Business in the front, party in the back—and no, we're not talking about a long-dead hairstyle. It's actually the latest trend in workout tops, which are all about showing off your sexy back and shoulders with criss-cross straps and big cutouts. But, the best part? They look incredible while you work out, and transition seamlessly from sweat to street. Pair them with your favorite mesh leggings for a super on-trend look.

Here's a bunch of our favorites:

Athleta Full Force Tank ($64; athleta.com)

Perforated mesh fabric keeps you cool and dry through hot yoga class. A conservative scoop neck contrasts the deep, sexy plunge the top takes in the back.

 

 

 

Athleta Shadow Stripe Energize Top ($59; athleta.com)

This strappy tank offers style and substance, with a built-in bra and breathable fabric that is as at home at brunch as it is at Barre class.

Photo: Athleta.com

 

 

 

 

Nike Elastika Elevate Tank Top ($40; zappos.com)

Nike Dri-FIT technology wicks perspiration, cooling you during even the hottest summer runs. Flatlock seams prevent chafing.

Photo: Zappos.com

 

 

Koral Vortex Sleeveless Top ($92; bandier.com)

A cotton-like high-performance fabric wicks sweat and oozes style. The cutouts above the waist show off your killer physique, while the racerback flaunts those sculpted shoulders you've been working on.

Photo: Bandier.com

 

 

Dylan Racerneck Top ($48; zobha.com)

This fierce top sports a zipper running down the mesh panel on the back.

Photo: Zobha.com

 

 

Mukha Yoga Cami ($105; sweatybetty.com)

Don't let this top fool you–it means serious business. The totally seamless design features a built-in bra with removable pads, ultra-stretchy material that moves with you every which way, and delicate, yet strong straps in the back.

Photo: Sweatybetty.com

 

 

Splits 59 London Strap Back Tank ($82; nordstrom.com)

This super-sexy top would work out at the club, but is actually made of a high-performance Supplex-Lycra blend meant for wicking sweat during intense workouts. Flatlock seams prevent rubbing and chafing and adjustable straps allow for a custom fit.

Photo: nordstrom.com

 

 

UA Cool Switch Tank ($35; underarmour.com)

With more than seven color combinations, this top is a must for any gymgoer. Besides looking good, it has Cool Switch technology to pull heat away from you, keeping you fresh and comfortable all session long.

 

 

 

Photo: Underarmour.com

 

 

Zella Her Layered Racerback Tank ($38; nordstrom.com)

Pair this top with a bold, bright sports bra: Deep armholes and a racer back will show it off.

Photo: Nordstrom.com

 

 

ALO Vapor Tank ($50; zappos.com)

A chic cutout and feminine draped back makes this top a true standout.

Photo: Zappos.com

 

 

Danskin Two-fer Tank ($38; danskin.com)

If you ever took dance lessons as a kid, then you probably remember Danskin. What you may not realize is that the dancewear company also makes gorgeous workout clothes for adults, like this tank. The flowy top has deep armholes and a racer back that reveal a built-in bra.

Photo: Danskin.com

 

 

Velvet Rose Women's Double Layer Tank ($30; target.com)

Gotta love Target: For $30, you get an on-trend tank with a built-in bra and super-lightweight fabric.

Photo: Target.com

 

 

Old Navy Burnout T-Strap Tank ($15; oldnavy.com)

This relaxed-fit tank can be paired with jean shorts for a casual Saturday, or leggings for a light yoga workout. Just keep in mind that it's 35% cotton, which means it may not keep you as cool and dry as some of the other options on this list.

Photo: Oldnavy.com

 

 

Soybu Brooklyn Tank Top ($39; zappos.com)

Wear this top in HIIT class or as a beach coverup—either way, you'll be sweating in style.

Photo: Zappos.com

 

 

 

 

Breaking up with your pedicurist, tailor, and electrician? Easy. Breaking up with a best friend, boyfriend, or girlfriend? Way less easy.

But another tie that can be hard to cut—and hard to know when to cut? Your ties to your gym.

Between fitness plateaus, lack of cleanliness, and a way-too-long commute, there are tons of signs it's time to dump your gym—whether it’s a boutique studio or big box fitness facility. Below, nine reasons to join a different gym, according to experts.

RELATED: 10 Mistakes That Will Make Everyone Hate You at the Gym

The broken equipment isn't getting fixed

If you lived in an apartment with broken appliances that the landlord never got around to fixing, chances are you’d either take legal action or find a new place to live when your lease was up. Similarly, when equipment breaks, a well-run gym will take the necessary measures to get it fixed—and quickly, especially in the age of overnight shipping and TaskRabbit. If it’s taking weeks for broken equipment to get fixed, it’s reflective of a gym that either doesn’t have the funds or is apathetic about the conditions of the space. Either way, it’s a sign your gym deserves dumping.

It takes you longer than 30 minutes to get there

How often have you wished that there were more than 24 hours in a day? Exactly. Rhetorical question. Spending a long time commuting to the gym is an automatic reason to switch up your sweat session. For some people—depending on where you live—even 20 to 30 minutes may be too far. In cities, for example, it’s wise to pick a gym that’s within 15 minutes walking or subway distance. More than that, and it’ll be easy to find an excuse when it’s cold, dark, or late. If the gym is close, you’ll have one less excuse for subbing the barbell (or bootcamp) for Buffy reruns.

The fitness classes offered just aren't doing it for you

Maybe when you joined the gym you liked the class schedule and instructors. But somewhere along the way your fave instructor found a new job and the Pilates class you like was swapped with Zumba or a HIIT class you can’t get into (so. many. burpees!). Use this as an opportunity to scope out other gyms' class offerings. While you’re there, pay attention to the type and timing of the classes to know if they'll make things more exciting for you.

RELATED: 9 Thoughts Everyone Has the First Time They Try a Fitness Class

You're overpaying

A recent survey from supplement and fitness company Myprotein found that Americans spend an average of around $34,000 on gym memberships, personal trainers, or workout plans over their lifetimes. “One sign that should make you consider breaking up with your gym is when you start to balance your checkbook in order to afford it,” says iFit trainer Becca Capell. While the financial tipping point will be different for everyone, there are a number of affordable alternatives that fitness enthusiasts can use for the sake of their bank accounts. Capell recommends getting a treadmill or rower and a set of weights to build an at-home gym. There are also countless free fitness apps that are both challenging and accessible for every level.

The space is dirty

Gyms are filled with sweaty people. Some gyms cultivate a community where everyone wipes down their equipment after use. Some gyms don’t. But beyond just treadmill and kettlebell handles, there are tons of places in a gym that need to be cleaned. If there are hairballs in the corners, grime on the showers and sinks, dust on less popular equipment, and holes in mats or carpeting, it’s a dirty gym. Considering that you can pick up infections at a dirty gym, this should be an automatic out.

There's zero community

Forming a #fitfam may be more important to some people—CrossFit athletes and yogis, for example—than others. But if you haven’t made acquaintances within the first few months, it’s worth considering a swap, says certified strength and conditioning specialist Alena Luciani, founder of Training2xl. "I work at a place where everyone knows your name. But even if your gym isn’t that friendly, usually within three or four months, little communities are automatically formed by people who show up to sweat at the same time."

You’ll have to ask yourself if community is important to you personally, but a gym friend group can add an element of accountability and comfort. “At the very least, you don’t want to go to a gym with a bunch of dudes who annoy you,” Luciani jokes.

RELATED: My CrossFit Transformation Was Much More Drastic Than I Expected–But Not for the Reason You'd Think

The overall vibe isn't encouraging

“There’s definitely a vibe when you walk into a gym. If you walk in and the vibe makes you feel self-conscious or generally discouraged, switch gyms,” says Luciani. It’s a huge warning sign if the instructors and staff aren’t friendly and if the clientele put out a negative or overly competitive vibe. “You’ll be able to feel whether or not the gym's energy works for you within one or two visits. Pay attention to it." 

It’s worth taking inventory of the vibe every few months, she adds. “A gym's vibe can change if there’s been an influx of new clientele, a change in management, or if your needs change, so keep checking in."

The gym uses high-pressure sales tactics

You know this game when you see it: You feel like you can't do a single bicep curl without a personal trainer trying to convince you to invest in some one-on-one training. “You don’t want to go to a gym where you feel like every time you walk in the door the trainers are trying to measure your BMI, talk to you about weight loss, or push their training on you,” says Luciani. For one, it’s annoying. But for another, it can create a body-negative, unsupportive environment. And if you don’t feel supported, you're more likely to skip your workout.

You've plateaued

If you’re a member of a gym or a boutique studio that only offers one type of workout and you’ve plateaued, you may actually need to switch up your fitness routine. “Ask yourself, 'Are these classes getting progressively more challenging? Am I getting stronger or better?'” says Luciani. If the answer is no, you might be doing yourself a disservice. “Your body will adapt to the fitness routine that you’re doing. You don't want your body to get too efficient. If you adapt, you plateau,” she says. The solution: Add something new to your routine at a new gym–or at least do something different a few days a week like getting outside, going on a run, or trying yoga, she says.

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As a health writer, people often ask me if I've changed my lifestyle to become a healthier person. Do I eat healthier, work out more, and actually put to use any of those nifty tips I learn about every day?

For a long time, my response was, "No—I still have all the same bad habits; now I just feel guiltier about them."

I did eventually get involved in fitness and running, partially thanks to my job. But I still find it hard to squeeze in a workout most days, even though I know how important it is to my long-term health.

Turns out, I'm probably not the only health-related professional who feels that way. Most doctors, who know the dangers of inactivity more than anyone, don't get enough exercise, according to a study published this month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Almost 80% of doctors fall short
Researchers at the United Kingdom's Bedford Hospital NHS Trust surveyed 61 hospital physicians and found that only 21% get the recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five days a week—that's less than half of the 44% of the overall population in the same age group who claim to meet this goal.

Those who didn't blamed lack of time, lack of motivation, or lack of workout facilities. (Doctors with an on-site gym at their hospital didn't fare any better than those without, however. In fact, a third of them didn't even know it existed!)

Other good habits had seemed to rub off on the junior doctors, who had an average age of 27 and an average BMI of 23.5 (considered normal weight): They weighed less and smoked less than the national average, and only 7% drank more than the recommended weekly amount of alcohol. As for their abysmal exercise habits, many had been more active in school—and had only become couch potatoes after they started their jobs.

What does it mean for us?
While the study was done on British hospital doctors (as opposed to, say, American primary-care physicians), coauthor Lampson Fan, MBBS, is willing to bet that findings would be similar elsewhere.

"In both the U.K. and U.S., doctors are under the influence of the same stresses," he wrote me in an email. "In many ways, its probably worse in the U.S. as the doctors there are working on average 30 hours more [a week] than those in the U.K."

While I can't say I'm shocked at these results, the numbers are quite disheartening. If doctors, whose responsibility it should be to promote good health, can't find time to exercise, what hope is there for others out there with demanding schedules—lawyers, truck drivers, working moms, or people who have taken on a second job?

Previous research has shown that doctors who exercise are more likely to counsel their patients to do the same, and that patients are more willing to try exercising when their doctors disclose their own personal workout habits. Think about it: If an out-of-shape doctor pleaded with you to get more exercise, how seriously could you take him knowing that he's not getting enough himself?

Dr. Lampson recommends that health-care institutions do more to promote physical activity among employees, such as sponsoring organized exercise classes, team sports, and discounts with local gyms. If doctors can get passionate about exercise, hopefully they'll pass on that excitement to their patients—or at least set a good example.

Does the physical fitness of your doctor matter to you? Have you ever been motivated—or discouraged—by the health of a physician?

 

Let’s face it: On some days, you just don't have the time to spend a full hour clocking miles on the treadmill or pumping weights at the squat rack. You already have one thousand other things on your to-do list, and unfortunately, working out doesn’t always make the cut.

We get it, and we have some good news: New research says that the exercise you do on those no-workout days (you know, when you take the stairs or carry heavy groceries) might be more beneficial than you think.

RELATED: Please Move More, Even Just a Little Bit, Say New Physical Activity Guidelines

Say hello to HIIPA, or high-intensity incidental physical activity. It’s a version of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) that you already do as you go about your everyday life, no gym needed. Last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updated the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to say that physical activity no longer has to last at least 10 minutes to be beneficial. The new thinking is that every bit of activity counts, even if it’s just two minutes at a time.

So what kind of activity qualifies as HIIPA? According to a report published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine this week, HIIPA is any movement you make that gets your heart rate up—such as vacuuming every room in your house, chasing your kids around the backyard, parking your car in a faraway spot and having to walk a few minutes to your office door, and lugging a heavy load of laundry to the laundromat.

Instead of thinking you have to block out an hour of your day to get your blood pumping, you can treat the things you’re already doing as built-in bites of exercise.

RELATED: Transform Your Core With This No-Equipment 10-Minute Ab Workout

"There is a lot of research telling us that any type of HIIT, irrespective of the duration and number of repetitions, is one of the most effective ways to rapidly improve fitness and cardiovascular health and HIIPA works on the same idea," Emmanuel Stamatakis, PhD, lead author on the report, said in a statement.

The report also says that one of the great things about HIIPA is that it does away with the usual obstacles that hold people back from making exercise a regular part of their routine—like the high price of gym memberships, not having enough time, and simply lacking the skills and motivation.

HIIPA is gaining popularity at just the right time, considering many Americans just aren’t meeting the current guidelines, which call for adults to complete 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, per week. Only 26% of men and 19% of women are meeting that benchmark, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last year with the updated physical activity guidelines.

“The new guidelines demonstrate that, based on the best science, everyone can dramatically improve their health just by moving—anytime, anywhere, and by any means that gets you active,” said Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, assistant secretary for health, in an HHS press release.

RELATED: This Is the Best Anti-Aging Workout, According to Science