FitSugar

Push-Up Variation: Crocodile Jumps

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:46 -0700

I love push-ups. They are one of the best strength training moves out there. Not only do they sculpt your upper body and back, but they also tone your core. Here's a variation that will target your triceps more than regular push-ups since your elbows are in against your body instead of out wide. This exercise will make you stronger, and it's also a great prep for the yoga pose called Crocodile.

Music: "The Man Who Danced Too Slowly" by Baka Beyond

This is a pretty difficult exercise, so if you're up for the challenge keep reading

Multitasking Move: Burning Squats

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:00:20 -0700

Strengthening your quads not only prevents injuries to your knees when running, but it also makes you stronger and faster. Not to mention, toned thighs also look great in a bathing suit. Here's a squat sequence I love to do because it instantly burns my thighs. When you do squats holding weights, it'll also work your upper body, so this exercise is super challenging. You're guaranteed to feel sore the next day.

Music: "As is," by Ani Difranco

For details on how to do this squat sequence, read more.

Stand with your feet together. Place a dumbbell in each hand, bend your elbows and rest the weights gently on your shoulders. Do 10 squats here.
Then separate your feet hips-width distance apart and straighten your arms overhead. Do another 10 squats.
Next, bend your elbows at 90-degree angles and separate your feet even further. Point your toes out slightly and do 10 wide squats.
Bring your feet back in so they're hips-width distance apart. Straighten your arms overhead and do 10 more squats.
Step your feet back together, bend your elbows, and rest the weights on your shoulders for the last 10 squats.
Repeat sequence a total of three times.

DVD Review: Cardio For Beginners

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I was looking for a way to get my heart rate up on a rainy day and didn't feel like hitting the gym. So I popped in Cardio for Beginners ($15). It consists of two 10-minute sessions, two 20-minute sessions, and a 5-minute stretching session at the end, so you can mix and match workouts depending on how much time you have. If you've ever done a cardio DVD like Cardio Sculpt or taken a low-impact Jazzercize class, then this video will seem all too familiar to you. It encompasses all the basic aerobic and dance moves like marching in place, knee ups, hamstring curls, squats, kicks, jumps, V-steps, and the oh-so-popular grapevines.

While I definitely got my heart rate up moderately, worked all my muscles, and liked how the instructor was encouraging, she was just a little too peppy for my taste. To be honest, it felt like a fitness video for a kid or an elderly person, since the moves were so basic and the three women in the video had perma-grins for the entire workout. So I must say, I agree with the title. This is an exercise DVD for the ultimate beginner or someone recovering from an injury. However, if you've been exercising for a while, I don't think this video is worth your time or money.

To see a video clip of Cardio For Beginners, read more.

DVD Review: Dance and Be Fit - Latin Groove

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I won't lie; I like a dance workout. After watching the fiery Latin numbers on So You Think You Can Dance, I was ready to rumba. Unfortunately, Dance and Be Fit - Latin Groove ($15) did not satisfy my dance craving.

Like many workout DVDs produced by Acacia, the instructor's voice is dubbed over the music. Without the spoken instructions coming directly from the person leading the workout, I found the moves hard to follow. The three dancing bodies on my TV screen seemed oddly separate from my workout as I attempted to merengue in my living room. This DVD is shot on location, under a palapa roof gazebo. The image was a bit dark, which made the workout a little hard to follow visually as well.

The DVD is billed as a "fat-burning" workout, and this is because it is a really light workout. My heart rate crept slowly into a zone 60 percent of max. Aside from the emphasis on the hips, the dance moves felt much like any other low impact dance workout, and frankly I was a little bored. The DVD is comprised of a nine-minute warmup, and two 20-minute dance workouts followed by a seven-minute cool-down. If you need to move around and get your blood flowing without bothering your downstairs neighbors with your stomping, this DVD could work for you. I ended my workout with some strength training, and that's when I began to sweat.

You can buy this DVD directly from Acacia.

Can't Do a Push-Up? Try This

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

A while ago, I told you about this great video showing what you can try if you don't have a treadmill but want to run indoors. The same guy who came up with that brilliant idea also came up with a way to work your upper body even if you can't quite do a push-up. Check out this video showing how to get some assistance with your push-up.

Do you think you'd ever try this? Tell me in the comment section below.

How Often Do You Use Fitness DVDs?

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 02:30:00 -0800

I own tons of workout videos, because as a mother of two, getting to the gym or to a class doesn't always happen. I can pop in a video after the girls are in bed or during a rare double nap time. I know some DVDs can be pretty boring or cheesy, but they're better than nothing. I probably use a video twice a month.

What about you? Are you into using fitness DVDs? How often do you use them?

Yoga Video: Stretch Those Hips and Hamstrings

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Need to open up and stretch those tight hips and hamstrings? Not only is this a wonderful sequence to start out with before moving onto deeper poses like backbends, but it's also a great way to warm up before or after a run, hike, or bike ride.

Music: "Om Namo Narayana" by Deva Premal

By the way, I'm wearing the Simplicity Pants made by be present. I love the way they feel when I practice. They allow me to move freely and they wick moisture from my skin so I stay dry.

Just Released: Three Fitness Video Games For the Wii

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:00:47 -0700

Confession: I love playing video games - I especially love them on the Wii because I get to move, jump, and shake myself into a tizzy. Three fitness games were released for the Wii this last week and even though it's not like doing the real deal outside, the games are a fun way to burn calories and whip your bod into shape.

Nintendo Wii Fit Plus ($20) Wii Fit Plus is Nintendo's follow-up to the popular Wii Fit. There are new exercises, balance board games, and strength and yoga activities, as well as targeted exercise routines for things like reducing tummy fat and toning your figure. A great improvement is the addition of a calorie counter - after you complete each exercise the game tells you how many calories you've burned.

To hear about the other two games, continue reading.

BeYOU.tv - Watch Fitness Videos

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:30:00 -0700

If you're trying to stay active while sticking to a budget, here's an idea. FitSugar reader Sinazucar told me about a website called BeYOU.tv. It's a fitness and wellness video community that has actual full-length fitness DVDs like Shiva Rea's Creative Core Abs, Exhale's Core Fusion: Pilates Plus, and Tai Chi With Tiffany Chen. They offer three plans:

For free, you can watch full exercise videos, but you'll have to deal with a few ads. You can click and skip over them though, so it's really not that annoying.
For a 2 Day Pass, pay $4.95 and get streaming access to their entire library of fitness videos for two days - all ad-free. It's a great way to try out the site and see if you want to get the month pass.
For a Monthly Pass, pay $14.95 for full-screen size, commercial-free fitness videos, and you even get the first week free. There are also videos you can download to your computer, iPod, or TV, and the monthly fee gets you 15 percent off the price.

Find DVDs you've heard of, or search for videos based on level of difficulty, parts of the body targeted, or by the type of workout. If you love to work out to fitness videos, this is an outstanding online resource.

Target Workouts - Download Fitness Videos

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Target Workouts offers fitness videos that you can download. They've got a ton of workouts to choose from like aerobics, yoga, Pilates, kickboxing, shorter office workouts, and even hotel workouts you can use when you're traveling. You can download streaming videos and have them on your computer whenever you want them.

The instructors are professionally trained and certified. And it's easy to do - just select a workout and download the video.

All the videos are available in 4 fitness levels ranging from Stage 1 (easiest) to Stage 4 (hardest), so you can choose the level that's right for you.

They offer a free 3 day trial, but if you sign up for a year, it only costs $9.99 a month. That's incredibly cheap compared to a year membership at a gym. You can even surprise a friend and get them a gift certificate so they can download videos too.

Some of the workouts require some fitness equipment like balls, resistance bands, and dumbbells - you can get those too at their online fitness store.

If getting in shape for 2007 was one of your goals, but you want to do it on your time, downloading workouts may be just the thing for you.