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5th January 2015
08:54am GMT

Punk rope
We all had a jump rope growing up, and a lot of us did some serious skipping with our friends down through the years. Now everyone's favourite old schoolyard activity is back in style with a cool new twist. Punk rope is an intense and challenging work out designed to improve stamina, strength, agility and coordination. It's said to burn off calories at a high rate, help reduce stress, stimulate the brain and foster social interaction. We're just hoping it brings to life our inner kid and makes us feel like we've got the energy we had in primary school!
HIIT
No, we haven't spelt that wrong. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is one of the latest buzzwords in the world of fitness. In short term it involves any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even total rest. This can be as simple as running as fast as you can for one minute and then walking for two minutes. Repeat this three minute exercise five times, and you've got yourself a 15 minute HIIT workout. We really like the simplicity of HIIT and think it could work well for a lot of us who are pretty strapped for time.
Trampoline classes
Yes, these are a thing. And yes, they're now regarded as a genuinely effective way to work out! Offering a great cardio workout without excess stress on the heart, muscles or joints, trampolining is a super fun way to burn fat and tone muscles while improving balance and co-ordination. We're delighted to report that more and more trampoline classes are starting up around Ireland so this is definitely something to keep an eye out for in your local area in the New Year.
Aerial yoga
We've saved our favourite for last. The name alone has got us hooked on this fitness trend. You've guessed it; rather than the usual set-up of doing poses on a mat, aerial yoga involved performing poses in a silk cloth or yoga swing suspended from the ceiling. Probably not one for those with a fear of heights, aerial yoga allows you to become weightless, and flips and flows help to strengthen the core, stretch tight muscles and aid in relieving painful joints. We're looking forward to the head rush!
2015 is all about having choices. And just like it’s important to keep your options open for how you keep fit and healthy, it’s also key to have choices when it comes to your health insurance. The Aviva Select health insurance plan allows you to choose the cover you want for your hospital and everyday medical needs. Elements are priced individually so that you can select what you need and control your monthly costs. To celebrate the launch of the Aviva Select health plan, head on over to Aviva’s competition page to be in with a chance of winning a selection of fantastic prizes.Explore more on these topics: