Wear High Heels? Do These Stretches
Whether you wear heels solely on special occasions or rock them every day, here are some stretches to offer your tootsies a little relief from soreness or pain. Source: Thinkstock Read more
Stretch It: Hugging Pigeon Hip Stretch
Blue skies and a warm breeze totally motivate me to exercise outdoors, so I've been doing lots of running, biking, and hiking. My muscles are becoming stronger, but they're also getting tighter, especially my hips. If you're in need of a good hip stretch, give this Pigeon variation a try. Bending your bottom knee next to your thigh intensifies this stretch so you also feel it in your quad, shin, Read more
Strike a Yoga Pose: Head to Knee C
Here's the last of the three variations of the forward bend Janu Sirsasana. All three of these poses increase flexibility in your hamstrings, but this variation will also stretch out the muscles in your feet. Some instructors also believe this pose will massage your inner organs, which keeps them healthy, but I'm not sure I buy that one. After checking out this last variation, tell me which of Read more
Stretch It: Shin and Ankle Stretch
After long bike rides, my shins and the tops of my feet are often tight. All that flexing of my ankle and pulling up on the pedals to maximize my stroke takes its toll on this part of my body. Once I slip off my stiff cycling shoes, this is the first stretch I do. Here's how: Cross your left ankle over your right with your toes pointed to the right. Bend your right knee to increase the stretch Read more
Stretch It: Towel Foot Stretch
If you think about it, your feet take a lot of beating, from pounding the ground when running, to walking all over the city, to wearing high heels. They carry the weight of our entire bodies, so take time to give them some TLC. This stretch will target the muscle in the soles of your feet, but will also stretch your calves. To learn how to do this stretch keep reading Read more
Home Work: Toe Breaker Triceps Stretch
If you are a runner, I'm sure your feet could use a little TLC. I like to stretch my feet with this stretch intimidatingly called the Toe Breaker because it can feel really intense on your toes. Pain and discomfort aside, this is an awesome stretch for the muscles in the soles of your feet. I like to add the triceps stretch along with it, but feel free to just focus on your feet. Just rest your Read more
Barre Workouts are Expensive! Try This At-Home Alternative Instead
We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar! Barre classes may make you easy on the eyes, but at $20 or more a pop, they're definitely not easy on the wallet. Rather than take a second job to pay for our latest fitness addiction, we turned to Beverly Hill-based Cardio Barre instructor Stacey Bosworth to get the inside scoop on scoring a long, lean dancer's body Read more
Rx For Unhappy Feet
Whether you are a dancer, high-heel wearer, or runner, we all put a lot of pressure on our toes and the arches of our feet. Stop neglecting your tight toes and foot muscles, and start implementing these seven stretches to your daily regime. If you neglect your feet for long enough, you can actually tear the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that covers and protects the bones on the bottom Read more
Stretch It: Iliotibial Band and Outer Thigh
Running can take its toll on your knees and having tight muscles and soft tissue around the very important knee joint can increase the toll we runners pay. That is why stretching is so very important. This stretch targets the iliotibial band (ITB), the thick band of fascia that runs down the outside of the thigh, and it is important because when the ITB gets tight it can pull the knee cap out Read more
Strike a Yoga Pose: Foot to Hand
What's not to love about a forward bend? These poses feel so good after a run to lengthen the lower back and hamstrings — just the tight places that need a good stretch. If you liked the variation of the pose known as Big Toe Standing Forward Bend, since you hold your toes to pull yourself more deeply into the pose, then you're going to love this variation for the deeper stretch it provides Read more
