Dogs in the Home May Lower Kids’ Odds for Asthma

MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to dogs or farm animals early in life appears to reduce a child’s risk of developing asthma, a new study shows.

Researchers looked at more than one million Swedish children. They found that those who grew up with dogs in the home were nearly 15 percent less likely to develop asthma than those not exposed to dogs.

The new study also confirmed earlier research showing that children who grow up on farms have lower rates of asthma.

While the study can’t prove cause-and-effect, it does “support the ‘hygiene hypothesis,’ in that early exposure of children to microbes may support the development of a healthy immune system,” said Dr. Sherry Farzan, an allergist and immunologist at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y. She was not involved in the study.

The findings were published online Nov. 2 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

The study was led by author Tove Fall, assistant professor of epidemiology at Uppsala University in Sweden. In a university news release, she noted that “earlier studies have shown that growing up on a farm reduces a child’s risk of asthma to about half. We wanted to see if this relationship also was true for children growing up with dogs in their homes.”

Fall said, “Our results confirmed the farming effect and we also saw that children who grew up with dogs had about 15 percent less asthma than children without dogs. Because we had access to such a large and detailed data set, we could account for confounding factors such as asthma in parents, area of residence and socioeconomic status.”

Not all of the findings were positive when it came to dogs in the family home, Farzan pointed out. “Interestingly, dog ownership was associated with a higher risk of pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract diseases among preschool children,” she said.

But another expert said the findings on pets and asthma are getting clearer.

“In this study, early exposure to dogs and farm animals reduced asthma risk, and this may or may not include other types of pets that children keep,” said Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “The takeaway is that early exposure may reduce the incidence of a later pathological process,” he said.

Study senior author Catarina Almqvist Malmros, a professor of clinical epidemiology at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, stressed that the finding is only pertinent to children who have not yet developed asthma or allergies.

“We know that children with established allergy to cats or dogs should avoid them,” she said in the news release.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about asthma.

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Beware Safety Risks Posed by ‘Off-Label’ Drug Use

By Karen Pallarito
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — “Off-label” drug use puts patients at risk for serious side effects, especially when scientific evidence is lacking, a new study finds.

Physicians prescribe “off-label” when they recommend drugs for uses that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It’s a common and legal practice.

It’s also hard to track, because U.S. doctors aren’t required to document the reason for prescribing a treatment.

But in what may be the most extensive review of the practice to date, a Canadian-U.S. research team found reason for concern.

Patients prescribed off-label drugs without strong scientific evidence were 54 percent more likely to experience an adverse event, such as a drug reaction, drug interaction or allergic response, forcing them to stop taking the drugs, the study found.

“We are not saying that off-label is bad,” said Dr. Tewodros Eguale, who led a research team at McGill University in Montreal. “But when it’s off-label and there’s no strong scientific evidence, we showed that there’s a high risk of adverse drug events.”

Among drugs commonly prescribed off-label, the researchers found hallucinations were linked to the antidepressant trazodone (Oleptro), often ordered to treat insomnia. And weight gain was associated with the schizophrenia drug Zyprexa (olanzapine), which is frequently prescribed off-label for depression.

Off-label drug use should be part of the discussion between patients and their physicians, he said.

The study was published online Nov. 2 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Doctors have many reasons to prescribe off-label. The arsenal of medications to treat a condition may be limited, patients may have exhausted other drug options or medicines with good evidence may not have gone through the FDA process.

“Off-label use is higher than it should be, in part because the FDA does less than physicians and the public thinks it does,” said Dr. Randall Stafford,
director of the Program on Prevention Outcomes and Practices at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.

He said the FDA judges a drug’s safety and effectiveness for a single clinical condition.

“Unfortunately, many physicians think of FDA approval as a blanket endorsement,” Stafford said. “This leads to use of drugs for clinical conditions that have not been evaluated.”

Amitriptyline (Elavil), approved solely to treat depression, is frequently prescribed off-label. Preventing migraine is one such use, for example.

Almost half of amitriptyline’s off-label uses are backed by strong scientific evidence, said Eguale, now an associate professor at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston and an adjunct professor at McGill.

The malaria drug quinine is often prescribed for leg cramps and restless leg syndrome, although regulators have warned against its off-label use due to risks of serious bleeding.

“It’s not the biggest offender [in terms of adverse events], but its off-label prescribing rate is very high. Close to 99.4 percent of the time, it’s used for an off-label condition,” Eguale said.

All of the off-label uses of quetiapine (Seroquel), risperidone (Risperdal) and Zyprexa — three powerful antipsychotic drugs — lack strong scientific evidence, he said.

For the study, researchers scoured electronic health record data on roughly 46,000 adults patients who received more than 151,000 prescriptions from primary care clinics in Quebec from 2005 through 2009.

Physicians using that data system must enter the reason for each new prescription, change in dosage or discontinuation. They must also include specifics on any adverse drug events.

More than one in 10 prescriptions in the study were for an off-label use. Of those, more than 80 percent were for off-label uses lacking strong scientific evidence, the researchers said.

Rates of adverse events involving on-label use and off-label use with strong scientific evidence were about the same, the study found.

In all, the study authors identified 3,484 adverse drug events. However, they acknowledged that the study might not capture all medication-related events, that doctors can miss symptoms and patients may fail to mention all of their symptoms.

The average cost per adverse event, considering possible emergency room visits and hospitalizations, ranges from $759 to $1,214, the study authors estimated.

In a related journal commentary, doctors at the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System highlighted a recent U.S. federal court ruling against an FDA ban on off-label drug promotion.

This study provides “compelling evidence” that the FDA and courts must carefully consider before relaxing the ban, they concluded.

More information

Visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for more on off-label drug use.

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Teens Do Listen to Parents’ Advice About Sex: Study

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Teens whose parents talk with them about sex are more likely to wait to have sex and to use birth control and condoms when they do, a new study finds.

Although a parent’s voice is only one in the mix of influences, it does have a significant, though small, role in helping their kids avoid sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies, the researchers said. And the effect was slightly stronger when moms were the ones doing the talking, the study found.

“Communicating about sex can be uncomfortable for both parents and teens, but these conversations are a critical component of helping teens make safe and healthy decisions,” said lead researcher Laura Widman, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

“What parents say to their kids about sex matters,” she said.

Although the study found an association between having “the talk” about sex with teens and a delay in teens’ sexual activity, the study wasn’t designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The report was published online Nov. 2 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, are preventable, but remain far too common, Widman said. Parents have an important role in educating teens about sexual health and helping them make safer, healthier decisions when it comes to sex, she said.

Regular conversations should start before children become sexually active to ensure that teens understand family values about sex and are equipped to make the best possible decisions, Widman suggested.

“Conversations about sex, like conversations about other important health topics for teens — drinking, smoking, texting and driving — deserve thoughtful, honest conversations,” Widman said. “The bottom line is that these are conversations worth having, even if they are difficult.”

Another expert agreed. “Parents can shape the sexual behavior of teens who are having sex, and parents matter when it comes to birth control and condom use,” said Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, professor and co-director of the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health at New York University in New York City. Guilamo-Ramos co-authored an accompanying journal editorial.

Too often parents think talking with their children about sex means they’re condoning sexual behavior, which might lead to their children becoming sexually active, he said.

“We have so much evidence that it does the opposite of that,” Guilamo-Ramos said. “Parents who are addressing this issue, those teens are the ones least likely to have sex and the most likely, if they are having sex, to use protection,” he said.

For the study, Widman’s team pooled data from 30 years of research. The investigators found 52 previously published studies on sex communication between parents and teens, as well as teen sexual practices. The studies included more than 25,000 adolescents.

The researchers found a small, but significant positive effect of parent-teen talks on safer sex behavior. The association was stronger for girls. The link was also stronger for teens who discussed sexual topics with their mothers, the study authors found.

In addition, the association between parent communication and teen contraceptive and condom use was significantly stronger for girls than boys, the researchers said.

“We know that the messages parents share are more likely to stress the negative consequences of sexual activity, like pregnancy, when they talk with their daughters,” Widman said.

If parents want to have a stronger impact on their sons’ safer sex practices, they may need to increase the frequency of communication and change the content of the messages about sex that they communicate to boys, she said.

“For example, parents could more clearly discuss the consequences of teen pregnancy for boys and stress the importance of clear communication and consent between partners. Parents may also challenge the predominant cultural messages many boys receive that they should always be ready for sex,” Widman said.

How parents talk to their kids matters, said Brandon Korman, chief of neuropsychology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.

“It’s important that parents engage in meaningful discussion rather than lecturing kids,” Korman said. “It’s not telling them what to do, but helping them to understand the way the world works and helping them to understand long-term consequences of behaviors,” he added.

More information

For more on how to talk with teens about sex, visit the U.S. Office of Adolescent Health.

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The Only Makeup Brushes You’ll Ever Need, Based on Your Skill Level

Art: Courtesy of http://ift.tt/1k5dMjy Berman

Navigating a makeup brush kit can be intimidating—there are somany to choose from. There has been a brush invented for every single type of application imaginable, most of which we’d never even dream of attempting without a makeup artist (and perhaps a medic) on hand.

We’ve broken down the entire process for you so you can go back to living your best beauty junky life without a care in the world. Based on your skill level (beginning, intermediate, full-blown makeup addict) Global PRO Artist for Smashbox Lori Taylor-Davis has mapped out every brush you need and why. Yeah, it’s that good. And yes, you’re welcome.

1. An eye shadow brush like is great for applying, blending, and packing shadow into the lid. Try: NARS #40 Eye Shadow Brush.

2. A perfectly shaped blush brush is a must-have tool for beginners because it allows the product to fully show on the cheekbone. It gives a seamless application of product onto the apples of the cheeks. Try: Bobbi Brown Blush Brush.

3. A bent eyeliner brush allows beginners to apply all textures of eyeliners on the eyes. It bends to the shape of your eyes and gives control for flawless application in easy strokes. Try: Laura Mercier Angled Eye Liner Brush.

4. A brow brush is great for beginners because the brows frame the face, and a little tweak goes a long way. It has stiff bristles which help create a perfect brow arch.Try: MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush.

5. A concealer brush with a precision-tip helps to apply cream and liquid concealers in hard-to-reach places. It gives a perfectly blended finish to the face. Try: Smashbox Precision Concealer Brush #5.

1. A foundation brush is great for intermediate beauty junkies. Unlike beginners—who usually use their hands to apply foundation—this girl knows the value a proper application. It allows you to apply different textures of product for a more seamless finish. Try: Le Metier de Beaute Angled Foundation Brush.

2. A smudgy liner brush is a great tool to have on hand to achieve a more masterful smoky eye. Try: Smashbox’s Double-Ended Smudger Brush #20.

3. A lip brush is works to achieve a perfect lipstick application, every time because it allows you to outline and shape your lips so they won’t smear. Try: Louise Young Cosmetics LY29 Retractable Lip Brush.

4. A double-ended brush is convenient for intermediates to have on hand in order to work dry and cream products and achieve very different effects. Try: Lancôme Dual-End Liner & Shadow Brush #18.

1. A contouring brush is necessary for advanced makeup users because they’re privy to the tricks of highlighting and shading. Try:Sephora Collection Pro Angled Contour Brush #75.

2. A fan brush flawlessly applies highlighting products. It allows for the right amount of product to be distributed on certain areas of the face. Try: Eminence Fan Applicator Brush.

3. A double-ended brow brush with a spoolie on one side and an angled brush on the other shapes the brows and allows for the precise application product. Try: Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Brow Master Brush.

4. A crease brush is perfect for picking up and blending shadow into the eye crease, which allows for more depth when you’re going for a fancy eye look. Try: Smashbox Crease Brush #10.

This article originally appeared on MIMIchatter.com.

More from MIMI:

The Best Contouring Kits for Every Skill Level

The Art of Letting Go of Your Old Beauty Products

A Washing Machine for Your Makeup Brushes Exists

How to Clean & Store Makeup Brushes

This Foundation Brush Will Change Your Complexion

MIMI Chatter is an endless stream of beauty content. We bring together the must-knows and the how-tos from your favorite sites, beauty influencers, our editors, and YOU.

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Here’s Why Some People Cry More Easily Than Others

Illustration: Aad Goudappel

I cry very easily, even at times that don’t warrant tears. What’s up with that?

Some people are just more prone to crying than others. Experts aren’t entirely sure why; studies have shown that it could be related to a slew of factors, ranging from gender (women are known to cry more) to whether you experienced trauma in the past.

If you don’t normally weep at the drop of a hat and now find yourself more emotional than usual, it might be due to a hormonal fluctuation that can occur around menopause, before your period (yes, PMS moodiness is real) or when taking birth control pills. Stress and lack of sleep can also cause you to be extra emotionally reactive. Try getting more rest or practicing a daily relaxation ritual, like yoga or meditation, and see if that helps.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing to cry it out. Past studies have found that crying can have soothing, mood-boosting effects. But if you think you’re becoming tearful much more often than you should be, speak to your doctor about your symptoms; your weepiness could be a sign of depression.

Health‘s medical editor, Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, is associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine and co-founder of Tula Skincare.

RELATED:

Why You’re a Better Liar When You Have to Pee

10 Things You Should Never Do When You’re Angry

22 Ways to Get Happy Now

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3 Yoga Poses for When Your Neck’s Tied Up in Knots

This time of year, our shoulders become permanent earrings as we run around bracing against the cold and crossing things off our to-do list. Carrying heavy shopping bags and hunching over smartphones hardly help; we’re contorted into awkward positions, growing tight in our neck and back. This series stretches out those areas and helps us de-stress. By rounding forward in these moves, we can tune out the chaos and find inner peace when we need it most (like right now).

Unwind with an Om: You know how yoga classes start with chanting? You may feel uneasy releasing sounds, but it can really free up tension. Try it outside of class, too. When you feel stressed at work or overwhelmed by life, take a deep breath and let out an om, or even a big sigh. One Belgian study suggests that sighing works like a reset button for the respiratory system, helping you calm down. 

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Weight, Exercise May Affect Children’s Thinking Skills

MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Children’s weight and physical activity levels may affect their thinking and learning skills, a new study suggests.

Researchers studied 45 normal-weight children, aged 7 to 11; 24 of them were active and the rest were not. Children were considered active if they took part in organized activities, such as swimming, gymnastics, soccer or dance for more than an hour a week.

The study also included 45 overweight and inactive children.

As expected, active, normal-weight kids had less body fat and a lower resting heart rate than overweight, inactive children. But the researchers also found that normal-weight active children did better on tests of mental skills — such as planning and paying attention — than their inactive counterparts.

The findings were published online recently in the journal Pediatric Exercise Science.

While the study found an association between physical activity and mental skills in children, it did not find a cause-and-effect relationship.

“Activity made a difference even among normal-weight kids. That verifies that physical activity makes a difference in brain function,” study author Catherine Davis, a clinical health psychologist at the Medical College of Georgia, in Augusta, said in a college news release.

The good news is that children — with the help of families and schools — can boost their physical activity levels, she added.

“If they can cut some of the empty calories out of their diet and pick up the pace on physical activity, they may grow into their weight,” Davis said.

In addition, Davis pointed out that the study focused on weight, but it is likely more accurate to look at the amount of body fat in children. For example, overweight kids in the study had more fat, rather than weighing more because of extra muscle mass.

The investigators suggested that future studies should also include overweight, active children to see if they also gain mental benefits from physical activity, and to learn more about how weight and exercise relate to kids’ brain health.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines how much physical activity children require.

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Most Preschoolers Use Tablets, Smartphones Daily

By Tara Haelle
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Nearly all U.S. kids under age 4 have used a mobile device such as a tablet or smartphone, and they are using them at earlier and earlier ages, a new study finds.

The study of 350 children in a low-income, minority community suggests that an income-based “digital divide” is shrinking. Parents surveyed said tablets are the most popular mobile devices for children, and kids as young as 1 use them more than 20 minutes a day on average.

“Access to, familiarity with and skill using mobile devices are the first steps in achieving digital literacy,” said one of the study’s authors, Dr. Matilde Irigoyen, chair of pediatrics and adolescent medicine at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.

However, she added that actual social engagement with parents, along with parental guidance, are “critical” to help kids “integrate digital technology into family life.”

The study was published in the Nov. 2 online edition of the journal Pediatrics.

One expert familiar with the study findings called the trend “disturbing,” because it suggests that some parents might be using technology as a surrogate babysitter.

“Parents in this study admitted to using mobile media for their children to keep them quiet or entertained in public places or in place of the interaction at bedtime,” said Dr. Danelle Fisher, vice chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. “Children need parental interaction for many reasons and this trend is, overall, worrisome.”

For the study, researchers gave a questionnaire to parents of 350 children between 6 months and 4 years of age who visited a Philadelphia pediatric clinic in October and November of 2014. The parents answered questions about the children’s use of television, mobile devices, computers and video games.

Almost every household (97 percent) had a TV, 83 percent had tablets, and 77 percent had smartphones. Just over half had video consoles (56 percent), a computer (58 percent), and Internet access at home (59 percent).

The older the children were, the more likely they were to have their own technology. By age 4, about three-quarters of youngsters had their own mobile device, and half had their own TV. All but 3 percent had used a smartphone or tablet, the study found.

“We were not surprised to see infants and toddlers using the mobile devices; we saw that in the clinic every day,” Irigoyen said. “But we were very surprised to see how often the children used the mobile devices, how many of them owned a personal device, how many could use the device without assistance, and how many engaged in media multitasking.”

More than four out of 10 children under age 1 and 77 percent of 2-year-olds used a mobile device every day to play games, use apps or watch videos, the investigators found.

Almost half of 4-year-olds and one-quarter of 2-year-olds needed no help using a smartphone or tablet, the findings showed.

The parents’ education and the child’s gender and ethnicity did not play any role in whether or not the child owned a mobile device.

While 28 percent of parents said they used a mobile device to get their child to go to sleep, 70 percent did chores while their child played. A majority reported letting their child play with a mobile device to keep them calm in public places or during errands.

But, Fisher said, “mobile media cannot take the place of parenting.” She added that the use of tablets and smartphones “in place of human interaction and instead of other sources of information or play time, such as reading books, is disturbing.”

Yet about half the parents had downloaded apps on their smartphones, and they said at least half were for their children, especially educational, entertainment and video apps.

The study found that children still spent more time watching TV than using any other single screen, an average 45 minutes a day. They also averaged 27 minutes a day watching videos or TV shows on mobile devices and 22 minutes using apps.

“Our findings do not address the impact that mobile media devices have on children and their families,” Irigoyen said. “They simply describe the pervasive nature of digital exposure and the patterns of use.”

Fisher pointed out that “some interactions can be beneficial and some detrimental.” But, she added, “there are lots of studies showing that mobile media devices will interfere with healthy sleep practices. Topics such as obesity, academics and attention are more complex.”

More information

For screen time guidelines, visit Zero to Three Screen Sense.

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One in Five Pediatricians Drops Families Who Refuse Vaccines: Survey

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — One of every five U.S. pediatricians regularly drops families who refuse to have their children vaccinated, a new survey shows.

Doctors in the South and Northeast were more likely to take this hardline stance, said study lead author Dr. Sean O’Leary, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver.

But O’Leary said he’s heard anecdotally that pediatricians across the nation have come under pressure to refuse to take on unvaccinated children, following the Disneyland measles outbreak that occurred earlier this year.

“I’m hearing the practice has become more common, particularly in California, following the outbreak,” O’Leary said. “Parents say, ‘I don’t want to take my child to a clinic with non-vaccinators and expose them to risk,’ so there is parental pressure on some pediatricians.”

An ongoing medical debate continues to simmer over a doctor’s right to refuse treatment for children whose parents are against vaccination, O’Leary added.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both discourage this strategy, the study authors said in background information. The survey is published online Nov. 2 in the journal Pediatrics, an academy publication.

These organizations urge physicians to keep treating the children of vaccine-reluctant parents, and to build a relationship of trust that could lead to the parents being convinced of the safety of and need for childhood vaccinations.

To see how widespread the practice of dismissing anti-vaccine families has become, the researchers conducted a survey of 815 pediatricians and family physicians in 2012. About 66 percent of the doctors responded to the survey.

Those surveyed said it’s generally rare for a parent to refuse a vaccination for their child. Overall, 83 percent of doctors reported that 1 percent or fewer parents refuse one or more infant vaccines in a typical month.

When that happens, 21 percent of pediatricians and 4 percent of family physicians said they “always” or “often” dismiss families, according to the survey results.

Pediatricians likely to dismiss families over vaccination are nearly five times more likely to be in private practice, and four times more likely to be from the South or a state that does not allow philosophical exemptions from vaccination.

There are a number of reasons why pediatricians take this tack, said O’Leary and Dr. H. Dele Davies, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ committee on infectious diseases.

“For these physicians, what I’m hearing them say is they strongly feel not immunizing their children is such a great risk that they’re taking a stand,” said Davies, an expert on pediatric infectious diseases and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha.

Because pediatricians only treat children, they are likely to be much more concerned with the safety of clientele who have not yet been immunized, Davies said.

“They may be reflecting their sense that, if you don’t want to do this, I don’t want to expose my other patients to potential risk,” he said.

Pediatricians may also feel that they won’t be able to establish a relationship with parents if they can’t see eye-to-eye on vaccination, O’Leary said.

“The pediatrician might feel that the physician/patient relationship may not be a productive one if they’re so far apart in terms of a core concept like vaccination,” O’Leary said. “Pediatricians consider vaccination one of the most important things they do.”

Finally, pediatricians sometimes use the threat of dropping a family to convince parents to agree to vaccination, O’Leary said.

“It really convinces a lot of parents to go ahead and get their child vaccinated, because it’s such a strong message about the importance of vaccination,” he said.

No one knows what happens to families who are dropped for vaccination refusal, which demonstrates the need for further research on this topic, O’Leary said.

“This practice is pretty common, and we don’t know what happens to those families,” he said. “We don’t know how often they make the decision to go ahead and vaccinate, despite their concerns. We don’t know where they go if they do leave their pediatrician.”

Dr. Wanda Filer, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said her group also discourages dropping families over the issue of vaccination.

Family physicians are much less likely to drop families, according to the survey results. Filer said that’s probably because these doctors treat the entire family, and not just the kids.

In fact, Filer said the Disneyland measles outbreak has made parents in her York, Pa.-based practice more interested in making sure kids are properly immunized.

“There’s more opportunity for family physicians to double down on conversations about the importance of vaccines,” she said.

More information

Visit the U.S. National Institutes of Health for more on childhood vaccinations.

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7 explosive moves for your plyometric workout

Plyometric training is also known as 'jump training', which basically means muscles exert maximum force in micro intervals.

Try the circuit twice. If you’re feeling strong, try three and four times! Two-to-four rounds, 15 seconds between exercises, one- to two-minute rest between rounds. Switching up your workout routine and challenging yourself to try new things will not only keep you motivated but will also produce faster results.

Pop Squat

What it hits: Glutes and Quads

Crash course: Moves like jump squats fire up your glutes to make them stronger, rounder and harder.

Make it work: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Sit your hips back and down into a squat position, making sure your knees do not go past your toes. Jump straight up in the air, bringing your feet together, and land softly back into the squat position. Keep your weight pressed through your heels to work your glutes.
The rules: 20 reps

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Wide Squat Jumps

What it hits: Glutes, Calves, Lower Back and Hamstrings

Crash course: A wide stance works a greater number of muscles than a narrow-stance squat. A wider stance allows for a greater posterior displacement of the hips, therefore activating your glutes to a greater degree than a narrow squat.

Make it work: Place your feet wider than your shoulders, keeping all of your weight in your heels. Squat down (ensuring knees do not extend past your toes) and then jump up as high as you can. Land back into your starting wide squat stance position and immediately jump again (make sure you keep all of your weight pressed through your heels to achieve maximum activation of your glutes).

The rules: 20 reps

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Narrow 
Jumps

What it hits: Glutes, Quads and Calves

Crash course: Just like pop squats, narrow jumps can strengthen your glutes and quads, which in turn could help you burn calories more efficiently and effectively.

Make it work: Stand with your feet together. Squat down (ensuring knees do not extend past your toes) and then jump up as high as you can. Land in a squat position (keeping all weight in your heels) and immediately jump again.

The rules: 20 reps

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Reverse Lunge

What it hits: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes and Calves

Crash course: One of the most effective lower-body exercises to strengthen glutes and quadriceps, which in turn can speed up your metabolism.

Make it work: Stand straight, chest up, hands by side. Step right foot back into a 90-degree angle while making sure your left knee does not go past your toe. Stand back up in the starting position. Repeat with left foot stepping back.

The rules: 15-20 reps on each leg

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Mountain Climbers

What it hits: Deltoids, biceps, triceps, pecs, obliques, abs, traps, quads, hamstrings, hip adductors and hip abductors

Crash course: A full-body workout that burns more calories in less time by engaging as many muscles as possible.

Make it work: Get into a plank position so your hands are directly under your chest at shoulder-width apart. Arms are straight and body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. Lift your left foot off the floor and raise your knee as close to your chest as you can while ensuring that abs stay tight and body stays straight. Return back to your starting position and immediately execute the same motion with other leg. Alternate your legs as quickly as possible while still retaining your form.

The rules: Each leg 1 minute as fast as you can go.

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High Knees

What it hits: Hip Flexors, Quads, Glutes

Crash course: Performing this exercise can improve lower body power and flexibility while increasing your heart rate.

Make it work: Stand in place, feet hip-width apart. Drive your right knee into your chest and quickly place it back on the ground. As soon as your foot hits the ground you want to repeat the motion with the other knee. Continue alternating knees as quickly as you can go.

The rules: 1 minute as fast as you can go

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Burpee

What it hits: Whole body

Crash course: Burpees are one of the most efficient functional exercises. They increase strength and boost endurance.

Make it work: Stand straight then lower into a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet back into a plank position and return your feet back to the squat position as quickly as possible. Jump into the air as high as you can and then return to the squat position. Repeat as quickly as possible.

The rules: Each leg 15 to 20 reps

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Switch Lunge

What it hits: Core, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads and Calves

Crash course: Switch lunges are one of the best ways to tighten up your butt and thighs. When performed correctly they recruit a high amount of muscle fibres at a higher rate of calorie burning.

Make it work: Lunge forward with your right thigh parallel to the floor; make sure your knee does not extend past your toe. Swinging your arms for balance, jump up and switch legs, landing in a lunge with your left foot in front. Again, make sure your knee does not extend past your toe.

The rules: 15 to 20 reps on each leg

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