Here's some news to make you kick up your heels: A smokin' hot bod may be just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Some of the
best workouts for women incorporate superfast explosive movements to fire up your fitness level by improving your coordination and agility. And one University of Nebraska study found that participants who improved their vertical jump also logged significantly faster 10-K running times. Even better: All that bounding and leaping builds lean muscle mass, your express ticket to a sleeker shape.
In trainer-speak, these moves are called plyometrics, and they're one of the most effective ways to torch calories and burn serious fat. "Plyometric exercises—whether they're jumps or quick upper-body movements—increase the elastic properties of your muscles, which over time allows them to handle intense workloads more efficiently," says Diane Vives, owner of Fit4Austin and president of Vives Training Systems in Austin, Texas. The result: Your muscles adapt to more challenging
fitness workouts faster, so you see body-shaping results sooner.
And the benefits of plyometrics are more than muscle deep: New research shows that these moves may also be the key to stronger bones. "Your bones constantly go through a rebuilding process to maintain healthy density," says Vives. And the best way to trigger that rebuilding is by stressing your bones with explosive movements, according to a 2009 review in
Sports Medicine. Since bone density peaks between ages 25 and 30, and then decreases by 1 to 2 percent a year, now is the time to start showing your skeleton some love. The higher your bone density is before it begins thinning, the lower your risk for osteoporosis later on.
Vives crafted this routine to strengthen your cardiovascular system and tone your muscles at the same time—the ultimate one-two punch for igniting your fat burning engine. Complete this heart pumping circuit two or three days a week on non consecutive days. Do all of the moves without resting in between, then rest for a minute or two. Repeat for a total of two or three circuits. (For the first week, do only one circuit.)
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