackers. While FitBits and other wearable devices are great, fitness classes that provide a sense of community and highlight current workout trends are even more popular. Regardless of the perks, people won’t take part if it’s not convenient, personalized and fun.

Rewards for being active can come to employees in the form of gift cards, prizes or discounts on health insurance premiums. That’s why steps are becoming a new digital currency.

– Ed Buckley, III, Ph.D., Peerfit

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and body weight training are again among the top fitness trends for 2017.

At Peerfit, we were excited to see HIIT make the cut. It involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by brief rests. While it can be done solo, its popularity stems from all of the group classes that leverage this style. Body weight training is also trending as people seek to work out with minimal equipment.

The important thing is to get moving – and mix it up. Too much routine can cause your body to plateau or lead to burn-out.

– Edward J. Buckley, III, Ph.D, Peerfit

Starting a new fitness routine in 2017? January always means the beginning of a new year and a new you.

If you’ve always been active but want to try something different, try Crossfit. It’s not as scary as you think! Knowledgeable coaches teach you the right moves to help you work up to your optimal lifting.

Or if weightlifting isn’t your thing, consider a Barre workout. Experience a combination of postures focused on isometric strength inspired by ballet, yoga and Pilates.

If you are more of a traditionalist, check out your nearest YMCA for group classes, cardio, weights and more.

– Emily Anderson, Jones PR