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I had written cardio kickboxing off as a '90s fitness fad made popular by late-night infomercials. But after taking a class at Equinox, I'm mad at letting myself miss out on such an amazing workout all these years. Never boring, cardio kickboxing is a challenge in technique, endurance, and concentration. It's also great for time-pressed individuals looking to lose weight fast. In as little as 30 minutes, you can expect to burn more calories doing cardio kickboxing than you would in other hour-long, aerobic-based workouts. Liz LeFrois, group fitness instructor at Equinox and Master Kickboxing instructor, recently shared with us what to expect when taking cardio kickboxing for the first time and who is best suited for this intense workout.

What should you expect? Make no mistake, this is a fast-paced class that will have you sweating buckets. The high-intensity workout fuses together kicks, punches, and jumps into quick combinations that keep the body moving. "Some people get frustrated because it's hard to do it properly," says Liz. "But just as in anything new that you learn, it comes with time." Liz says the key to doing well in cardio kickboxing is being focused and alert during class. This will help you keep up with the moves and easily piece together the combinations. "Even if you are not feeling successful the first couple rounds, don't stop going to the classes; it gets easier."

What kind of person should try cardio kickboxing? Cardio kickboxing is a must for those who are looking to lose weight or build up heart health. It's a major calorie-torcher: one 30-minute class burns over 300 calories! Because the classes are relatively short and the combinations are constantly changing, cardio kickboxing is also great for those who get bored easily. The only requirement, Liz says, is "to be ready to work and be in the moment." Because concentration is a prerequisite for these classes, Liz says kickboxing can also be a great mental workout and huge stress reliever. "A cardio kickbox class is great if you are having a bad day because you'll forget all about it."

Check out Liz's secrets for taking a cardio kickboxing class after the break!

Skip the crunches and challenge your entire body when working your abs. Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks is a fan of the hanging knee tuck for toning the upper body while targeting the abs. It's a challenging move that truly pays off. You use the abs as you pull the knees to your chest, and as you lower the legs back down, the abs work to keep the torso stable. Plus, just hanging from the bar works the arms and upper back quite nicely.

Learn more about this exercise after the break.

All the bits fit to print here, in our daily news roundup.

• i-D Magazine's Terry Jones curated the latest Taschen release, Vivienne Westwood, which reflects on the designer's influence on British fashion over the last 30 years. [Fashionologie Inbox]
  

• Today marks Carolina Herrera's 74th birthday. [InStyle]
  

• ShoeDazzle has named Rachel Zoe its chief stylist. [WWD]
  

• Meanwhile, Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes has tapped former Brioni artistic director Jason Basmajian to be its new creative director. [Vogue UK]
  

• Terry Richardson's latest campaign for Equinox was shot at the Stahl House in the Hollywood Hills. [Elle]
  

• Rugby Ralph Lauren, which is set to shutter by February, is offering 40 percent off all merchandise both in stores and online. [The Shophound]
  

• JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson says he isn't making ecommerce a priority. "You've got to focus on where they are shopping today, and that is the physical store." [Racked]
  

• This is what the debranded products offered by Selfridges' No Noise campaign look like. [Refinery29]
  

• Karlie Kloss may have spent last season beating up men on the beach, but you'd never know that from her ethereal commercial for Juicy Couture's new scent, Couture La La. [Fashion Copious]
  

With swimsuit season right around the corner, what better time to step up your fitness routine? If you need a little extra motivation, we want to help. PopSugar City and FitSugar are giving away a fabulous Spring Into Fitness package, which includes a one-year membership at Equinox and $500 worth of Zella athletic apparel.

Equinox's swanky digs and endless fitness options are sure to make trips to the gym all the more exciting. And a pair of Zella's Live-In leggings and a Radiance Racerback Tank make the perfect wardrobe for Equinox’s famed Yoga Power Hour class.

All you have to do to enter is sign up for PopSugar City — the ultimate source for the best places to eat, drink, shop, work out, and more in your neck of the woods — between now and March 31. Seriously, that's it. Good luck!

In what was a neck-and-neck race between Equinox and the YMCA, Life Time Fitness did some last-minute rallying via Twitter and managed to move from a fourth-place spot to take home the title of best gym of 2010, winning 25 percent of the votes. Equinox and the YMCA tied for second place, and each earned 17 percent of your votes. 

This is the second year in a row that Life Time Fitness has been the gym favorite, in part because of its state-of-the-art facilities, variety of classes that include yoga and Pilates, and being open 24 hours for late-night and early-morning workouts. Besides a fitness facility, Life Time offers spa services, family and kid programs, and sport programs, including rock climbing, a running club, and triathlon training.

Moms spend a lot of time in the car shuttling their kids around. Instead of sinking into the driver's seat, throw in a workout and improve your posture in the carpool lane! Our friends over at Equinox set me up with Amy Fiske, an NSCA-certified personal trainer, who is helping me get back in shape. Here is the routine she recommends:

When your car is parked, take a minute to do this workout. It may help relieve some tension in your spine!

Steering Wheel Shoulder Retraction (12 repetitions)
This exercise can relieve tension in the shoulders. Place your hands on the steering wheel and pull back through the shoulders as if you are cracking an egg between your shoulder blades. Hold for 10 seconds.

Seated Rotation (4 repetitions, right and left)
This exercise can release tension in the middle of the back. Sit up tall with your feet on the floor, directly below your knees. Place your left hand on the outside of your right thigh and reach back with your right hand. Sit tall as you turn (imagine a string pulling you up through the crown of your head). You can use your hands as levers to increase the stretch. Stretch to a comfortable position, hold for 10-15 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Inner Thigh Squeeze (16 repetitions)
This exercise can encourage correct knee positioning and engage inner thigh muscles (abductors). Sit tall and place a tennis ball between your thighs and squeeze to engage the inner thighs. Hold for 10 seconds.

Hip Hike (8 repetitions, right and left)
This exercise can help strengthen the oblique abdominals and help stabilize the pelvis. Sit tall, draw the navel in, and extend through the spine. Focus on lifting one hip up toward the ribs, hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat on the other side.

Check out the rest of our Back in Shape series and enter a Mountain Buggy Terrain stroller!

The morning school run is a mad dash for mama! Throwing a workout in the mix helps her burn calories and the kids get to class on time. Our friends over at Equinox set me up with Amy Fiske, an NSCA-certified personal trainer, who is helping me get back in shape. Here is the routine she recommends for the walk to school.

Warm up: Start with a slow walk and work into a brisk walk for a light workout (5 to 10 minutes).

Main: Walk briskly or jog for 1 to 2 minutes, 1 to 2 blocks (or judge by landmarks like 3 light posts). Then slow down for 1 to 2 minutes or 1 to 2 blocks. Then repeat the rotation. This part of the workout should be physically challenging and make it hard to hold a conversation.

Cool down: Wind down your jog or brisk walk into a slow walk for a light workout (5 to 10 minutes).

Once you feel comfortable, try increasing the workout's intensity by:

• Adding a sprint finish in the last leg to make it to school before the bell
• Wear your child’s backpack to add more weight and increase resistance
• On the way home, add in some hill work. Pick a challenging hill and walk briskly up it and then slowly walk down it. Then, repeat. You can start with one repetition and build up depending on your fitness level.

If you are postpartum get your doctor's clearance before exercising. If you are "out of shape", take things at your own pace and build up your endurance slowly. Rest when necessary so you don't feel winded. Make sure to warm up for at least 5 to 10 minutes before you physically challenge yourself. Your cardio session can be 15 to 30 minutes depending on your commute to school! If you are pushing a stroller, keep good posture by lifting the chest and not rounding the shoulders. Make sure you spend time stretching at the end of your workout to prevent muscle soreness and injury.

Check out the rest of our Back in Shape series and enter a Mountain Buggy Terrain stroller!