If, like many people, you’re keen to keep fit but don’t always find the time to hit the gym or try out the latest class then the new Tubes Workouts from K-Swiss could be just for you.
Developed in collaboration with celebrity fitness instructor Deanne Berry (pictured right) to coincide with the launch of K-Swiss’ innovative trainers, ‘Tubes’, the high definition versatile workouts have been designed for viewing across multiple platforms, making them perfect for people on the go.
Promoted as the first versatile fitness workout of this sort, the short videos can be followed whenever and wherever your location on a digital medium that suits you - phone, iPad, computer or TV - and even better, they’re completely free!
Fitness expert Deanne Berry has commented: “All my workouts are so varied; aerobics, combat and dance, or going for a run, I’m always changing what I’m doing - day to day.
“I choreographed this easy and versatile workout so that it can go with you wherever you are, simply download on to your phone or watch on your TV or computer and away you go!”
So, we thought we’d try them out to find out just how easy they really are to download and view on the go.
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What’s it all about?
Tubes are K-Swiss’ new fitness shoe comprising a series of cylindrical tubes on the sole of the shoe that offer optimum comfort, durability and stability. The technology of Tubes allows the shoe to move in motion with the foot, creating an ideal all round training shoe for gym users.
To coincide with the launch of Tubes, K-Swiss decided to create a series of workouts for people living a fast paced life, and the K-Swiss Tubes Workout was born.
A series of three workouts are available, Aerobic, Dance and Combat, as well as a warm-up and warm-down, with all available to be viewed as a series of podcasts, or downloaded as a full 30 minute workout from iTunes.
The eight downloadable sections - Warm up, Aerobics 1 and 2, Dance 1 and 2, Combat 1 and 2 and Cool Down - can be watched alone or combined into bespoke workouts with more time or energy.
Viewers can also watch online at video hosting sites such as YouTube for when the medium being used isn’t their own.
Getting started
I used a Mac laptop as the medium of choice for my workout downloads and found it really quick and simple to download each of the videos separately to combine them into a full 30 minute workout that suited me.
Having them downloaded to my computer meant I really could workout anywhere, even if I was somewhere with no Internet connection, but on the other hand having them available on hosting sites such as YouTube is handy too for when you’re using a shared computer.
Once the workouts are ready all you need is enough space to prance about, I find the living room with the curtains closed best for this! Although because they’re downloadable you can take your workout where you like, inside, outside - the choice is yours!
So what exactly do I do and how will it benefit me?
The workouts each offer pretty much what you would expect per each section. To get you started the warm-up is a nicely paced video which works to get the body warm and ready for whichever workout you chose. It’s easy to follow with most of the stretches ones that you’d expect to use on a regular basis, so you can get stuck in straight away. Two and half minutes is plenty of time to get your blood pumping and your muscles warm.
The aim of the first two videos, the aerobics classes, is to get the heart pumping and burn loads of calories. The upbeat music in the background suits the workout and gives you a good rhythm to work to.
As with the other two workouts it’s necessary to do each one a few times before you get the hang of all the moves to enable you to do it all in one go alongside the video, but once you know how the aerobics class is a fast-paced energetic workout great for all over cardiovascular training.
The next two videos focus on dance and, as Deanne warns, can be a little bit tricky to begin with, but the more you do it the better you’ll get. These two workouts are very high energy, again with some good music to get you in the right frame of mind.
You’ll need a lot of space for these two videos as she’ll have you flinging yourself all over the place, but it’s worth it! Afterwards I felt like I’d had a brilliant all-over workout, with just enough energy left to face the combat class.
The last two videos, combat, will see you pick up the pace and learn some fantastic boxing moves. It starts with some good stretches to get you loosened up and then combines kicks which are good for balance and core muscles and punches which you can really feel working the upper arms.
This is a great workout for stretching the body out and I could feel it working my legs and lower body - thighs get a really good workout as you’re combining squats with constantly hopping from foot to foot. The second of the two combat videos teaches Thai style boxing moves. This one’s all about getting the legs up high with lots of variety in moves.
The complete workout package ends in a nice relaxed cool down video with music to reflect the mood. The stretches are explained with advice as to where about on the body each one will work.
Sometimes it can be hard to follow some of the moves as the camera zooms in and out quite rapidly but once you’ve done it a few times it’s quite easy to put it all together.
Who does it suit?
Everyone! Especially those with little time on their hands.
Where can I do it?
Anywhere and everywhere! The freedom of being able to download and use the videos wherever you are is fantastic, now you’ll never have an excuse when you’ve got a half hour to spare!
View the videos online at www.youtube.com/kswissuk or download them all for free on iTunes.
Jessica Whittington, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
