There was a time when pilates classes seemed exclusively the domain of women, which is strange as the creator, Joseph Pilates was very much a man's man, and was not only a bodybuilder but also a self defense trainer who developed this technique to help everyone become stronger and fitter.

It’s completely normal to become bored with your fitness routine every now and then. It happens to all of us from time to time. But if your lack of enthusiasm extends from one or two workouts into several months of fearing your fitness sessions, you have a bigger problem than boredom.

It's one thing to be committing to an exercise regime but are you going through the motions or are you working out hard enough? Putting on your fitness gear and being active is commendable but unless you are working up a sweat you could be spending time on ineffective training.

High intensity training (HIT) was developed as a technique for building strength and potentially size through using weights. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a variation on a theme and designed to really get your cardio system going with short, intense workouts that bring the muscles to the point of fatigue.

If you've already understood the value in hiring a personal trainer then you firstly need to be praised. One-on-one sessions with a personal trainer are a real fitness trend that continues to grow each year. Personalizing workouts means that you can really motivate yourself to get fit faster and more effectively.