FitSugar

Gym Equipment Explained: Balance Cushion

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:45:00 PDT

Most gyms have these odd looking inflatable discs, but what the heck do you do with it?

Inflatable Balance Disc/Cushion
What is it: A small inflatable cushion/disc that adds an element of instability to a workout. The cushion is typically textured on one side to control tread and minimize tipping. You can easily control the balance challenge by adjusting the inflation (less inflated it is, the harder).
Area of Body it Works: Core and more (depends entirely on how you use it)
Why: The instability, maximizes effort during functional training-- Good for a strong core and lower back.
How: There are many ways you can use the disc but here are some easy ideas --

Place a cushion under your foot/feet when doing squats and lunges.
Place two under your feet when doing sit-ups on an exercise ball.
Place one under your low back when doing crunches on the floor.
Place two under your hands (or one under your feet) during push-ups.
Place one disc under your feet while doing calf raises to strengthen ankles, calves and thighs.
Place one under your hands or feet during a plank.
Place one under your booty while sitting on an average chair to increase the strength of your lower abdomen and back muscles, reducing your risk of back injury from sitting all day.

If you have your own use for the balance cushion, share it with us in the comments section below.

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5 Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Run

Shape — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:11:45 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello for some help!

The weather is getting nice and you may have been bitten by the "run bug." To make the transition from indoor runs to the great outdoors seamless and safe, I compiled a list of my top five tricks to get the most out of your outdoor run. Whether you have had some success running on the treadmill, or you are completely new to outdoor running, there are two crucial factors that you must understand.

25 Most Deceiving Exercises (They Tone More Than You Think).

First, let's talk about a little guy named Newton. See, Newton has this law that states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Are you with me so far? Good. Well, with runners, the concern is what we run on. The harder the surface the greater the ground reaction force, which is basically the force exerted by the ground back onto the body (in this case, our little legs) that are in contact with it, is. To simplify this, surfaces like concrete and pavement will cause a greater reaction back into our joints and legs than an energy absorbing treadmill. This not only makes us work harder, but will tire us out faster and cause greater stress on our joints.

Are Your Workouts Causing Pain? How to Find Out.

Second, the treadmill is a flat belt that provides consistency with each step. There are no stones, traffic, or inclement weather activity that would cause you to be off balance or have to change your gait. Running outdoors forces the body to make constant small adjustments. That said, here is what’s going to make your outdoor run a successful one.

5 Unique Ways to Make the Most of Your Treadmill.

Learn how to make the most out of your outdoor runs after the break!

Amp Up Your Workout With These Balance Exercises

Susi May — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:37:25 PDT

If you're looking to amp up your fitness routine, you need to get unstable. Performing classic single-leg exercises while standing on a foam pad, like the one pictured above by Aeromat, is simple way to do this. The squishy surface forces your core and legs to work harder, increasing your strength gains and caloric burn. Standing on the soft surface also strengthens your feet and ankles, which is important if you're flirting with the barefoot running trend or plan to spend lots of time hiking hilly terrain this Summer.

To get started, try this three-exercise progression I learned from my Equinox trainer Lauren. Once you've mastered a variation, try the next level up. As you experiment with these moves, you will feel your weight shift from side to side on your foot, which means the muscles that support your arch and ankle are working. If you find your feet cramping, spread your toes wide in your shoes or try the exercise in just socks.

Learn the moves after the break.

Fresh New Balance Fitness Tips

Sponsor — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:00:00 PDT

Nothing can take a workout from zero to 60 quite like the best (and cutest) exercise gear, starting with your feet. Lucky for us workout wild ones, New Balance knows how to keep your exercise fresh. How? With the new Superlight Superfresh walking shoes. Revolutionary REVlite for lightweight cushioning is as supportive as it is sassy, offering your tootsies full ground contact and supporting your great walker's gait. Ruching on each side of the shoe serves both fashion AND function, giving you a customized snug fit and happy fresh feet. Check out the fresh Superlight Superfresh shoes here!

Fresh New Workout Style

Sponsor — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:00:00 PDT

It's no secret that workout routines can get a little mundane . . . Especially if your exercise gear doesn't get you excited anymore. Luckily, New Balance knows how important it is to bring a breath of fresh air to your sweat sessions, starting with your feet! With the new Superlight Superfresh walking shoe, you'll breathe new life into each step. How? New Balance starts with comfort - your tootsies will love the innovative, cloud-inspired design that keeps you cozy and the REVlite for lightweight cushioning that helps your feet stay fresh and happy. Pumped for your next walking workout? Check out more about the Superlight Superfresh here!

Get the Look: Kate Middleton's Rosy Workout Outfit

Leta Shy — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:33:28 PDT

In prep for the Olympics, Kate Middleton visited England's hockey team today, where she showed off her college-honed skills on the pitch. Your workout outfit may not include the skinny jeans, but if you like Kate's coral-and-gray athletic look, here are some pieces to inspire your own.

Clockwise from top: Y-3 Hooded Cotton Sweatshirt ($98); New Balance NBx Emissive Long Jane ($30); Adidas by Stella McCartney Te Perf Sports Bra ($60); Adidas Response Cushion 20 Shoes ($90); C9 by Champion Ribbed Tank ($13); Nike New Hero Mesh Training Shorts ($28).

11 Rules to Dramatically Increase Your Productivity

Wise Bread — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:04 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

There's a problem with a lot of productivity advice out there, and it's this - your "rules" for personal productivity are often going to be different than mine. Sure, sometimes there's overlap. Sure, you can always learn from others.

But if you want to see a dramatic increase in your productivity, spend less time reading and memorizing other people's rules, and more time figuring out what your own rules are. You'll be more productive and in a way that works with who you are.

So I'm sharing a few of my personal productivity rules. Maybe some of them will work for you or inspire you to think of your own.

1. Small Daily Movements Become Big Accomplishments

I tend to think that I must have big blocks of time in order to get any forward movement. So I hesitate and procrastinate, waiting for that "open time" when I can really push and get a lot done on whatever the current project is.

Turns out, that's a waste of time. Small daily movements add up. It's just that the movements or steps themselves are so small, I think they don't count. They do.

I have to constantly remind myself that I don't need a whole day or a whole week to devote to some project. I just need to take the 10 or 20 minutes I have here and there and use them. I need to achieve a little bit of forward movement every day. That adds up, and it builds momentum, and pretty soon there's been quite a lot accomplished.

For more rules, read after the jump.

13 Signs You’re Too Busy

LearnVest — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:15:38 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

There’s busy.

Then there’s too busy.

Busy is running from one appointment to the next. Too busy is running over someone on your way to the next appointment (physically, vehicularly, whatever). Busy is leaving your cell phone behind at the grocery store. Too busy is leaving your kid behind at the grocery store.

And then there’s the biggest of all ironies-we want to cut back, but frankly, we just don’t have the time to figure out how to do it.

Sound familiar? Well, we’re here to do an intervention-a time intervention. Today, we’ll help you figure out if your life is starting to burst at the seams when it comes to your time. If it is, you need a wake-up call to reset priorities, because there is no shakier foundation for healthy, balanced living (and healthy, balanced money management) than not having the space and breathing room that time provides in our lives.

If you’ve crossed over the line into too busy, you’ll need to reset your foundation: Maybe it means taking a day off from work to reassess your life priorities. Maybe it means evaluating what your time is worth and outsourcing chores like housekeeping or laundry. Maybe it means taking a break from social engagements for a little while to focus on building the right foundation.

Here are 13 signs that you might need a time overhaul in your life-and easy tips on how to get started, today.

You Spend a Good Amount of Time Worrying About Your Time

If your time is preoccupied with, well, your time, you might be: endlessly cycling through your to-do list in your head, spending a lot of time arranging and rearranging your schedule, or wishing throughout the day that you had more time.

If you've worried about your schedule or wished you had more time more than three times a day, you need a break from time itself as a stressor in your life.

Try this: Take a mental break. Remove one thing from your schedule for today that is the least important-it might be putting off doing the laundry or postponing a work call. Spend that time instead totally luxuriating in something in the present moment (like eating a macaron or listening to your favorite song) and not thinking about your schedule, or future plans, at all.

Read on for more.

Shoe Review: Brooks PureCadence

Leta Shy — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:54:49 PDT

The Brooks PureCadence ($120) is part of the company's new PureProject line of minimalist running shoes. The shoes all feature lightweight, flexible, and eco-friendly materials and are designed to improve your stride. The PureCadence, one of four PureProject models designed for different running needs, is made for the overpronator. Show me a stability shoe that's lightweight and cute, and I get excited, so I was more than happy to test out a pair Brooks sent over. If you're in the market for a pair of minimalist shoes for your dry or indoor runs, read on to learn more about the PureCadence.

If you're a regular stability shoe user, your feet will be happily surprised when you slip on these lightweight shoes. Each PureCadence shoe weighs in at 8.3 ounces, but these sneakers don't skimp on support and cushioning. My feet never felt better, whether I was on the treadmill or running in the park, thanks to the Brooks DNA gel-cushioning, which disperses or firms depending on your stride to give you the support you need. And even though I have low arches, I'm a big fan of the Nav Band that wraps around the shoe (you can see the neon green band in the middle of the shoe in the photo) - you can feel the arch support while you run. My runs felt more light and bouncy than normal, thanks not only to the minimalist design but also the small touches that help correct your stride, like split sole to under the big toe to give it room to balance and push off during your runs (see the split in the sole photo above), and a rounded short heel box helps correct your stride to be more mid- or forward-foot.

Keep reading for more about my Brooks PureCadence review.

6 Things I Wish I Knew Before Buying My First Yoga Mat

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:57:25 PDT

When I started practicing yoga over 10 years ago, I couldn't wait to own my first yoga mat. I impulsively bought a pretty purple one, based on color alone. Not the best move, as it began disintegrating after a few weeks. What a waste of $35. Like any fitness gear, it pays to do a little research and to know some tips from well-seasoned yogis. Here are things I wish I knew before buying my first yoga mat.

Not All Mats Are Created Equal
Just as there are many types of yoga, there are even more varieties of yoga mats. Some are lightweight for traveling, some are eco-friendly, and some are designed for classes where you don't sweat much. Choose a mat based on the type of yoga you're doing and the amount you perspire. Avoid mats made for other types of exercise like physical therapy or Pilates, as they can be too squishy or slippery.

If You Want It to Last, Spend the Dough
There are plenty of mats that costs $20 or less, but you get what you pay for in the yoga mat world. Typically found at huge stores like Target or Walmart, less-expensive mats not only wear down after a few months, but they're typically made with chemically-smelling plastics like PVC, which aren't good for the Earth or your body. Pricier mats like the Manduka Black Mat cost ~~a small fortune~~ over $90, but you're paying for a durable mat made to last a lifetime (or two). In the long run, you actually save money.

Keep reading for more tips on buying your first yoga mat.