FitSugar

How to Push Past a Fitness Plateau: Get Unstable

Susi May — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:41:57 PDT

Once you've mastered the basic moves of strength training - like squats, lunges, and planks - gym time can become a little dull. Workouts creep by slowly due to boredom, and if you don't push yourself to the next level, you may find your fitness level stalling as you coast onto a plateau. When the going gets boring, it's time to get unstable.

Performing seemingly simple exercises on an unstable surface creates a whole new set of challenges for you to master. Fitness tools like the BOSU, balance pads (sponge-like pads, two to three inches thick), rocker boards, and exercise balls can help you work out harder by disrupting your sense of balance. If you're ready to experiment with instability, here are a few exercises my Equinox trainer has recently taught me.

Plank on the rocker board: There are a wide variety of rocker boards, but for this move the one we use looks like an over-sized skateboard with a cylindrical piece attached in the middle. I place my hands equidistant from the center and hold a plank, trying not to dip to either side. When that becomes somewhat easy, add alternating leg lifts. This move seemed impossible to me at first, but once you find the zone on the third set you feel a core master.
Hold the plank for 30 seconds; do 10 lifts on each leg.

Learn two more moves after the break.

Workout Trends - Fad or Here to Stay?

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:13:42 PDT

Going through the same workout routine can be boring, which is why new products and methods keep people motivated to get fit. However, with so many options, it's hard to anticipate which technique or method will stick around and influence gym workouts nationwide. Now's your chance to vote on the workout equipment you think is a fad versus the ones that you are convinced are here to stay.

Core Work: Twisted BOSU Plank

Susi May — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:40:59 PST

No matter how you slice it or dice it, the BOSU makes everything harder - and I mean that in a good way. Take your basic plank, add the BOSU into the equation and your core is working overtime. Here's a progression of plank exercises for this devilish piece of equipment that I learned from my Equinox trainer Lauren.

Basic Plank: You start in a basic plank with the ball side of the BOSU facing down. This can be quite a challenge and an exercise unto itself. If just doing this plank variation, hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds, and repeat three times.
Knee Up: For an added challenge, while holding the plank pull your right knee to your chest and hold there for two or three seconds. Return to the plank, and switch legs for one complete rep. Do 10 reps altogether. You need to keep the BOSU stable throughout the exercise - that's what makes it tough.
Add a Twist: Start in plank, pull your right knee toward your chest, twist to the left, and kick your right leg out to straight. Reverse the action, untwist, bring knee to chest, then return to plank. Do 10 times on each side. This one is tough, but it makes more sense to your body on the second set. Do two to three sets of this move while keeping the BOSU stable.

Gifting For the Home Gym

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:00:37 PST

Giving the gift of fitness is definitely a gift that keeps on giving. If someone on your holiday gift list works out at home, here are some pieces of equipment to help them burn it up in the comfort of their own home.

Clockwise from top left: Perfect for challenging both the core and the sense of balance, the BOSU ($100) takes any exercise up a notch. The Jungle Gym XT ($100) brings suspension workouts into the home - the system works with a door or a pull-up bar. Bring a little mind-body exercise into your fitness freak's home gym with a Pilates Spring Board ($445); it's a wall unit version of the classic Cadillac. If you feel like giving big, it's hard to go wrong with an elliptical by Precor ($3,400) - a joint-friendly cardio machine. A set of adustable dumbbells ($143) means more options that take up less space; perfect for strength training in a small space.

Balancing Act: Trainer's BOSU Exercises For Postpartum Moms

LilSugar — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:00:49 PDT

Motherhood is a balancing act so a BOSU balance trainer ($130) is an appropriate device for moms to use when they are fighting the postpartum pounds! 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 are some of the BOSU exercises she recommends.

BOSU Hip Raise
(Targets the glutes and hamstrings)
Lie face up with your knees bent and feet flat on the BOSU. Raise your hips up toward the ceiling by squeezing your glutes and pressing down through your heels. Try to imagine a straight line going from the top of your knees to your shoulders. Hold for a few seconds and then return to your starting position.

BOSU Plank
(This targets the core)
Lay flat on your stomach, position your elbows under the shoulders on top of the BOSU, then curl your toes under and push your body up by resting your weight on your elbows and tightening your torso. This can be done by pulling your navel in toward your spine so your hips don’t sag. Your body should be in a straight line from head to heels. The neck should be kept in-line with the rest of the spine. Keep breathing naturally throughout the exercise. Hold for about 30 seconds. Make the exercise less challenging by holding this position on your knees or by placing your forearms on an elevated surface. Make it more of a challenge by adding in a leg lift.

Keep reading for two more exercises.

Get the Bod: Brooke Burke

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:00:00 PST

Brooke Burke may be pregnant but she is still super hot. Now we know why... she is doing squats combined with lateral raises on a BOSU!

Looks like Brooke is working what she can while she's preggers: her legs and her shoulders. To do Brooke's killer BOSU work out

For this work out you are going to need a BOSU and free weights.

Start by holding 5-8 pound dumb bells.
Stand on (in the center) of a BOSU -- take a moment to gain your balance before going further. Keep the weights at your side.
Slowly, squat down, using the heels of your feet and the weights to balance you.
Bring yourself slowly back up to the starting position.

Now do one regular front raise (still standing in the center of the BOSU), which completes one rep.
Do 3 sets of 10.

Fit's Tip: For the proper ways to do squats and front raises, be sure to click on the words above. Use your judgement on how much is too much - if you are struggling to do 10, then start with 8 and work your way up to 10 in a few weeks. If 10 is too easy, then start with 12. Also, if you're experienced with weight training you may want to use heavier weights and if this is your first time, you may want to go lighter. If you are as preggers as Brooke and haven't been exercising regularly, you should start with lighter weights and stand on the ground (not on a BOSU) and consult your OB first.

Source

Do you BOSU?

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 08:30:00 PST

Let me just start by telling you that BOSU is an acronym of sorts for both sides up. That's kind of cute, but I can’t help but think about Ginsu knives (only $99.99 for the entire set) when I say it.

You’ve probably seen one at your gym. It looks like a physio ball cut in half. You can work with either the flat side up or the ball side up - hence its name. Even though there are only two options, you'd be surprised with the amount or exercises you can do with the BOSU. The variations are endless.

With the ball side up you can stand on it, test your balance and work your core. Or just stand on one leg to strengthen your standing ankle. Another possibility is lunging with your front foot on the BOSU.

With the flat side up, you can do a plank. This is really hard and I would start on your knees (make sure you’re on something cushy to protect your knees).

Many gyms offer BOSU classes. Click here to find a class near you.

Ab Extra Credit: BOSU Moves For Your Belly

Susi May — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:54:50 PDT

I am always on the hunt for new ways to challenge my midsection, and lucky for me my Equinox trainer Lauren is happy to indulge this pursuit. She recently taught me two new ab exercises using a BOSU. Don't be fooled by the silly look of this piece of fitness gear; the BOSU really seems to increase the difficulty of any move almost exponentially. Next time you're at the gym, pick one up and try these exercises. Your abs will appreciate the burn and quiver.

How to Maximize Those Butt-Toning Squats

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:06:03 PDT

If strong, sculpted legs are what you're after, you've got to become one with the squat. The basic exercise targets glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core, so incorporating it into your strength-training workouts is definitely worth your while. Here are some ways to get more bang for your butt - er, I mean buck - when doing squats.

Focus on your heels: When doing a squat, make sure to shift your weight back onto your heels and lower the body as if you're about to sit in a chair. This proper form helps to put even more focus on the glutes and hamstrings and takes pressure off the knees. It also offers a stable surface that enables you to get low to the ground, which is what makes the move so effective.
Try variations: Target lower body muscles differently by changing the position of your feet. Squat with your big toes together, feet out wide, and try one heel or both heels lifted, or even one leg lifted (to get legs like Cameron Diaz). Step on a Bosu ball and squat on a wobbly surface to work your core, and try twisting variations for even more of a challenge. Check out this list of different squat variations.

Keep reading for more ways to make squats more effective.

The Biggest Reasons Your Ab Exercises Aren't Working

Prevention — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:25:40 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

If you're struggling to see your six-pack, you could be making one of these mistakes.

By Jenna Bergen, Prevention

As the weather warms and Spring break approaches, we're all forced to do that same rather scary thing: unearth the bathing suit and take a good, hard look in the mirror. I did it just last week and was relieved to see that my job as the fitness editor at Prevention had kept my abs from going too far south. Still, given all the hours I clock at the gym, I wouldn't mind seeing a little more definition. That's when I realized I needed to fine-tune my game. If you've been putting in the effort and still don't have the abs you're after, take heart - you're not alone. Here are four top slipups that mess with your six-pack - plus expert fixes to get you back on track.

Your Form Is Sloppy
"The wrong form can turn an effective move into one that won't do anything for you," says personal trainer Jessica Smith Gomez, costar of the 10 Minute Solution: Best Belly Blasters. A few of the most common mistakes: pulling on your neck (which allows your abs to slack off), using momentum rather than muscle strength (again, a freebie pass for the abs), sagging your hips in plank, and not keeping them pulled in during every move. "You must control your abdominal wall to get any real benefit," says Erin O'Brien, creator of Kristi Yamaguchi: Power Workout and Strong Body Ageless Body. Not sure how you're doing? Check your form in a mirror.

Keep reading for two more reasons your ab exercises aren't working!