FitSugar

Confident, Chiseled Celebs Who Kickbox

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:13:19 PDT

These knock-out celebs choose kickboxing, and the results are pretty obvious. Forget being a damsel in distress – kickboxing is a self-defense workout that includes empowering karate kicks and boxing punches.

Beyond training to be hot, kick-ass leading ladies in action films, these celebs love kickboxing, because it doubles as a strength-training session and a high-endurance, cardio workout. Like other martial art forms, kickboxing also improves self-confidence, courage, and strength. Read more about these five kickboxing celebs who talk about the benefits of their go-to workout.

A Reader's Fitness Must Haves For 2011

Fit Community — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:00:09 PST

FitSugar reader mandaleebee shared her fitness must haves for the ninth challenge of our Get Fit For 2011 giveaway, and you should, too!

I am a sucker for buying new fitness and beauty products on a whim. One of my impulse buys last year were my Vibram FiveFingers Sprints; I love them. I can't wait for it to get just a tad warmer so I can start running in them again with my pup! I also would like a good fitness watch so I can push myself during my runs (running has never really been my thing, but I am determined to get into it).

My new 2011 fitness obsession is boxing and kickboxing at LABoxing (and I do mean obsession), so I am all about new boxing and kickboxing fitness gear! Because of all of the cardio circuits and ab workouts during the kickboxing and boxing circuits, shorts are out (I don't want to flash the person at the bag across from me, now do I?) and yoga pants are in. I try to kickbox a minimum of three times a week, so I am in dire need of more capri workout pants. These Lucy Perfect Core Knee Pants would be perfect! They hug your core, reminding you to keep it engaged. The Lucy Propel Knee Pant would also be great, providing breathability during the hard workouts and would also be good for nighttime running because of its reflective piping. Also from Lucy, these Run Power Headbands were a great investment to keep my bangs and sweat out of my face during workouts. I'm also sort of obsessed with collecting different hand wraps - I currently have pink and black, so now I need yellow, red, blue, orange, camo and more!

Be sure to share your fitness must haves in our Get Fit For 2011 group to enter our weekly giveaway of a $100 Nike gift card and a chance to win our grand prize - a four-day fitness boot camp in LA, which includes a nutritional consultation with the C&J Nutrition team!

The 5 Best Leggings For Your Fitness Routine

Self — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:30:26 PST

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

Get into a shape and look fab while doing it! Attire-friendly workout leggings flatter more than just your appearance: they also act as an enhancer depending on your workout. Check out SELF's picks and find your best legging! What you wear to the gym can go a long way toward helping you stay happy, motivated and confident - and can even improve your workout performance, experts say.

February Self cover beauty Brooklyn Decker relies specifically on her workout leggings when running, weight lifting, or taking a yoga class. Self has dissected some of the top brands and found the best leggings for your preferred workout!

Speak Up: Are There Any Workouts You're Afraid Of?

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:00:27 PDT

One person's fear is another's passion, at least when it comes to certain workouts. Whether you're adventurous or not, it's possible that a certain workout could strike fear into your heart. Here's a list of a few "extreme" workouts that people either love or hate:

Rock climbing Sure, you may be completely safe and supported by ropes during your climb, but a fear of heights is a fear of heights!
Mountain biking Challenging and intense, mountain biking makes for a great workout, but flying down a hill at full speed over rocky terrain could make a nervous biker feel unsafe.
Trampoline, trapeze or other aerial arts Flying through the air with the greatest of ease or hurling yourself high into the air is the ultimate fun workout for some daredevils. Aerial workouts may be growing in popularity, but I know plenty of fit ladies who'd rather stay close to the ground.
Boxing and kickboxing Kicking and punching a heavy object: stress relieving or too confrontational? Though there are plenty of days when working frustrations with this exercise seems mandatory, there are plenty of people who are turned off by its combative nature.

So, tell me: are there any exercises or workouts that scare you? Or any that you refuse to try?

Class Act: Koga

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:00:40 PST

Yoga is so beneficial that everyone is trying to find ways to build on this ancient practice. There are so many variations out there, from Yogilates to water yoga, and you can even sign yourself and your pooch up for Doga.

Add to the list Koga, which blends yoga with kickboxing. Creator Jon Koga, an instructor of both yoga and kickboxing, realized the two programs were quite complementary. Yoga increases flexibility, balance, and strength; kickboxing makes you stronger, increases confidence, and raises your heart rate. Combining the two into one workout sounds pretty interesting. To see what it looks like, check out a clip below from the Dr. Oz show:

I'm interested in trying this fitness hybrid, but I haven't found a class near me. There are fitness DVDs available (set of two for $50), so you can try it out at home.

Tell me, have you ever tried Koga? If so, tell me what you thought below.

DVD Review: 10 Minute Solution KnockOut Body

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:30:00 PDT

Famous ladies like Lauren Conrad, Jenna Fischer, and Adriana Lima swear that boxing is a great way to get in shape without getting bored. I concur with their assessments after working out with 10 Minute Solution KnockOut Body Workout Kit with Weighted Gloves ($22). As with the other 10 Minute Solution DVDs, the video is broken up into five, 10-minute workouts that can be done separately, all at once, or you can customize by pairing two or three workouts. I chose to do all of them together and found myself glistening with sweat by the end.

While I enjoyed all of the segments, the Fat Attack and Kickbox Cross Train sections were my favorite, and I wore the provided weighted gloves for extra challenge. The workouts are designed to get your heart rate up with punching, kicking, jumping, and sculpting moves. Both segments incorporate varieties of lunges, and the Kickbox Cross Train is particularly appealing for those looking to spice up typical gym moves. The coach, Jessica Smith, takes you through exercises like squats into overhead tricep extensions with an added heel lift, and reverse lunges into backwards kicks.

The 50-minutes flew by and I had a blast. It provides an intermediate level workout, so I wouldn't rely on it for your sole source of cardio, but it will definitely get your heart rate up and burn some calories. I know I'll be popping this video in on days that I just don't feel like leaving the house to work out. To see a clip of the DVD,

Get the Bod: Sandra Bullock

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:50:00 PDT

According to my pal Buzz, Sandra Bullock rocks the pencil skirt in her new film The Proposal.

This is no coincidence. According to InStyle Sandra wanted to "emulate her character and look buff and smashing in suits." Sounds like her hard work paid off. The lovely comedic actress doesn't shy away from variety; she mixes up her fitness routine. While in LA, Sandra incorporates Pilates, kick boxing, and weight training, including plyometrics, into her regimen. But back home in Austin, TX, she runs and rides her bike. The variety of fitness activities helps Sandra stay motivated and keeps workout boredom at bay. Always frank and funny, when asked if health was her sole motivation for working out, she replied:

"People ask, 'How do actresses do it?' Um, they pay us to do this in order to look good on film."

We could all take a page out of Sandra's playbook and work to keep our fitness routine fresh even if we don't have to wear pencil skirts on the silver screen.

Fitness Switchup: Kickboxing Instead of Swimming

FitSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:00:00 PDT

Swimming is wonderfully meditative, quiet, and peaceful, but creating your own fitness motivation when cranking out the laps can be difficult.

If you find your love of the pool receding, it is time for a fitness switchup. I suggest you try a rocking group class like kickboxing. Your upper body will still take a beating (bad pun, I know), but you will be working your shoulders in a wider variety of motions, which is great for injury prevention. Jumping around on land is great for your bones since it's weight bearing, unlike swimming. Plus, being in a group class can buoy your waning motivation. The loud music and fun moves of kickboxing are certainly different, but are still complementary to your time in the pool.

Source

Lauren Conrad Hates Sit Ups, but Loves Kickboxing

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:00:00 PDT

After compiling over 20 million of your votes, the second annual PopSugar 100 is finally here! To help celebrate tomorrow's announcement of the PopSugar 100, and her debut on the list, we're bringing you this exclusive interview with Lauren Conrad!

It's been a huge year for LC; between her friendships, fashion line, and hit TV show, this starlet is bigger and better than ever. We had a chance to catch up with her and talk about love, happiness, food, fitness and just about everything else. Check out our interview across the network and be sure to be back tomorrow to see where she lands and see the rest of the list!

We already know that LC is into healthy living, but thanks to this interview we learned her true feelings for both sit ups and push ups.

PopSugar: Pick a favorite: sit ups or push ups?
LC: I hate them both! But probably sit-ups.

PopSugar: So we see you going to the gym a lot . . .
LC: Yeah I started again, it's really hurting me!

PopSugar: What is your routine at the gym?
LC: I just started doing more kickboxing which is really fun, and the way [my trainer] does it it's like a full body workout. Like squat, lunge, squat, lunge, or lower punches. It’s really like a full body workout, but I do a half hour of kickboxing and then he has me just do weights. We also do running most days and Chloe (LC's pooch) likes it.

Flynet

Get Physical: Kickbox With Your Honey

FitSugar — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 03:30:00 PST

One of my favorite ways to burn off some serious calories with my hubby is by kickboxing and it looks like Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott feel the same way. (Sidenote: Didn't she just have a baby? She looks amazing!)

Kickboxing is part boxing, part martial arts and part aerobics all in one. Not only is it a blast, but it also uses the muscles of the upper body, lower body, and core, which means you're working a lot of muscles in a little time. It's a great exercise to do with someone else because you can practice your jabs, cross-punches and roundhouses with (and on) someone else. What's more? A 150 pound woman can burn 700 calories per hour with a vigorous session of kickboxing. So do it just the two of you, rent a DVD, or sign up for a class. It happens to be one of the only classes I can get my husband to join me in - apparently the words "kick" and "boxing" add enough masculinity to cancel out the far less masculine words "group class." I love Tori's pink boxing gloves, too. I may have to upgrade from my mini pink glove on my key chain.

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