Strike a Yoga Pose: Intense Side Stretch


Updated 05/13/10 1:08 PM · Posted by FitSugar · 4 comments

Yoga Pose of the Week: Intense Side Stretch

For all you runners and bikers with tight hamstrings, this is the pose for you. It's one of my favorite stretches to target the backs of the legs, but it'll also give you a nice stretch on the sides of your body, as well as your chest and shoulders. Sanskrit Name: Parsvottanasana English Translation: Intense Side Stretch Pose Also Called: Scissor To learn how to do this pose read more Read more

Headstand? Ugh. How to Stop Hating Inversions


Updated 04/25/12 3:20 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

Tips For Doing Inversions in Yoga

As beings who walk with their heads stacked over their feet, it's no surprise that going upside down in your yoga class scares the om out of you. Fear of falling, neck or other pains, and the sheer oddness of seeing the world from a whole new perspective can make inversions lowest on your list of faves. If you get upset whenever your teacher suggests headstands, forearm stands, or handstands, Read more

Coach Potato Fitness: Exercises For TV Time


Updated 05/03/11 9:18 PM · Posted by · 3 comments

Exercises to Do While Watching TV

If only I spent as many hours exercising as I do watching TV, my body would be bikini-ready in no time! Looks like I'm not the only one who has an array of favorite shows — Nielsen's Q2 2010 State of the Media fact sheet shows that the average American watches 143 hours of television per month. If you do the math on that, that's about five hours of TV per day! Now that Spring is here, I Read more

How to Master Scissor Legs Side Crow Pose


Updated 04/24/12 6:22 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

How to Do Advanced Crow Poses

Even if you've never done regular ol' Crow Pose, you can master this advanced variation of this arm balance with the right preparation. Yoga arm balances may look straight out of Cirque du Soleil and impossible, but breaking the poses down step by step can help you master them. Try out this sequence of yoga poses to stretch your hip flexors, increase the flexibility of your spine, and build your Read more

Feeling Crampy? Low-Impact Exercises For That Time of the Month


Updated 10/27/11 8:55 PM · Posted by · 6 comments

Exercises That Ease PMS and Period Symptoms

During Aunt Flo's monthly visit, feeling crampy, fatigued, or bloated may make it hard to stick to your normal fitness routine. Instead of skipping out on exercise completely, swap high-intensity workouts with something less intense — light exercise can actually help alleviate symptoms associated with PMS and your period. Here are some low-impact workout ideas to send your period's symptoms Read more

If Your Back Hurts in Savasana, You're Not Alone


Updated 07/01/11 6:40 AM · Posted by · 3 comments

How to Relieve Back Pain in Savasana

While teaching a Vinyasa Yoga class Saturday morning, I noticed three of my students shifting around while in Savasana (aka corpse pose), the relaxation pose done at the end of class where you lie on your back and just breathe. Afterward I asked if they were uncomfortable, and they all complained of an aching lower back. It seems like an oxymoron that a resting pose would be so unbearable, but Read more