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Before exercising, it's important that you do a five- or 10-minute cardio warmup to get blood flowing to your muscles and help prepare them for prolonged exertion. When it's cold outside, it be even more difficult to warm up your muscles prior to exercising. Here are five warmup ideas that can be done indoors and with relatively little space. Wear a sweatshirt and an extra layer of sweatpants for Read more
With work and family responsibilities, and feeling drained in the evening from a long, busy day, often the only time you can squeeze in your workout is to set your alarm for four, five, or six in morning to sweat it out then. Early morning workouts are a great way to start the day and relieve any pre-work stress. Plus getting it done first thing in the morning means you don't have to worry about Read more
Muscle building is an important component of any exercise routine, but are you strength training the right way? Here are five common myths about muscles, and why they aren't true. Heavy weights make you bulk up: It's a common belief: lifting heavy weights will have you looking more bodybuilder than long and lean. But in reality, your muscles won't get Ms. Olympia-sized from lifting a 20-pound Read more
Even though strength training seems like low impact exercise that doesn't mean you should skip out on warming up. Start off with at least five minutes of brisk walking, jogging, biking, or jumping rope. Here are some reasons why: A cardio warm-up raises muscle temperature, which helps your muscles contract more forcibly and relax more quickly. You'll feel stronger and reduce the risk of Read more
We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar! When you see Madonna on a talk show this week promoting her new album, MDNA (out now!), or during one of the stops on her world tour, which kicks off on May 29, you’ll be checking out moves choreographed by former Broadway dancer Nicole Winhoffer. She appeared in shows like Wicked and 42nd Street, among Read more
You know that you should warm up no matter what, but if you ever wondered what exactly you should be doing, here are specific warm-ups for different kinds of workouts. Yoga: Think you don't need to warm up before yoga? Think again. Warming up before your class can help your performance and keep you from being sore the moment you stretch out into Downward Dog. Keep your wrists, shoulders, and Read more
The elliptical is a mainstay in the gym for good reason: it's easy on the joints and provides a great cardio and total-body workout. But the elliptical can also get pretty boring and repetitive. Instead of spending a mindless 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, maximize your time by doing one of these eight workouts. Whether you're a beginner, looking for a high-intensity interval workout, or Read more
You've got the enthusiasm, the time, and the cute workout gear, and now you're ready to hit the gym. Don't ruin your workout by doing these big preworkout no-nos. Cold stretching: Yes, you're supposed to warm up before you work out, but stretching muscles when they're cold can lead to injuries and poor performance. Instead, warm up with five minutes of light cardio or start off slow for the Read more
A friend asked me to go for a run the other day, and I agreed with the disclaimer that I was pretty poky in the speed department. I was surprised that I wasn't as slow as I thought. I've been working on my pace, and I guess what I've been doing has been effective. Try these tips on your runs to give your running pace a little kick in the pants. Don't fear the hills. Running uphill is much Read more
Shawn Johnson never officially retired from gymnastics. Although she toyed with the idea after the 2008 games, she's once again set her sights on the Olympics. But the decision to step back into competition wasn't simple. It took a a self-described "garage sale" wipeout on the ski slopes to end her indecision. Ironically, skiing, the only activity Shawn's long-time coach Liang Chow (they've Read more
