Finding Your Deep Abs!


Updated 08/10/07 6:33 PM · Posted by FitSugar · 3 comments

Finding Your Deep Abs!

Finding your deep abs is essential to training your core and for just about every Pilates exercise in the book. Accessing them, however, can be difficult. Here is the easiest path to discover your transverse abdominus (TVA for short), the deepest of all the abdominals. Sit upright in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Align your head over your pelvis while maintaining the natural curve and Read more

Breathe Deeply, Improve Your Running


Updated 12/27/11 9:45 AM · Posted by · 1 comment

Pilates Breathing Can Help Your Running and Cycling

Breathing. You're doing it right now without even thinking about it. Put a little thought into the action, and you just might find yourself soaring through your next tempo run. When you're going the distance running, swimming, cycling, and even rowing you need to power your muscles with fresh oxygen. To do this, you need to breathe deeply. Unfortunately, most of us are just breathing into our Read more

4 Reasons to Try TRX Suspension Training


Updated 02/08/12 12:05 PM · Posted by · 4 comments

Why TRX Is a Good Workout

It may have been developed for the Navy SEALs, but you don't have to be in secret-weapon shape to work out with TRX. The concept of the TRX suspension training is pretty basic: you use two cables on your feet or hands to partially suspend your body and use your own body weight as resistance. The muscle groups you work as well as how hard you work them all depend on the positioning of your body on Read more

Hilary Duff's High-Energy Prenatal Piloxing Workout


Updated 01/25/12 12:33 PM · Posted by Self · 1 comment

Hilary Duff Pregnancy Piloxing Workout Routine

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar! Some women may take it easy during their last trimester, but Hilary Duff isn't the type to let her workouts slide just because she's eating for two. The singer-actress may be seven months pregnant, but according to her trainer of eight years, Vivica Jensen, she's still staying fit with biweekly Piloxing sessions. Read more

No-Sweat Ways to Burn 100 Calories in 30 Minutes


Updated 01/20/12 2:10 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

How to Burn 100 Calories Without Sweating

Sometimes you just don't want to sweat. Or you're so exhausted from the week's workouts that you can't give it your all. You can still burn a decent number of calories with some low-impact activities. Here are a number of no-sweat ways to burn 100 calories in 30 minutes. Walking: Stretch your limbs and breathe some fresh air without the hard impact that comes from running. Walking at a Read more

The Best Indoor Workout Classes (Because It's Freezing Outside!)


Updated 01/18/12 6:27 AM · Posted by Self · 1 comment

The Best Indoor Workouts For Winter

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar! There are lots (and I mean, lots) of reasons why my motivation to work out during the Winter plummets — from the snowy commute to freezing cold winds to the cold, dry air that hits my chest with such force that it becomes hard to breathe. (Ahem, there's a reason I sign up for races that are after September — this Read more

4 Ways Pilates Makes Everything Better


Updated 10/20/11 10:48 AM · Posted by · 1 comment

Why You Should Do Pilates

Pilates has a rep as a girly exercise form that attracts ladies who lunch. Private sessions can be pricey, but mat classes will work your entire body. Originally called Contrology, the practice was actually developed to rehab injured soldiers after WW I — talk about functional fitness! After teaching the method for years (and rehabbing my own chronic back injury with it), I have decided Pilates Read more

How to Breathe When Running


Updated 10/24/11 10:18 AM · Posted by Heather Dale · 2 comments

How to Breathe When Running

Ever wonder why some days you feel like an energizer bunny and can keep running and running, while other days your legs feel like lead and you have zero stamina? Certainly the amount of sleep you got the night before, stress levels, and diet play a role in how you perform during your runs, but how you regulate your breath during your jogging session also effects your energy levels. Here's how to Read more

3 Injury-Prone Workouts and Tips on Avoiding Harm


Updated 10/11/11 6:22 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

The Worst Workouts For Injury

You might avoid certain workouts because you are fearful of injury. Or if you are like me, you might migrate toward certain classes or equipment because you are trying to maintain some fitness level while recovering from an injury. I'm currently working through back and leg injuries, so when it comes to protecting my body from further damage, I've learned that proper alignment is absolutely key Read more

Piyo, Piloga, Yogilates: Any Way You Spell It, They're a Perfect Mix of Yoga and PiIates


Updated 10/11/11 6:23 PM · Posted by Heather Dale · 1 comment

Pilates and Yoga Hybrid Classes

New to Pilates and yoga, but can't decide which class to take? Or maybe you love yoga and Pilates but can't squeeze both into your hectic schedule? These fitness dilemmas can easily be solved thanks to a new wave of Pilates- and yoga-fusion classes popping up all over the US. Reap the benefits from both practices in just one class. Wondering where to start? Here's a rundown of some yoga-Pilates Read more