FitSugar

Wear High Heels? Do These Stretches

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:05:09 PST

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

Stretch It: Hugging Pigeon Hip Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:30:04 PDT

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, and the top of your foot.

To learn an easier modification,

Sit on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you. Bend your left knee so your heel is close to your bum and the top of your foot is pointing down. If this bothers your knee, bend it in the other direction, opening the knee out to the side, bringing the sole of your foot against your right inner thigh. Still hurts? Just keep your left leg straight out in front of you. This will bring the stretch solely into your right hip, instead of stretching your left quad and shin as well.
Sitting with a tall spine, bend your right knee and lift your shin up toward your chest, wrapping your arms around your right knee and foot. Hug your knee as close as you can toward your chest to intensify the stretch. Continue to sit up straight with relaxed shoulders.
It may feel good to rock your shin slightly from side to side (like a baby), or you may prefer to hold the position. After 30 seconds, straighten both legs out in front of you, and repeat this stretch on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Head to Knee C

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:00:59 PST

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 the three you like best by taking this poll in the Yoga Stretch and Tell community group.

Sanskrit Name: Janu Sirsasana C
English Translation: Head to Knee Pose C

This pose looks painful to do and also to get into, but it's easy if you know how so keep reading

Stretch It: Shin and Ankle Stretch

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:00:20 PST

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 for the top of the left foot.
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds then straighten the right knee; repeat before switching sides.

This is a great stretch post-run as well. Try it. You'll like it.

Stretch It: Towel Foot Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:09 PDT

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

Home Work: Toe Breaker Triceps Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:30:00 PDT

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 palms on your knees and focus on stretching your soles.

To see how to do this stretch

Kneel on a mat or carpet. Tuck your toes toward your knees and then slowly lower your pelvis to your heels.
If this is intense just stay here, but if you want to add the triceps stretch then reach your right arm overhead and your left arm behind your lower back. Bend both elbows and try to touch your fingers together. If it's easy, you can clasp your fingers together (like in Cow Face pose).
Stay like this for at least 30 seconds (or release when you've had enough), and then slowly lift your hips off your heels, point your toes away from your knees, and sit back down on you heels to stretch the tops of your feet.
Repeat for a second time and if you did the triceps stretch on the right side, now switch and do it on the left.

Barre Workouts are Expensive! Try This At-Home Alternative Instead

Self — Wed, 23 May 2012 04:23:06 PDT

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 in your living room. "This at-home workout is effective because it targets the whole lower body. Cardio Barre is amazing because it is a no-impact workout that allows you to lengthen and strengthen your muscles while burning fat. It will also help increase your flexibility and strength," says Bosworth.

Celebrity devotees, including Dakota Fanning, Neve Campbell, and Heather Morris, can all attest to the fact that Cardio Barre has given them "a lifted tush and leaner, dancer-like legs!" Incorporate these three moves into your regular routine three times a week for maximum results.

Butt Blaster
Come down to the floor on both forearms with your knees bent. Your left hip is directly over your left knee. Your right leg is bent to a 90-degree angle with your foot flexed. Extend your right leg toward the ceiling as if you were pushing the ceiling away from you (see photo above). Bring your right leg down past your left hip and then back up toward the ceiling, keeping your leg parallel to the floor with your kneecap pointing toward the ground and your foot flexed. You are doing a full range of motion, trying to imagine extending your leg all the way through the ceiling.

Keep reading for more barre moves you can do at home!

Rx For Unhappy Feet

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:32:19 PDT

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 of your feet. By keeping your feet flexible and stretched out, you will be able to concentrate on toning your body rather than quitting an exercise early due to foot pain.

Source: Thinkstock

Stretch It: Iliotibial Band and Outer Thigh

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PDT

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 of alignment causing all sorts of pain. This simple move is one of my favorite post running stretches. As an urban runner, I particularly like it because I don't have to touch the ground to do it. So stretch it!

Here's how, via the Foot & Ankle Institute:

Iliotibial Band Stretch

Cross your right foot behind your left, so the toes of both feet are almost even.
Turn your right hip out, so your toes will be almost touching with your heels apart (sounds weird..so just stand up and try it).
Side bend to the left allowing your head and neck to bend to the left too!.

Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on both sides at least two times

Fit's Tips: This stretch is for your outer thigh/abductors. You might feel it on the sides of your glutes too, and you might feel that area stretching first. The ITB is fascia, which is challenging to stretch. If your ITB is really tight you should invest in a foam roller and try rolling it out.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Foot to Hand

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:00:06 PST

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 while simultaneously giving your wrists a sweet release.

Sanskrit Name: Padahastasana
English Translation: Foot to Hand Pose
Also Called: Standing Forward Bend

Learn more details in this pose when you

Begin standing at the front of your mat. Step your feet hip distance apart.
Take a deep breath in extending through your spine, and as you exhale, hinge at your hips, reaching your head out as you fold down. Lift up the front of each foot and place your hands underneath, palms facing up. You want your toes to press on the wrist creases. Bend your knees if you need to in order to place you hands in this position.
Keep your spine long, and if you can, try to straighten your legs.
Tuck your chin in, relaxing the back of your neck and releasing your shoulders away from your ears. Draw the top of your head toward the floor and your torso toward your legs by using your abdominal muscles.
Hold here for five deep breaths. Inhale to straighten your arms, and exhale to come up to standing.

Do you love talking about all things yoga? Then check out the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.