FitSugar

Winterize Your Ride: Bicycle Trainers and Rollers

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:59 PST

Boo, it's too cold or wet to ride your bike outside, you say? So ride it inside. I'm not talking about hitting a spin class or getting the stationary bike out of your grandma's attic. You can ride the same bike you took on the road, bike path, or woodsy trails, in the comfort of your home. All you need is a bicycle trainer or roller to transform your road or mountain bike into a stationary bike.

The one pictured on the left is known as a bicycle trainer. It requires less thinking and balance than the roller, pictured on the right. To work out with the trainer, you attach your back wheel into the mount, which elevates your wheel off the floor. The front wheel is propped up with a plastic block, so you are essentially riding in space.

You'll need to decide what type of resistance you want; fan, fluid, or magnet. Fan trainers tend to be less expensive, but they're also noisier. You can find decently priced magnet trainers, which will provide a smooth, quiet ride. If you want the most lifelike ride and less heat buildup on your tires, go for fluid trainers. Know that some models require that you remove your front wheel, so if you're able to ride inside and outside this Winter, you might not want to deal with constantly removing and attaching your wheel.

Learn how the roller provides a more challenging ride when you

Using a roller offers a much tougher ride because your bike isn't attached to anything forcing you to balance on your own. You just ride on top of three spinning drums, kind of like a treadmill. You really need to pay attention to steering and balancing so you don't fall off the rollers. It's the best choice if you have a road bike, but tends to be pricey.

Cycle trainers and rollers range in price from about $80 to $300, which is cheaper than buying a stationary bike or joining a gym. Plus riding your own bike is more comfortable, and allows you to continue your training if you're planning on racing in the Spring.

Green Exercise: Ride Your Bike Inside

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:30:00 PST

Riding your bike is perfect exercise for your heart and a wonderful way to tone your lower body. It's also great for the environment, because it doesn't require any gas or electricity to get it going. If you live in a place where Winter means cold, ice, and snow, I'm sure you've put your bike away till the Spring, but you can still get the benefits of riding your bike without having to go outside.

Transform your favorite bike into a stationary bike by using a cycle trainer like the Blackburn TrakStand Mag ($159.99). All you do is remove your bike's front wheel and mount your back wheel into the cycle trainer's mount, which elevates your bike and keeps it stable, turning your road bike into a stationary bike. This bike mount even folds up for easy storage.

Want to make your indoor ride even more challenging? Then

If you're a more experienced rider, you can also use a cycling roller ($169.99) like this one from CycleOps. These are a little harder to use, and you really need to pay attention to steering and balancing so you don't fall off the rollers. They require more concentration than just hopping on your bike and going for a ride since you're not attached to the rollers.

Although cycle trainers and rollers can be pretty pricey, ranging from $100 to more than $300, they're cheaper than having to go out and buy an expensive stationary bike. This is a lot smaller than a huge piece of equipment too, so that means less space taken up in a landfill someday.

5 Fitness Myths That Mess With Results

Prevention — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:31:20 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Jenna Bergen, Prevention

With so many people offering advice on weight loss, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. All too often I’ve overheard a hardworking gym-goer sharing a well-meaning but ill-informed tip with another exerciser. And I’m not the only one who’s heard fitness folklore being swapped on the training room floor. I spoke to top experts in the field to find out the common fitness myths they hear from clients. From the pseudo miracles of the "fat-burning" zone to the misguided magic of working out on an empty stomach, these fitness falsehoods should never be followed.

Nine Exercise Moves You're Doing Wrong

Myth No. One: Keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone

If you've been exercising at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate in order to shed flab faster, you could be slowing your slim down. "The fat-burning zone is a complete myth," says Wayne Westcott, PhD, Prevention advisory board member and fitness research director at Quincy College. "While it's true that you burn a higher percentage of fat calories when exercising at a moderate pace, you burn fewer calories overall." For instance, if you get on a treadmill and walk at a 3.5 mph pace for 30 minutes, you might burn 250 calories. If you raise the speed to seven miles per hour, you’d burn 500. Bottom line? "It’s much better to go at the faster speed." Prefer the elliptical trainer? Make sure you're not making one of the top 10 elliptical trainer mistakes.

Myth No. Two: Boosting cardio is the best way to bypass a plateau

"The most effective way to lose weight is to include both cardio and weights in your routine," says Jari Love, star of the Get Extremely Ripped: 1000 Hardcore DVD. "One study found that when individuals cycled for 30 minutes a day, they lost three pounds of fat and gained a half pound of muscle in eight weeks. But individuals who cycled for 15 minutes and weight trained for 15 minutes a day lost 10 pounds of fat and gained two pounds of calorie-burning muscle."

Try This Workout to Drop Two Sizes by Summer!

Keep reading! We bust three more myths after the break.

The Biggest Reasons Your Ab Exercises Aren't Working

Prevention — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:25:40 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

If you're struggling to see your six-pack, you could be making one of these mistakes.

By Jenna Bergen, Prevention

As the weather warms and Spring break approaches, we're all forced to do that same rather scary thing: unearth the bathing suit and take a good, hard look in the mirror. I did it just last week and was relieved to see that my job as the fitness editor at Prevention had kept my abs from going too far south. Still, given all the hours I clock at the gym, I wouldn't mind seeing a little more definition. That's when I realized I needed to fine-tune my game. If you've been putting in the effort and still don't have the abs you're after, take heart - you're not alone. Here are four top slipups that mess with your six-pack - plus expert fixes to get you back on track.

Your Form Is Sloppy
"The wrong form can turn an effective move into one that won't do anything for you," says personal trainer Jessica Smith Gomez, costar of the 10 Minute Solution: Best Belly Blasters. A few of the most common mistakes: pulling on your neck (which allows your abs to slack off), using momentum rather than muscle strength (again, a freebie pass for the abs), sagging your hips in plank, and not keeping them pulled in during every move. "You must control your abdominal wall to get any real benefit," says Erin O'Brien, creator of Kristi Yamaguchi: Power Workout and Strong Body Ageless Body. Not sure how you're doing? Check your form in a mirror.

Keep reading for two more reasons your ab exercises aren't working!

10 Gym Guy Stereotypes (and Why We Love Them)

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:46:08 PST

Almost everyone in the gym shows up to work for a goal, be it overall health, bulking up, losing weight, or increased power and flexibility. Of course, there are a million different fitness roads you can take to get there and watching others work it out can be fascinating and (occasionally) giggle inducing. Whether you're attracted to the average man or a more muscular build, you've undoubtedly checked out your fellow gym goers getting their groove on. Here's a guide to decoding the most common types of gym guys and what we can learn from them. That is, when you're not just ogling their form.

The Former Athlete: The rest of the team may be just as tall as him now, but he's still the big man on campus. He shows up sporting his college gear though his frat days are a distant memory. He watches the game on the TV while cycling or running, but is dedicated to his workout. What's to love? Men with years of workout experience just get better with age. They remind us to appreciate a challenge - be it an occasional marathon, game of pick me up, or Sunday soccer league. The healthiest way to relive your glory days is to keep them alive.
The "I Will Pump You Up" Dude: Mike "The Situation." Vin Diesel. Jake Gyllenhaal circa Prince of Persia. These buffed up boys sustain themselves with protein shakes and pump serious iron. Why do we love them? Whether you like the body or not, you have to hand it to muscle-minded men for understanding the importance of a well-rounded routine. It takes daily dedication to maintain a beefcake bod.
The Marathoner: These guys head to the gym to get sweaty and compete with themselves. They are focused, goal-oriented, and typically don't pay much attention to other gym goers. Why do we love them? Runners understand that stretching is crucial, as is working different muscle groups and maintaining a schedule. They also know it's smart to plan days off to let your muscles heal and keep your knees healthy.

Keep reading for the rest of the list.

From the Community: the Best Exercise You Aren't Doing

Fit Community — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:10:46 PST

FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin has shared a how-to on an overlooked exercise that everyone should be doing.

Running, cycling, squatting, jumping, curling, crunches, and lunging - you do it all, right? Well, the one move you aren’t doing is probably the one that can keep you doing all those things (and more), pain and injury-free for a lifetime.

What is it? Dorsiflexion. In layperson’s terms, dorsiflexion is the action of the foot that occurs when you pull your toes back toward your shin, engaging the foot and ankle muscles (the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus).

Weak muscles in this part of the leg can cause everything from muscular imbalances to an impaired gait and even tripping and falling (as we age, we lose even more strength in this area, which makes it harder to step properly), says Dr. Yoav Suprun, PT, Dip. MDT, a certified personal trainer, physical therapist, and owner of SOBE Spine in Miami Beach, FL.

Learn what exercises you should be doing to combat these muscle strains, after the break!

RX For Shin Splints: Ice Massage

Susi May — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:39:21 PST

Shin splints are the bane of many new runners. The tight calves that accompany mileage increases can spell pain for the lower leg. If running causes any discomfort, take time off to allow your shin splints to heal. But you need not sit idle on the sidelines while you recuperate: ice massages help, too. A serious runner, my Equinox trainer reminded me of the healing combo of ice and massage to decrease the inflammation around the tibia (anatomy speak for shin), caused by this overuse injury. The technique is simple, but first you need to make the ultimate tool: the icing cup!

Make Your Own Icing Cup
Used in gyms and physical therapy clinics, an icing cup protects your fingers from freezing and provides a perfectly sized contact point for massaging troubled spots. Take six Dixie cups, fill them with water, and freeze. When it comes time to ice, peel back the paper and begin the massage.

The Massage
Starting by your foot, place your icing cup on the outside of your shin, on the tibialis anterior muscle. Making long strokes toward your knee, massage the muscle with an amount of pressure that feels good. Mix up your massage strokes and try small circular patterns, once again starting at the ankle and working up toward the knee. After five minutes of massaging, finish your 20-minute icing cycle with 15 minutes of static icing by placing an ice pack (or frozen peas or corn) on your shin. Aim to massage and ice twice a day.

If you're not up for an ice massage, you can always show your shins some foam roller love. Do keep stretching your calf muscles, and once the pain diminishes try these easy exercises to strengthen the tibialis anterior.

5 Reasons Your Workout Isn't Working

Shape — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:44:13 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Have you been working out consistently for months (maybe even years) and yet the scale is creeping up? Here are five ways your workout could be keeping you from losing weight, and what our experts recommend to start shedding pounds again:

1. Your workout routine is making you eat too much.
Is your workout causing you to use the "I burned it, I earned it," excuse when it comes to your diet? "Studies show that people tend to eat more calories when they take up exercise," says Michele Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery, and creator of the Perfect Legs, Glutes & Abs DVD.

Think your 45-minute morning run was enough to burn off that slice of chocolate cake on the dessert menu? Consider this: the average, 140-pound woman burns about 476 calories (at a 10-minute mile pace) running for 45 minutes. The average restaurant dessert clocks in around 1,200 calories (or more), so even if you only eat half of a slice, you'd still easily eat away your run - and then some - in less than 10 minutes.

The solution: Make your workouts count by pairing them with a healthy diet that stays within the appropriate calorie range your body needs in order to lose or maintain your weight. Olson recommends writing down what you are eating to keep track of calories consumed, and then subtracting the calories you burned, for your true daily number.

See even more reasons why your workout isn't working after the break!

Common Gym Mistakes and the Equinox Fix

Susi May — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 04:08:00 PDT

We all have our moments of weakness at the gym. And by weakness, I don't mean that you suddenly lose the ability to lift 12-pound dumbbells over your head; I mean mental weakness, loss of motivation, and neglect of proper technique. Let's face it, we tend to go easier on ourselves than a personal trainer would. Since we all cannot afford to shell out the big bucks to have a personal trainer push us, I spoke with Lauren Fairbanks, an Equinox trainer, about common workout mistakes. She's spent some time making people sweat and has been able to catalog four common problems she sees regularly at the gym. Fear not, she's going to help us fix these issues, too.

It's not always about speed: Lauren sees a lot of people "going through repetitions way too quickly." Blazing through your reps means you're not working through the full range of motion of your muscles and joints. You're often sacrificing form for speed. The simple fix is slow it down, focus on the quality of your movement, and check your form in the mirror. If you're not sure you're doing an exercise correctly, check with the front desk to find the trainer on the floor. There should be a trainer hanging out on the gym floor, helping gym patrons with questions on form and how to work certain machines.
One set is never enough: Lauren also comes across gym goers short-changing themselves and only doing one set of an exercise. Research has shown that doing two to three sets of an exercise will make you over 40 percent stronger than just doing one. Lauren suggests you "shoot for at least two to four sets of any exercise." The fix just might be to push yourself a little bit harder. You're tougher than you think!

See if you're guilty of the last two mistakes.

Working Out, It's All in Your Head

Michele Foley — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:56:51 PDT

Yesterday, I was surprised by the sound of a calendar notification: "3 p.m., Crunch trainer." As soon as I saw it, I cringed. Having made the appointment the week prior, it slipped my mind and I was nowhere near prepared. My gym bag was under my desk like usual, but I'm talking mental preparation. While I'm up for spontaneous hikes, cycling outings, or a trip to the yoga studio, I still need to psyche myself out for time at the gym - especially when it's an hour-long intense TRX circuit training session. I love working out and I love my trainer, but it always seems to help if I have time to psyche myself out before heading in. Maybe it's because I need to be really focused when I work out with my trainer, or it could be because I want to plan the rest of my day around being sore. Either way, it just helps.

While I have a lot of friends that can head into the gym like it's no big thing, many people I know schedule gym workouts ahead of time for the same reason I do. How about you?