Class Act: Bodypump


Updated 07/08/07 8:38 PM · Posted by FitSugar · 10 comments

Class Act: Bodypump

Some people like to go about strength training on their own, but others won't touch a barbell unless they have someone telling them how and why and when... BODYPUMP is a barbell group class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls (my favorites), all coordinated to music Read more

Spot on Spotting


Updated 03/15/07 3:02 PM · Posted by FitSugar · 0 comments

Spot on Spotting

If you're lucky enough to have a workout partner, then you're also lucky enough to have a spotter or be a spotter. Being a spotter is not just helping if your partner is having problems, it's about being alert and prepared. Take these tips into consideration. Before starting. Make sure you know how many reps the lifter intends on doing before starting a set. Without this knowledge, you both run Read more

Get Lifted: How to Do an Overhead Press Correctly


Updated 05/09/12 3:50 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

How to Do a Standing Overhead Press With Dumbbells

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

From the Community: Everything You Need to Know About CrossFit


Updated 03/28/12 1:25 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

What Is CrossFit?

FitSugar reader meetcasey interviewed CrossFit expert Robert Sax, owner of the CrossFit Amped Gym, and posted the Q&A in our Get Fit For 2012 community group. Check out what Robert had to say about this rising fitness trend! Meet the Expert: Robert Sax Can you begin by telling us a little about yourself? I am 27 years old and a Capricorn (yes, that’s the goat). I’m originally from Read more

400 Meter Diva Natasha Hastings on Running For Olympic Gold


Updated 03/13/12 7:33 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

Olympian Natasha Hastings the 400 Meter Diva Interview

Finishing a quick tour once around the track with times hovering at the 50-second mark, the potential US Track Team is deep with female talent ready to conquer the 400-meter event at the Summer games. The women's relay team will most likely have a shot for a repeat gold medal performance, too. A member of the winning relay team in Beijing, Natasha Hastings told us in a recent interview that she Read more

Essential Exercises For Your Lower Body


Updated 03/07/12 11:40 AM · Posted by · 3 comments

How to Do Basic Lower-Body Exercises

As Summer nears, our thoughts turn to what's underneath those layers of Winter clothes. If you're looking to tone your backside and legs before bikini season, here are five essential lower-body moves fundamental to any workout. And don't worry — you can do them anywhere! The squat: That burning in your upper thighs as you hold a squat tells you just how great this move is for lower body Read more

Why You Should Love Deadlifts (and How to Do Them Correctly)


Updated 03/08/12 11:02 AM · Posted by · 9 comments

How to Do a Deadlift Correctly

If the deadlift isn't part of your regular routine, it should be. While the move's name may conjure images of meaty bodybuilders, the exercise is an amazingly effective move for your lower body, especially your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Not only that, it's great for your core muscles, too. "The act of keeping the core tight while the load is trying to pull you forward is extremely Read more

5 Reasons Not to Be Intimidated By Free Weights


Updated 01/08/12 11:38 AM · Posted by FitSugar · 1 comment

Reasons to Do Free Weight Exercises

The free weights section of the gym can be a bit daunting thanks to floor-to-ceiling mirrors, stacks of barbells and dumbbells, and a crowd of bodybuilding types. But the benefits of free weight exercises are great, so it's important to boost your dumbbell confidence. Here are five reasons you should take a break from the weight machines: Your know more than you think you know. There aren't any Read more

3 Warning Signs You Might Be Exercising Too Much


Updated 06/23/11 1:37 PM · Posted by · 2 comments

How Much Exercise Is Too Much?

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar! If you're anything like me, your workout waves come in (short) fits and starts. At least you're doing something — that's how I rationalize it. On the downside, that may mean that you get overzealous during exercise phases.  It's great to keep moving, but overshooting your fitness level — or even hitting the gym Read more

Skip Crunches and Try These Ab Exercises Instead


Updated 09/10/11 9:43 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

Skip Crunches and Try These Ab Exercises Instead

When you think ab work, the first move that comes to mind is often the classic crunch. This move might tone your middle but it's not so good for your back. Repeatedly rounding the spine in a crunch sets the stage for a disk injury, and the crunch doesn't help your posture either. Neither are crunches functional movements, meaning this movement will not help anywhere but the gym. Have I convinced Read more