FitSugar

The Power Plate Demystified

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:05:00 PDT

The rich and famous have long been fans of the Power Plate, making us all the more curious to check out this high-priced, high-tech fitness machine. Hearing that the machine's vibrations make every exercise more challenging, we had celeb trainer Adam Ernster walk us through a few moves to get a feel for the machine. Learn how the Power Plate works when you watch the video.

Embarrassing Gym Moves and How to Avoid the Blush

Leta Shy — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:46:50 PDT

No matter how confident you are at the gym, there are just some moves that make you think, "I hope no one is looking at me right now." And while you should never feel intimated or think that people are judging you - after all, people are there to sweat, and they probably are thinking they look ridiculous too - there are some awkward exercises that may have you thinking twice about whether or not you want to do them. Here are five blush-worthy exercises and how to avoid feeling embarrassed!

Source: Thinkstock

The 10 Biggest Mistakes You're Making at the Gym

Leta Shy — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:03:14 PDT

Personal trainers spend all day watching people work out, so they are well versed in the biggest mistakes we make when we're sweating it out at the gym. We asked trainers from Crunch, Equinox, and The Sports Club LA to tell us the worst things they see people doing over and over when exercising in the gym. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes at the gym, and how to avoid them!

Doing squats and lunges incorrectly. These fitness mainstays are easy to do anywhere, but they are often done incorrectly, says Caitlin Ritt, a private trainer at The Sports Club LA. "The biggest mistake I see people do over and over in the gym is squats and lunges with the weight in their toes and their heels coming up off the ground," she says. "I have clients come to me all the time complaining about knee pain, and as soon as I get them to keep the weight through their heels, almost always the knee pain goes away." Correctly doing squats and lunges will not only help prevent injuries, but will also engage your glute muscles. And that, as Caitlin reminds us, "is the way to a firmer and tighter butt!"
Doing the same routine all the time. Don't just go to the gym on autopilot. "You need to mix it up in order to avoid boredom and plateauing," says Lauren Fairbanks, a personal trainer at Equinox. Dedicate different days to focus on a different aspect of your fitness routine and don't be shy about trying new exercises; it helps rest overused muscles.
Relying on the machines. Gyms are filled with rows of machines, and often people think that's all they should be using at the gym. "Machines are horrible," says Tim Rich, a personal training manager at Crunch. "They push you through a guided plane of motion, which could cause pain and injury." Instead, "make your body a machine" by doing strengthening exercises that use your own body weight (like push-ups and lunges), or taking advantage of free weights, or, if your gym has it, a TRX suspension system.

More mistakes after the break!

Cheap Fitness Gear to Reward and Motivate Yourself

Leta Shy — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:35:08 PDT

A daily workout routine can get old, fast. Luckily, there's a lot you can do to prevent boredom. One way is to reward yourself for reaching goals that you've set with cheap but useful fitness finds. Whether you want to be more stylish at the gym or are looking to relieve sore muscles, here are five ways to reward yourself for $15 or less!

Source: Thinkstock

Get Wobbly and Get Ripped With This Gym Equipment

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:47:12 PDT

If you've tried surfing, skateboarding, or skiing, you know firsthand the challenge of balancing on an unstable surface. Not only is it difficult to remain upright without falling on your face, but the shifting and quivering micro-movements your body does as you attempt to stay upright work your muscles in amazing ways too. That's the logic behind strength training with equipment that makes your footing wobbly. To get more bang for your buck, experiment with these pieces of fitness equipment and work your sense of balance during your next strength training session.

As Seen on TV: How Well Do You Know Gimmicky Fitness Equipment?

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:00:02 PDT

If you stay up late, there's no doubt you've seen your fair share of infomercials advertising the latest and greatest fitness gear. You're told that these exercise machines are "guaranteed" to give you the rock-hard, chiseled, and lean body you've always craved, all within minutes a day, of course. Whether or not they deliver the results they claim, take this fun little quiz to see what you know about gimmicky fitness gear.

Question 1 of 9

What does this contraption target?

From Total Body to High Intensity: Elliptical Workouts For All

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:53:29 PDT

The elliptical is a mainstay in the gym for good reason: it's easy on the joints and provides a great cardio and total-body workout. But the elliptical can also get pretty boring and repetitive, too. Instead of spending a mindless 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, maximize your time by doing one of these eight workouts instead. Whether you're a beginner, looking for a high-intensity interval workout, or want to challenge different muscles groups, there's an elliptical workout for you. There's even one for those of you who love the treadmill!

Booty Workout - Target glutes and hamstrings by playing with the incline on the elliptical. This elliptical booty workout will help you tone your backside while also getting a good cardio workout. Really give your backside a good workout by focusing on keeping your heels down while you're on the machine.
Core Workout - To work your core while on the elliptical, just let go. Not using the handles in this elliptical core workout helps engage all the muscles of your core as you work harder to stay balanced on the machine. The faster you can go, the more you'll work your core in this.
Just Like the Treadmill - For times when you can't find an empty treadmill in the gym, try this elliptical treadmill workout. The workout comes close to mimicking what running on a treadmill feels like and may even help even out your stride. To really feel like you're on a treadmill, don't hold onto the elliptical's handles; instead, keep your arms in a running position.

See more elliptical workouts after the break!

Cool or Not: Roberto Cavalli-Designed Exercise Bike

Leta Shy — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:16:31 PDT

It's one thing to have your own home gym (or spare room to house your gym equipment), but sometimes the only place to put your treadmill or exercise bike is smack in the middle of your living room. That can create an unsightly eye sore.

That wouldn't be the case if you sprung for an exercise bike that looks more like modern art than gym equipment. Roberto Cavalli, the high-end, luxury celebrity designer favorite, has launched an exercise bike collection with Ciclotte. Like Ciclotte's other sleek, minimalist bikes, these machines seem more at home in a museum than your sweaty local gym but boast all the calorie-burning features you'd expect from a serious exercise bike - four gears for spinning workouts, ergonomic design, and a lightweight but durable frame made from carbon, steel, and fiberglass.

The Roberto Cavalli Ciclotte collection comes in six colors including fuchsia, gold, and silver, but my favorites are the ones with the crazy animal print accents, like the one above - a perfect complement to the designer's forthcoming gymwear collection, also shown above. No word on the price yet, but most Ciclotte bikes run around $11,000. What do you think: better-looking than a regular bike, or too odd for your house?

Source

Do You Use a Stability Ball?

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 04:30:03 PDT

Looking for a way to amp up your ab work? Then get on the ball! An inflatable rubber stability ball may look like a toy, but it's a great way to make your workout harder.

There are so many ways to use them, from torso stretches to thigh twists to arm-toning moves and, of course, ab work - the list just goes on and on. No wonder stability balls are so popular. Still, I know plenty of people who've never used one. How about you?

Pair Two Pieces of Equipment For Double the Benefits

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:50:06 PDT

Summer weather inspires us to bare more skin in tank tops, sleeveless sun dresses, short flowy skirts, and of course bathing suits. In order to feel confident shedding those extra Winter layers, you want to strength train, and here's a trick to get the most out of your sessions.

Instead of sticking to one type of equipment, pair two together. Use a resistance band with your set of dumbbells or kettlebell, and hold a medicine ball or set of hand weights when using an exercise ball. Using two types of equipment at once will challenge your sense of balance or add more resistance, so you end up working your muscles more than if you were only using one type of equipment.

Check out some exercise ideas when you