Healthy happy you.
Standing poses not only strengthen your legs, but they make you feel powerful and calm. One of my favorites is Extended Side Angle because it opens the hips and stretches the sides of the body. Here's a variation that involves twisting the torso, so it also opens the chest and shoulders and strengthens your core. Sanskrit Name: Jathara Utthita Parsvakonasana English Translation: Twisting Read more
Remember the YOGA CHALLENGE called Twisting Extended Side Angle? I love this pose because it makes me feel strong and dainty at the same time. FitSugar user lissagarden sent in a picture of herself doing this pose and it's my favorite. Doesn't she look powerful yet graceful? All that with a smile too. I also noticed that she's using a Yogitoes yoga towel on her black mat to prevent her from Read more
Here's the next yoga challenge for you to try, practice then conquer. Be sure to get a friend to snap a picture of you doing it. Then go to the YOGA CHALLENGE group. If you're not sure how to post your picture to the group, check out this explanation. Now onto the challenge. This pose works your quads, your hips, and is a great shoulder opener. Begin in Warrior 2 with the right knee Read more
Yes, it's almost tank top and bikini season, which means that bare arms will be the norm for the months ahead. If you want to sculpt shapely shoulders and toned arms, learn how to incorporate the overhead press into your workout routine. Proper form: You can do an overhead press using dumbbells, barbells, or resistance bands. The following are tips on how to do a standing overhead press using Read more
We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar! She played a frumpy reporter in The Help, but in real life, Emma Stone is the epitome of young Hollywood glamour. The 24-year-old made the transition from child actor to leading lady look effortless, but Stone puts plenty of hard work into every project she tackles, including her Pilates workout. "There's not much to Read more
If you're feeling tight in the hips or side body, Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana) should be your go-to pose. It's part of the primary series in ashtanga, and I always relish the moment when I know it's coming up in the sequence: it's perfect for giving much-needed love to muscle groups that tend to get overlooked. If you want to take this pose to the next level in your practice, here are four Read more
We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar! Your office nemesis isn't that know-it-all in the cubicle over, it's lurking right beneath you: your chair! The more you're sitting, the less calories you're burning... not the ideal bikini body plan. Picture this: when sitting, your activity in your muscles drops and the calorie-burning rate decreases to just about one Read more
There's nothing like a good multitasking stretch to get your muscles ready for a workout. My trainer at Crunch has me do this stretch sequence to combat muscle tightness I have from sitting at a desk all day, but it's easily as useful for runners, cyclists, and anyone else who needs to stretch the lower body muscles. And if you like yoga, you'll love this sequence; each stretch uses the Read more
We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar! Queen B released her fourth album — appropriately titled 4 — yesterday and, surprisingly, it's more slow-burning ballads than booty-shaking anthems. Still, the always-inspiring singer knows how to motivate us in the gym. Beyonce, who has graced our cover no less than three times, has told us plenty about how she Read more
