FitSugar

Yoga Video: Jump Through With Blocks

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PDT

The jump through vinyasa is one of the toughest moves to master in Yoga, but it's an important move to learn since it brings an amazing sense of fluidity to your practice. If you've tried it a million times, and are constantly kicking your hands or crashing your booty into the ground, then you are probably frustrated.

Here's a trick to make your attempts successful and to strengthen your core muscles, which are vital for mastering the jump through. Check out the video.

Want a detailed explanation of how to do this? Then

Begin in Down Dog holding onto a set of blocks. Keep those blocks stable as you hop both feet forward between your hands. Practice this a couple of times, working on making it all the way in between the blocks. It's very important to work on engaging your abs and pelvic floor to slow down the jump, so you can land as softly as possible (without making a sound).
When you're ready, this time instead of landing on the soles of your feet, you want to land on the tops of your feet. All your soft and slow jumping practice will come in handy here, because if you land too hard, it'll hurt your feet. As you jump from Down Dog, engage your core, bend your knees, point through your toes and land on the tops of your feet ever so gently. To get back to Down Dog, just press into the tops of your feet and pop back (that's my favorite part).
Once you've got that down, this time as you jump forward, you want to cross at your ankles as you land on the tops of the feet. Continue working on engaging your core muscles, which will help to slow this move down and give you more control when you land. Try to keep your knees as close together as possible since eventually they'll need to fit between your arms. Practice this a few times.
Now you're ready for the jump through. You're still going to cross at your ankles and point through your toes, but you're going to jump passed your hands and land in a seated position on your bum. Take it slowly at first because it doesn't take much to get you through. To get back to Down Dog, just bend your knees into your chest, cross at your ankles, press into the blocks to lift your hips off the ground and jump back to Chaturanga (4-Limbed Staff) or straight to Down Dog.

Have fun practicing this jump through. Not only will it work your core and stretch out your hamstrings, but all that jumping will work your heart as well.

11 Rules to Dramatically Increase Your Productivity

Wise Bread — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:04 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

There's a problem with a lot of productivity advice out there, and it's this - your "rules" for personal productivity are often going to be different than mine. Sure, sometimes there's overlap. Sure, you can always learn from others.

But if you want to see a dramatic increase in your productivity, spend less time reading and memorizing other people's rules, and more time figuring out what your own rules are. You'll be more productive and in a way that works with who you are.

So I'm sharing a few of my personal productivity rules. Maybe some of them will work for you or inspire you to think of your own.

1. Small Daily Movements Become Big Accomplishments

I tend to think that I must have big blocks of time in order to get any forward movement. So I hesitate and procrastinate, waiting for that "open time" when I can really push and get a lot done on whatever the current project is.

Turns out, that's a waste of time. Small daily movements add up. It's just that the movements or steps themselves are so small, I think they don't count. They do.

I have to constantly remind myself that I don't need a whole day or a whole week to devote to some project. I just need to take the 10 or 20 minutes I have here and there and use them. I need to achieve a little bit of forward movement every day. That adds up, and it builds momentum, and pretty soon there's been quite a lot accomplished.

For more rules, read after the jump.

Workout Essentials That Aren't Just For Yogis

Heather Dale — Thu, 12 May 2011 10:26:02 PDT

The first time you walked into a yoga studio you probably saw a wall of blocks like the ones above, and a few of these foam cylindrical tubes lying around too. I'll admit it, at first I didn't quite know what purpose either of these items served. But after taking a few classes that incorporated both blocks and rollers, I was instantly hooked! What's great about both yoga blocks ($15) and foam rollers ($20) is the fact that they are not only for Pilates and yoga classes (although they are superb with both), but they can help you in your everyday workout routines as well. Keep reading to find out why.

Scream 4: A Bloody, Funny, and Worthy Scre-Boot

Molly Goodson — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:57:53 PDT

You know the sound of that dreaded ringing phone; you're ready for it, but no matter how often you remind yourself that it's coming, there's just something about the start of the Scream movies that gets me every time. From that very moment, Scream 4 throws you right back into the beloved franchise with a fresh, updated take on a very familiar story. The original Scream opening scene with Drew Barrymore put the movie on the map, and once again the first sequence is everything you want - tongue-in-cheek, funny, and of course, very bloody. For that reason and others, this is perhaps the most similar to the first of all the sequels. Or, to quote the film, it really is more of a "scre-boot" than a "shreik-uel."

Director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson are both at the top of their games with Scream 4. For all the criticism Scream 3 received, Craven stays loyal to the essence of Scream in this one. Ghostface and his very shiny knife are chill-inducing, red-herring abound, and it's a horror movie about loving horror movies. Williamson somehow retains the ability to write snappy, believable teen dialogue, save one final monologue about fame that goes a bit over the top.

Technology plays a central role in the story, with iPhones, apps, and web cams making frequent appearances, which is certainly a sign of the times. Scream 4 will serve as a snapshot of 2011 in the same way Scream is so indicative of the late '90s, belly shirts and all. Still, I'm not sure there are any high schoolers out there live streaming their whole life from a headset.

To read my biggest gripe about the movie, how the veteran cast members do, and the bottom line of who will love this just

Woodsboro hasn't changed much in the past 10 years, and neither have Gale Weathers-Riley (Courteney Cox), Dewey Riley (David Arquette), and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell). The inclusion of the veterans is crucial to making Scream 4 work, and they remain the heart of the series. Gale and Dewey have stuck around town, and he's now the Sheriff while she's no longer working as a reporter and is instead plagued with a case of writer's block. Sidney is back in town on her book tour, with her a final stop being in her hometown on the anniversary of the Woodsboro Massacre. Her memoir is about coming out of the darkness, and her character has gotten stronger after all she's been through. Instead of running away from Ghostface, Sidney is now on the offensive to protect her cousin, Jill (Emma Roberts), and family. Campbell shines as a more daring adult Sid who is ready to fight until the end.

The death count is far higher than any of the previous Screams, so don't get too attached to the hot, young star-studded cast. For that reason, the downfall of this film is that it has less character and relationship development. At times it feels like the script moves from kill to kill without explaining any of the motives or backstory. There's little time to be worried about what door Ghostface is lurking behind, since the killer is too busy slashing everyone in sight. For instance, the movie alludes to Jill's boyfriend Trevor (Nico Tortorella) cheating on her, but they don't explain or expand on the story from there. The film will also have the viewers picking suspects, though that part of the story is underutilized as well. None of the characters are pointing fingers or making accusations, which is usually part of the fun.

Hayden Panettiere and Alison Brie are highlights of the new Scream-ers, as Jill's badass friend and Sydney's sassy publicist respectively, and the trio of guys, Tortorella, Erik Knudsen, and Rory Culkin each have their moments. Cox and Campbell, who both look like they haven't aged a day, are fantastic reprising their classic roles, and Arquette is lovable as ever as Dewey. Bottom line: Scream 4 won't have you jumping out of your seat, but it's smart, witty, unpredictable, and a blast to watch.

Source: The Weinstein Company

Your Guide to Beauty Events For Fashion's Night Out

Annie Tomlin — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:24:46 PDT

This year, Fashion's Night Out is even bigger than last year's event - which, considering how difficult it was to move through the style-loving crowds, is saying something. Tomorrow, New York City will host hundreds of events that bring designers, stylists, celebrities, and fans together. The schedule of events is overwhelming, to say the least, so we're rounding up some of the beauty highlights. Chanel manicures, Swarovski updos, and a Backstreet Boy? Sign us up. See the top FNO beauty events after the jump.

Women Like Netflix More Than Hulu Plus

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 04:42:21 PDT

A recent study from Mashwork shows that women use Netflix more than Hulu Plus. According to the study, 48 percent of female respondents use Netflix, while only 24 percent use Hulu Plus. Though there are pros and cons of each (including catalogues, commercials, and quality) both services truly allow TV and movie fans to save a few bucks on a cable subscription since you can get your favorite shows on your computer, mobile device, and even gaming consoles. In fact, 51 percent of study respondents (men and women) say they use both Netflix and Hulu Plus and are planning on cutting the cord on cable.

Below, we'll cover the benefits to each service, and be sure to tell us which you use in the comments below!

Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus is a subscription service ($8 a month) that lets you watch Hulu content via an Internet connection, WiFi, and 3G on your:

iPhone and Android devices
iPod Touch
iPad
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
Samsung Internet TVs and Blu-ray players
Mac or PC

Get current episodes of shows and access to a huge library of past seasons and series. It's like the Hulu you know now, only with more ways to watch. Although you pay a monthly subscription to get access to TV shows, you will have to wait until the day after the show airs on TV to watch (sometimes longer), and sit through a block of two commercials a few times during your show. You can also watch select movies via Hulu Plus, and even behind-the-scenes clips from your favorite shows.

Get the scoop on Netflix after the jump.

Get the Lowdown on Amazon's Two New Kindles

GeekSugar — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:47:42 PDT

Speculation was running rampant, but now it's official - there are two new Kindles on Amazon's block. The announcement was teased yesterday by the WSJ, but now we can talk official details. It's difficult to tell the difference between the two, as both models come with identical specs; the difference lies in connectivity - one is equipped with WiFi and 3G, while the second model is WiFi only.

Some Kindle fans may have been hoping for a touchscreen interface on the next-gen ereader, but in a recent interview, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos explains why it wasn't included in the update, saying that it adds "an extra layer on top of the display surface, and it increases glare."

View 5 Photos ›

But size and color aren't the only significant updates to the new Kindle. Check out the rest of the details after the jump.