FitSugar

Thigh Time: Heels vs. Toes

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:30:00 -0700

After tying our sneakers, most of us don't give much thought to our feet while working out, but how you use your feet affects how you work the muscles in your thighs. By changing your footing you can target the front or back of your thigh.

When using an elliptical, a stationary bike, or a stair stepper, pressing with your toes works your quads more, while pressing with the heels targets your hamstrings and your tush. Pay attention to your feet next time you hop on a cardio machine and feel the difference between your toes and heels.

Lifting Tip: Warm Up With 10 Minutes of Cardio

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:00:21 -0700

If you have a regular fitness routine, you may prefer alternating between days of cardio and days of strength training. On your strength training days, don't just jump right into your squats and lateral raises. Do a little cardio before you lift. Warm up for five minutes of easy cardio such as speed walking or jogging, and ramp up your pace for another five minutes with running, biking, or jumping rope. It's just enough to get your blood flowing and your heart rate up, and will also warm your muscles and tendons. This increases your muscles’ elasticity, allowing you to endure a longer workout, and prevent injury.

Cardio Tip: Leave the Handrails Alone

FitSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:00:00 -0700

If you use machines as your main source of cardio, resist the urge to use the handles. They are there in case you need a little help with balance, but they should not be used as armrests, with you leaning your body weight into them. This inadvertently takes weight out of your lower body, making your workout easier on your legs. Plus, holding on to the handrails creates improper body mechanics, since most folks lean forward when holding on, and this bad posture can lead to injury.

If you find you can't use the treadmill, elliptical, or stair climber without using the handles for balance, then maybe you're going too fast. If you rest on the handles just because it's what you've always done, then there's no time like the present to break a bad habit. Instead of leaning on the handles, use those arms to burn more calories. Swing them from side to side or do bicep curls in the air. That way you'll be using your upper body too.

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Fit Tip: Sprint Throughout Your Cardio Workout

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Long, slow cardio workouts are great for relieving stress or if you're training for a race, but adding fast-paced intervals will help alleviate boredom, diminish belly fat, and make you stronger.

Whether you get your heart rate up by running, using an elliptical, swimming, jumping rope, or biking, include short sprinting bursts throughout your workout. Add 10- to 60-second sprints every few minutes, slowing down to a moderate pace just long enough to catch your breath between them. These sprints will build and tone muscles and increase your endurance.

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Fit Tip: Include Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching in Every Workout

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0800

When it comes to exercise, there's a huge push to do cardio. It burns calories, reduces stress, helps you lose or maintain your weight, helps relieve muscle soreness, and is good for your lungs and your heart. While that's true, cardio isn't the only thing your body needs. It's also important to strength train to tone your muscles, increase your metabolism, and increase your muscle mass. Of course you also need to stretch as well to increase flexibility, which will prevent injury.

So a good rule of thumb is to include all three - cardio, strength training, and stretching - in every workout. You can start with 30 minutes of jogging, followed by 20 minutes of dumbbells exercises, and finish with 20 minutes of yoga. Not only will your entire body feel worked, but doing all three every time you exercise will make sure you don't neglect one type of training.

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Fit Tip: Beat Sore Muscles with Cardio

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

One of the best things about lifting weights is the hurts-so-good soreness that you can get afterward; it's also one of the worst things about it. When muscles start hurting, hanging out on the couch chilling and not moving seems like a good idea, but this is one of the worst things you could do. A light aerobic workout can actually help relieve the pain, since moving around will get your blood moving and bring blood to the sore area - new blood helps promote the healing process. In fact, you may even want to think about adding quick bursts of cardio between your lifting sets to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. So keep moving, your muscles will thank you.

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Fit Tip: Get Competitive with Cardio

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I have a competitive edge. I don't know if it stems from having older siblings, but if I'm doing the same task or activity as someone else, you can bet I'm secretly trying to beat her.

I've noticed that while this is not favorable in many aspects of life (driving, anything involving my husband, etc.) it does have an advantage in fitness. Here's how I work it: I'll step on the treadmill around the same time as the person next to me and I'll tell myself that I'm going to last longer than he does. When the anonymous and unknowing male gym member finally steps off and I'm still going, I feel triumphant and pleased that I worked for five more minutes than I had originally planned. Granted, when attempting to harness your competitive side, you still need to listen to your body and know your limits, but this is a fun little way to motivate yourself to go a little longer than you normally would.

Have you ever done this? If so, share below!

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Fit Tip: Use Cardio Machines in a Different Way

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

Since the weather isn't quite warm enough for most of us to exercise outdoors, many of us have been using cardio machines at the gym. They can get pretty boring since they're so repetitive, so try to think of different and maybe even unexpected ways to use them to keep your workouts fresh. Not only will this keep you from getting bored at the gym, but you'll work different muscles too. Here are some ideas:

Walk sideways on the treadmill and be sure to take turns leading with both sides.
If you're used to running at a constant speed for a certain amount of time, mix it up. Sprint for one minute, walk for one minute, and jog for one minute. Repeat this three-minute interval set for as many minutes as you usually run.
If running is your thing, walk for twice as long instead with the incline higher than you use when running.
If you want to target your glutes, increase the incline on the treadmill as high as it will go and pretend you're hiking up a steep mountain.
Work backwards on the elliptical. Since your feet have places to rest, it's safer than doing it on a treadmill. This will get your backside going.

Want to see the other ideas? Then read more

Let go on the elliptical, don't hold on to the handles. This will work your core and your lower body at the same time. You can also do this on the stepper machine.
If you're used to sitting on a stationary bike, try standing and pedaling. You don't have to do it the entire time, but maybe alternate between standing for one minute and sitting for five minutes.
Gradually increase the tension on your bike like you are riding up a hill. It's tough but really satisfying, and will get you ready for tackling hills when you ride outside.

Do you have any other ideas? Share them below.

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Fit Tip: Vary Your Cardio Routines

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:15:00 -0800

You all know I am a fan of cross training since it adds a nice variety to a workout routine. Even if you don't cross train, you should vary your workouts to reap even more benefits from your cardio time. You need to play with speed, distance, and rate and mix it all up. This variety confuses your body and helps you burn more calories as well as increase your fitness level.

So mix up short and intense runs, less distance at a faster pace, with longer and slower runs to work on endurance – this variation works for cardio machines, too. If you run outside vary your terrain, doing some hill runs mixed with runs with less inclines. This also applies to the treadmill; you need to play around with the incline. And don't forget about intervals. Mix up short and long intervals of pushing your pace and then slowing down to recover.

With this much variety in your workout plan, you will never get bored and neither will your body!

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Fit Tip: Have a "Go To" Cardio Exercise

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:15:00 -0800

Me, I love running. It know it's not for everyone, but running is an exercise I can always count on for getting the job done when I just don't feel like doing anything else. It is my go-to cardio. Say, for example, I can't bring myself to hop on the StairMaster for another intricate interval program, then I'll run instead. Sure variety is the spice of life and exercise, but sometimes you just need to go with what works. Having a go-to means I still exercise without always forcing myself to do something I really, really don't want to do, which would ultimately decrease the likelihood that I would keep exercising in the long run.

I suggest you find your go-to cardio workout. Maybe it's walking, or biking, or taking your dog for a jog; find something that you enjoy (relatively speaking) and that you know when all else fails will get the job done as painlessly as possible. If you already have a go-to then share it in the comments section below.

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