FitSugar

Gym Equipment Explained: Cable Pulley Machine

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 04:00:00 PST

That huge - and slightly daunting - object sitting smack dab in the middle of the gym could be one of the most versatile machines because its flexible cables work your muscles in every direction. You also hit your core by fighting the momentum that pulls you back toward the machine.

What: Cable Pulley Machine (or Cable Machine)
Area of Body It Works: The cable machine can be used to work almost any part of the body, but especially the core.
Why: The cable machine's flexible cables can work your muscles in every direction - you're also almost always working your core as your body fights the momentum that pulls you back toward the machine.
How: There are numerous exercises you can do using the cable machine, far too many to name. I like to focus on doing movements that use major muscle groups and multiple joints, like your legs, back, chest, shoulders and glutes. Your best bet is to ask a staff member at your gym to show you a few exercises.

Source

Love Your Laptop: 8 Tips For Keeping it Healthy and Happy

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:23:02 PST

Valentine's Day doesn't just have to be about giving affection to your significant other. It can be about showing your appreciation for the people and things that make your life awesome. Take your laptop, for example. Your window to the vast Internet, your laptop works really hard for you without asking much in return. Give your laptop a little TLC this Valentine's Day with these tips that will keep it happy and healthy all year long.

Clean it up - Giving your laptop (or desktop) a thorough cleaning is essential to extending its life. Back up any data you may already have stored (on an external hard drive or a portable flash drive), organize your desktop icons, empty your computer's trash on a regular basis, and clear out any programs you don't use. This will help free up space and keep you on the fast track to productivity.
Practice proper shutdown habits - Shutting down all open programs and putting your laptop to sleep instead of just closing the lid will help your computer stay cool and safe while in transport. But if you've had your laptop in a cold environment, let it warm up to room temps slowly before turning it on. This will keep condensation and dew at bay, which can ruin your computer's sensitive guts.
Protect your investment - If you're going to be lugging a laptop around, make sure it's protected in a padded case!

See the rest of my tips after the jump.

5 Reasons Not to Be Intimidated By Free Weights

FitSugar — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:08:31 PST

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 black-and-white guidelines for using free weights, but that's no reason to walk away, since free weight exercises are based on the popular moves you already know, like squats, lunges, chest press, shoulder press, bicep, and triceps curls. Plus, any additional movements that you usually perform on weight machines can also be done with free weights - with the added physical benefit (and challenge) of maintaining your stability.
It's not all about the pounds. Balance is one of the biggest benefits of free weights, and you don't need to be lifting twenty pounds to see results. Grab light dumbbells and perform standard exercises on one foot to strengthen the stabilizing muscles that are often overlooked.

Keep reading for more reasons to use free weights.

Staff Members at Animal Shelters Can Use These Things

Morgan Ashley Parker — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:50:01 PST

While we usually think of giving things to shelters for the animals, the staff can use your help, too! It helps to contact your local one to learn exactly what they need, but I gathered up a list of recommendations that you may be tossing, or can easily spare, this New Year.

Camera: If you were lucky enough to get a new camera for Christmas, a doggie shelter could use your old one! Supply the cables, too, and staff can upload photos of their available dogs to their website or Petfinder.
Computer: Ditto goes for your computer. Many animal shelters don't have budgets to upgrade their computers so it's possible your hand-me-over is better (and newer) than what they're working with.
Printer: Sure, they probably have one but it helps to have a backup in case one breaks.

Learn other things that most shelters need that won't break your bank and

Tech Tips For Working Remotely

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:46:30 PDT

According to a new study, telecommuting is on the rise. In fact, 56 percent of decision makers at US companies think that working from home makes employees more productive and 53 percent of CFOs plan on increasing telecommuting options at their companies. If you're part of the lucky population that is or soon will be allowed to work remotely, be sure to follow these tips for maximizing your home office and making sure you're following proper coffee shop office etiquette!

At Home

Have a designated work area - The couch may be comfy, but working while hunched over on your sofa isn't the best idea for your posture. Get a real desk, or at least work at the dining table so you can prevent a sore neck and back later on down the road.
Keep a clean workspace - Speaking of a designated workspace, there's nothing more distracting than working amongst cords, cables, papers, dirty coffee cups, and whatever else happened to land on your desk while you weren't working. Start the day off right with a clutter-free environment by making a point to clean off your desk at the end of each workweek. Monday mornings will thank you.
Ready, set, share - Set up a file sharing service with your teammates so you can keep on top of document changes while you're working. Dropbox and Box.net are both great services for sharing documents and files between groups.
Consider dual monitors - More desktop real estate equals more productivity. Since you've got a good desk, you might as well make the most of things by allowing yourself more monitor space to see your incoming emails, web browser, chat windows, and spreadsheets all at once. No more clicking around, searching for the right window!
Set your schedule - Schedules aren't there to make your life miserable - they actually help get things accomplished. Be sure that your working hours are clear with your boss (even better if they're flexible to start and end times), and take regular breaks to stretch.
Communicate often - If instant message is your preferred form of communication, be sure you're available during your working hours, and remember to set the "away" notification when you've stepped out. This will be a big help for your co-workers who may be looking for you.
Keep track of expenses - If you're freelancing or building your own business, be sure to document and save receipts for purchases. You can usually write off expenses for computer equipment, Internet access, and even part of your rent if you work from home. I recommend scanning all of your receipts and storing them in a cloud-based locker so if by chance your paper files get damaged, you'll always have a digital copy. Same goes for any important documents you need.

Planning on posting it up at your favorite coffee shop? Some etiquette tips you may want to keep in mind after the break.

Geek Tip: Get an External Hard Drive Before Heading Back to School

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:37:44 PDT

You should know by now how important backing up data can be. This is especially true when you're heading off to school or moving to a new place. Not only can your external hard drive act as a backup for all your school work, term papers, exam notes, and the like, but it can be a lifesaver if something ever happens to your laptop.

Dorm parties and continual transportation to and from class can leave your machine vulnerable to theft and accidents. You can back up your important docs, music, and photos to something like this LaCie Rikiki Go ($90-$150) external drive, which can hold up to 500GB or 1TB of data, comes with an integrated USB cable, has a sturdy and rugged aluminum exterior. Plus, it's small enough to store safely in the tiniest of living quarters and not stick out like a sore thumb. But if you're short on space (or cash), there are a few other ways you can back up and store your important data. Find out how after the break.

Extend the Life of Your Computer With These Care Tips

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:31:26 PDT

If your laptop is still in working order, you probably don't need to spring for that brand-new MacBook Air this season before you head back to class. Nonetheless, the start of a new school year (or just Fall in general) is a good time to spruce up your trusty laptop and get it ready for the long nights of studying ahead. Here, a few tips on how to get your machine in tip-top shape before the first bell rings, and how to care for a brand new investment so it serves you well for the next four years.

Clean it Up

Giving your laptop (or desktop) a thorough cleaning is essential to extending its life. Back up any data you may already have stored (on an external hard drive or portable flash drive), organize your desktop icons, empty your computer's trash on a regular basis, and clear out any programs you don't use. This will help free up space and keep you on the fast track to productivity.

Practice proper shut-down habits

Shutting down all open programs, and putting your laptop to sleep instead of just closing the lid will help your computer stay cool and safe while in transport.

Protect your investment

If you're going to be lugging a laptop around campus, make sure it's protected in a padded case!

See the rest of my tips after the jump.

If You're Going to Push It, You Better Pull It

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:40:26 PDT

I love push-ups. Dropping and doing 20 makes me feel strong and tough. But as Lauren my Equinox trainer reminded me, it's important to offset all the pushing with some pulling. Although the glorious push-up feels like a full body exercise (it certainly works your core), it primarily works your chest and arms. When the pecs get too tight, they pull your shoulders forward, which is not only unattractive but puts the shoulder joint in a compromised position and can lead to injury. Ouch. To maintain balance in your upper body, be sure to mix it up. Here are a few push-to-pull workout combinations to add to your fitness life:

Push-ups followed with sprints on a rowing machine. Be sure to read up on proper rowing technique if you're unfamiliar with the machine.
Chest press with bent over rows, or go more full body with a tipping row to challenge your balance and work your lower body too.
The versatility of the cable pulley machine means you can combine pushing and pulling into one fluid move. Start facing the machine, and begin with a standing row. When you have pulled your hand to your chest, rotate away from the machine and push your arm out. It feels a bit like you're drawing a sword (pull) and then thrusting it out (push).

In my experience the muscles on the front of the body, the ones that pull you into the fetal position, are much stronger than the muscles on your back. Be sure to work that pulling motion to strengthen your upper back, especially the rhomboids. Remember, if it's an exercise you tend to avoid, it's probably one your body needs the most.

Harley Pasternak on Posture Principle For Brides

Susi May — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:09:16 PDT

Strapless and backless gowns give a bride an opportunity to show off her shapely shoulders. But a blushing bride doesn't want to look muscle-bound as she walks down the aisle, so one must be strategic when it comes to upper body toning. The trainer behind some of the hottest bodies in Hollywood, Harley Pasternak - he helped Hilary Duff and Katy Perry get wedding-ready - has some tips to help us all look stunning in this season's revealing necklines.

The trick to looking good in a strapless dress is posture. Standing tall with the aid of a strong upper back ensures that all those wedding photos turn out lovely. Harley recommends strengthening the rhomboids and triceps to "pull your shoulders back, give you a natural boob lift, and give you a nice long lean strong upper back and arms." Um . . . yes please! Here are four exercises he recommends to do just that:

Dumbbell rows to work the rhomboids.
Cable rows to strengthen the upper back. Here's a rowing variation using an exercise band if you don't have access to a cable pulley machine.
Lying dumbbell triceps extension for the back of the upper arm.
Single dumbbell triceps overhead extension will challenge your posture while toning your triceps.

See the exercises Harley suggests brides avoid.

Beyond the Plank: More Ways to Work Your Core

Susi May — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:32:54 PDT

Planks are great for working your core, but it's important to challenge your center while upright too. Standing core work is functional fitness that more closely mimics moves we do everyday. While we all might not kick a soccer ball halfway down the field on a daily basis like USA goal keeper Hope Solo (pictured here); everyday we do many things standing that require our abs and back to work in tandem, making it essential to move off the ground to train our cores. Plus standing core work means you can't use the old "the floor is too dirty" excuse to skip working your middle, and it's always good to excuse-proof your workout.

My Equinox trainer has been introducing me to a variety of ways to target my core while upright, and I am feeling the benefits on long runs and when lifting my very heavy carry-on luggage into the overhead bin. One of trainer Lauren's tricks is to perform a basic exercise on just one leg. No doubt about it, balancing on one leg is less stable than standing on two. Your core needs to kick in so you don't topple over, and if you actively engage it (meaning you consciously stabilize your torso by pulling your deep abs toward your spine), everything feels just a little bit easier. Try just doing your basic bicep curl to an overhead press with only one foot on the floor, and you will feel what I mean. Single-leg squats and single-leg dead lifts are so much easier (read: stable) when you consciously work your abs.

Keep on reading for more core moves.