6 Fitness Rules Meant to be Broken

New rule: Burn fat for six-pack abs and jiggle-free arms.
Truth be told, you do have a six-pack under that stomach—you just can't see it yet if you have some pounds to lose! So instead of wasting your energy by spot training (think thousands of crunches), focus on using your entire body to burn calories through a mix of weight-training and cardio (and see new rule #3 for a powerful fat-blasting combo!). Also, be sure to eat a healthy, lower calorie diet. It's only through exercise and a proper diet that those strong muscles can be shown off!

New rule: Get a strong core with functional full-body exercises.
Did you know that abs only make up one part of your core? Yep, the full core is made up your abdominals, obliques, transverse abdominis and erector spinae (low back). Some experts even consider your hips to be part of your core. So when it comes to getting a strong midsection, don't just crunch. Do a variety of planks, side planks, twists, rotations, balance work and more to build functional strength and support your body—no matter what activity you're doing. A strong core keeps your back healthy and resistant to pain and injury, improves posture, allows you to move your body with greater control and helps with balance.

New rule: Circuit train to make the most of your workout.
While there's nothing wrong with resting between sets, who has time? Make the most of your workout time with circuit training! Circuit training is a method of training borrowed from athletes and modified for us regular folks. Although circuit training is a broad term and can be done in many different and creative ways, traditionally circuit training is done in stations that alternate between different muscle groups. In this type of training you go from one station or exercise to the next with little to no rest, as you're working a different muscle group. Because you keep your heart rate up throughout the workout, you not only build muscle—you also get the benefits of cardiovascular training. Perfect for those with limited time to work out!

New rule: Choose weights that challenge you.
If you can lift a weight 20 times, it's time to go heavier. Lifting heavier weights will not bulk anyone up unless they spend hours and hours in the gym, so don't be afraid to pick up the larger weights in the strength area of your health club. Depending on your weight and how many reps you're doing (SparkPeople recommends 8-15 reps with 1-3 sets for each exercise), you always need to select a weight that is heavy enough to get you to muscle exhaustion during your last couple of reps in a set. Exhaustion means your muscle has worked hard enough and is tired enough that you cannot do another rep with proper form. It's so important to reach exhaustion because it's at this point that your body starts to build more muscle. (We know how important muscle is for weight-loss!) So, if you're regularly doing bicep curls with 5-pound weights and could easily squeeze a few more reps or sets into your workout without really even feeling the burn, it's time to up those dumbbells!

New rule: Round out your workout routine with yoga and Pilates.
I practice yoga and Pilates workouts, but not to burn calories. I do these two mind-body practices because they reduce stress, improve focus, strengthen the core and greatly improve flexibility—all of which are very important! Yoga and Pilates are fantastic activities that add value to any workout program, but they shouldn't be a replacement for cardio or strength training, nor do they offer the same benefits of these heart and muscle-strengthening activities. Read more: Does yoga count as cardio?

New rule: If you feel bad or have pain, stop, rest and modify your workout.
If you have pain, do not take it lightly or push through it. Pain is a sign that something is wrong with your body and it needs rest or a modification of an exercise (for example walking instead of running or doing a front lunge instead of a backwards lunge). Also important, if you feel terrible, black out or have chest pains (more warning signs are here), you must take this very seriously and slow down (for cardio) or stop (for immediate severe pain). Additionally, if you've been working out very hard and feel like you might be overtraining, it's important to give your body the rest it needs. Remember, exercise is supposed to make you feel better—not worse!