FitSugar

Move It at Home: DVD - LEGWORK

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 08:30:00 PST

Ever wonder how women in the entertainment industry (on Broadway, off Broadway and way off Broadway) are able to move so well in those high heels?

LEGWORK ($19.95) is a new DVD that teaches the daily routines and exercises of top Broadway dancers. What's more? The workout is specifically designed to be done by women in high heels. The Legwork workout was created and designed by high heel designers, top Broadway dancers and ballerinas with the advice from fitness experts and podiatrists. Sounds torturous? Kylin Brady's (the amazing Broadway dancer who helped create the DVD) killer legs are motivation enough.

And here's why, the DVD claims that:

You will increase sexiness, grace and confidence in heels, leg tone and strength, heal wearing endurance and stamina as well as core strength and control.
You will learn proper heel walking and control, perfect posture, poise and pose as well as everyday walking exercises and relief techniques.
You will decrease pain in feet, ankles, legs and lower back, your risk for injury as well as your daily heel wearing discomfort.

Buy the DVD on LEGWORK.com. One thing is for sure, this DVD will definitely make you feel like you're ready for A Chorus Line.

The Best Indoor Workout Classes (Because It's Freezing Outside!)

Self — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:35:01 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

There are lots (and I mean, lots) of reasons why my motivation to work out during the Winter plummets - from the snowy commute to freezing cold winds to the cold, dry air that hits my chest with such force that it becomes hard to breathe. (Ahem, there's a reason I sign up for races that are after September - this born-and-raised Floridian prefers to train outdoors during the Summer.)

But it is possible to sculpt, strengthen, and sweat (majorly sweat) without having to be freezing cold during the winter. So when the weather outside is frightful, head indoors for these top full-body workouts that will help ward off Winter weight:

Indoor cycling: Ruth Zukerman, cofounder of NYC's FlyWheel cycling studio, is heating things up indoors with her 45-minute, heart-racing classes. (Self favorite Jillian Michaels is even a recent investor in the company). "I wanted to be part of the most innovative and effective indoor cycling program, and that is FlyWheel. I am thrilled to join the FlyWheel team," Michaels said in a press release. What makes cycling such an effective alternative is that it's taking the fun full-body workout people love indoors, and instead of scenery, you'll stay motivated to challenge yourself thanks to encouraging instructors and a killer playlist. Flywheel has an awesome on-bike technology board that lets you compete against other riders in the class. Plus if you're looking to shape up before hitting the slopes, "indoor cycling is great preparation for all Winter sports, especially skiing and snowboarding. I know from personal experience that when I hit the slopes I don't tire out easily or suffer from the kind of après-ski muscle pain that most people do, and it's because of indoor cycling," Zukerman says.

Try this move: If you're riding an exercise bike at home or the gym, try some interval training. One thing we often do at Flywheel is a "Sprint Chorus," meaning we increase our RPMs to a sprint during the song's chorus and then revert to a cadence on the beat of the music as the chorus ends.

More best indoor workouts after the break.

Tone Your Arms With This Killer Triceps Dip Variation

Susi May — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:21:57 PDT

I like working the back of my arms as much as the next gal, and while triceps dips are a classic exercise, they can get a little dull. In the Blockbuster Body fitness class at Equinox I learned a variation on this basic move, which is great for busybodies like me. Here's how to strengthen your triceps and work the rest of your body in the process.

Basic Start with five basic triceps dips, with fingers pointed toward your bum, hands shoulder distance apart, and feet hip width apart.
One leg Lift your left leg off the floor with toes pointed toward the ceiling. If your hamstrings are tight, just bring your left knee so it's even with your right. Do five dips with left leg up, then switch legs for five more dips.
One arm Keeping both feet on the ground, do your next five dips with your left arm off the ground. Reach toward the ceiling or to the side, whichever position feels more natural to you. After five dip, switch arms lifting your right arm up for five more reps.
One arm and one leg For your last 10 reps, lift opposite arm and leg as you come up from your dip, so as you straighten your elbow lift your right leg and left arm off the ground. Switch on your next rep. Use your abs to keep from swaying from side to side as you lift and lower your limbs. It helps to channel your inner Russian folk dancer to do this move.

3 Exercises That Make You Look 2 Inches Taller

Self — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:36:11 PDT

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

There's something about the way dancers carry themselves that makes them look a little bit taller - even if they're on the shorter side of the spectrum!

With this phenomenon in mind, we asked Laura Halzack of the Paul Taylor Dance Company
for her secret to that long and lean look. (Click here to enter to win a scholarship at The Taylor School - Summer Dance Intensive.)

"I think you carry yourself differently if you strengthen your back," explains Halzack, 29. "It becomes a habit start to carrying yourself a little bit taller."

Here are 3 exercises from Halzack that might make you look like you've grown an inch or two:

Downward Dog

Downward Dog is a great yoga exercise that both strengthens and lengthens. To achieve the position correctly, straighten the legs to your personal limit, send your tailbone to the ceiling and pull the lats down (via the shoulder blades). Do a deep inhale, then exhale. Repeat the breath eight times and relax. Resume the posture at least 2 more times without letting your head drop or your back arch. Keep your head on your spine, making your spine one long line.

Learn two more exercises when you keep reading.

Nina Dobrev Rocks a Bikini and Says She's Not Afraid to Get a Few Bruises

Lindsay Miller — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 07:01:00 PDT

Nina Dobrev modeled some bikinis beachside and dished on her exercise secrets for the Seventeen celeb fitness issue, which hits stands on May 3. The Vampire Diaries actress is not only in killer shape, but she's also riding a career high. Her series just got picked up for a third season, and she's set for a role in the upcoming big-screen adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. When she's not busy working, she's been getting close with her costar Ian Somerhalder, and the duo are going head to head for your favorite onscreen vampire vote in our 2011 PopSugar 100! Nina told the magazine that despite being in the spotlight, she manages not to get too wrapped up in dieting or image, and considers herself a tough cookie. Here are some highlights:

On her favorite way to work out: I do a lot of yoga. I practice yoga three or four times a week. It’s an escape for me.
On why she's not obsessed with her looks: People who are confident, happy, enthusiastic, vivacious and vibrant are the ones other people are generally attracted to. You’re drawn to those kinds of people-you’re not drawn to the person in the corner of the room counting calories with her shoulders slumped over.
On self-acceptance: I’ve reached a point where I’m comfortable in my own skin, and I do what I need to do, to feel good, but I’m built the way I am. The dancer’s feet, the bruises on my legs, they’re not going to go away. I think real girls have bruises. Tough chicks get bruised. They get dirty. And they have fun. It’s just a part of life!
On another possible career path: I could be a yoga instructor. I’m not certified, but I could do it. Once I did a class where the instructor didn’t show up, and I just went to the front and did it, and everyone followed. So I’ve done it before, and I love it.

3 Dance-Focused Workout DVDs Worth Trying

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:05:00 PDT

Inspired by the dancer bodies from Dancing With the Stars and Black Swan? If you're home and want a solid workout that's fun and pumps you into a cardio zone, try a dance DVD. Here are three DVD workouts FitSugar staffers have tested and reviewed that will deliver passionate, sweat-inducing moves and make you groove.

Julianne Hough's Cardio Ballroom ($10). Right from the start, Julianne's upbeat personality gets you excited about the warmups and choreography, and before you know it, you're doing the cha-cha, the jive, and paso doble. This is also the perfect workout video to do with some girlfriends.
Bar Method Dancer's Body Advanced Workout DVD ($20). Led by cheery and pretty-to-look-at-while-you-are-sweating Bar Method teacher and actress Marnie Alton, the DVD offers a variety of the method's staple moves. Like the class, it starts off slow with leg lifts and light arm exercises (it's recommended you use two- to four-pound weights) and then jumps into the method's secret sauce: intense leg work at the barre.
Tracy Anderson's Cardio Dance Workout DVD ($30). Anderson believes that dance cardio is the perfect aerobic workout for creating long, lean muscles and a feminine, toned physique. This workout is high-energy dancing full of hopping, jumping, high kicks, and even the '60s dance step the Pony. The eight combinations that make up the workout are like a jazzy version of petite allegro (the jumping section of a dance class).

Fit's Hits: Leg-Toning Yoga Poses to The Hamptons Diet

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:08:25 PDT

The gym is all fine and good, but yoga can tone your legs too!
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Is your workout style like Renée Zellweger or Nicole Richie?
Don't let late-night snacking ruin your waistline. We have tips to help!
Watch Cindy Crawford explain how working out is like eating.
Walk like a dancer with these three exercises that will lengthen your body.
Take Jillian Michaels's test of self-love and self-loathing.
How do all the fit Jennifers stack up?
Sarah Jessica Parker loves The Hamptons Diet, but what is it exactly?

DVD Review: Bar Method Dancer's Body Advanced Workout

Angelica Marden — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:20:43 PST

Barre-based workouts have become increasing popular thanks to Natalie Portman's dancer bod in Black Swan, the Tracy Anderson Method, and barre3; and Bar Method, a ballet-inspired sculpting program with studios across the US, is no exception. The method, which is taught as an hour-long class, focuses on isometric movements, light weight work, stretching, and subtle moves at the barre. It is also one of the workouts Kelly Osborne used to get fit. As someone who practices it weekly, I can attest it's a serious workout, so I was excited (and even a little scared) to challenge myself with the Bar Method Dancer's Body Advanced Workout DVD ($20).

Led by cheery and pretty-to-look-at-while-you-are-sweating Bar Method teacher and actress Marnie Alton, the DVD offers a variety of the method's staple moves. Like the class, it starts off slow with leg lifts, light arm exercises (it's recommended you use two- to four-pound weights), and then jumps into the method's secret sauce: intense leg work at the barre. They recommend you use a chair or portable barre, but I found a ledge in my living room worked just fine for the "water-ski thigh-work" and more balletic "arabesque" exercises, and the floor and my yoga mat worked swell for the abdominal "clam shell" exercises. The routine was tough, and like the last "Accelerated" Bar Method DVD the ab exercises were killer. I wish the DVD included a chapter showcasing a few of the moves that are easier to perform with a makeshift barre, but the chapters with form instruction made up for it.

Is this DVD good for beginners? Keep on reading for the answer and a video clip of the workout.

Happy Birthday, Cyd Charisse

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:50:12 PST

From the moment I first saw Cyd Charisse outdance Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, I adored her. Cyd, who would have been 90 years-old today, passed in 2008, but the legacy of her style and her great contribution to the Hollywood musical lives on.

Cyd began as a ballerina in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, but at the outbreak of World War II she got a job at MGM as the legendary Freed unit's resident ballet dancer. From there, she had a breakout role dancing with Fred Astaire in Ziegfeld Follies. She landed her first lead (with Astaire again) in The Bandwagon, but soon began working with Kelly, appearing in the iconic "Broadway Melody" ballet finale in all-time classic Singin' in the Rain, and well-known musical Brigadoon.

With all that dancing, it's no surprise that Cyd had fabulous legs, and she actually made the Guinness Book of World Records for most valuable gams because MGM took out a five million dollar insurance policy on them in 1952. Her choreography and technique have inspired generations of performers, and Janet Jackson even had Cyd make a cameo in her music video for "Alright." As an innovator, a dancer, and an amazing pair of legs, she's still a hard act to follow.

Photo courtesy Memory Lane

The Vampire Diaries "The Last Dance": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:02:36 PDT

We go vintage on The Vampire Diaries this week with a decades dance and a villain so old that calling him vintage is a compliment. It's Klaus, sort of showing his face, and striking fear into the hearts of all the characters, even the season's main baddie thus far (Katherine). Matt continues his subterfuge against his girlfriend for the benefit of the sheriff, and Damon - well, all you need to know is that Damon is a dancing machine.

But the episode culminates with a violent showdown that left me utterly shocked. I don't want to spoil that, or anything else, though, until after the jump! To read the good, the bad, and the bloody, just