FitSugar

Doubling Up: Water Cooler Squats

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:30:00 -0700

You know how much I love multi tasking and when I can combine two things I love, all the better. So I have taken to doing a classic squat while filling my water bottle. Squats and hydration combined, what more could a girl want out of a trip to the office kitchen.

You should try it too, especially if your water cooler is in an inconspicuous spot. Also it helps to not be afraid to look a little un-cool by the cooler. So, instead of bending over with straight knees and rounding your back, stick your booty out and bend your knees and squat. In this situation having a bigger water bottle is a bonus because you will need to hold the squat longer while your big bottle fills up. If you are tall, then you will have to squat a little deeper, but don’t let your pelvis go below your knees.

Do you want more specifics on how to perform a squat? Check out this post: You Don't Know Squat. It should answer any of your questions on technique. If you aren't sure how much water you should be drinking daily, you need to enter your stats in the Fit Calculator and find out.

A little impromptu thigh work and getting some thirst quenching water simultaneously – now that is what I call doubling up.

Back to Basics: Stationary Reverse Lunge

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 08:45:17 -0700

Spring is coming, which means so are shorts and bikinis! Get killer legs with these stationary reverse lunges.

Here is how to do stationary reverse lunges, step by step:

To begin, your feet should be shoulder width apart, torso erect with arms hanging straight at your sides, palms facing in.
Take a slow, controlled lunge (or large step) backwards with your left foot.
Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor. At this point your right knee should be positioned directly over your ankle and your right foot should be pointing straight ahead.
Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor. Your left heel should be lifted.
After reaching the bottom of the movement (when your left knee is almost touching the floor), pause for a moment, or a breath, then push with your left, or back foot to move almost straighten both legs (photo on the left). Keep both feet on the ground - you are not returning to the starting position, just raising your pelvis up a bit and almost straightening your knees.
This completes one, now bend your knees and lower your pelvis down to complete another. Do 10.
Return to the starting position (standing with both feet underneath your pelvis), now repeat the movement on the other side, stepping back with the right foot. Do ten up and downs (or reps) on this side now too.

Do 2 sets of 10 reps on each leg.
I have some pointers, so read more

Keep your torso as upright as possible during any Lunge exercise to minimize the stress on the back. Start slow and don't go too low if you are new to the reverse lunge. As you progress you will be able to lunge deeper and to work your glutes more and more. Really press the heel of your front foot into the ground to feel the glutes activate and engage.

Don't do this in a herky-jerky manner. Move slowly down and up - this will work your muscles more without jarring your knees.

I know it seems like a good idea to push on your knee with your hands to help yourself up but that is cheating, so don't do it.

To make this a little more challenging, hold dumbbells at your sides while you lunge. To help maintain balance, look straight ahead instead of down at your legs.

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, butt and calves.

Fit's Tip: The reverse Lunge places less stress on the knees because the knees cannot extend beyond the toes, which makes the reverse lunge a good starter lunge.

Move It at Home: DVD - LEGWORK

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 08:30:00 -0800

Ever wonder how women in the entertainment industry (on Broadway, off Broadway and way off Broadway) are able to move so well in those high heels?

LEGWORK ($19.95) is a new DVD that teaches the daily routines and exercises of top Broadway dancers. What's more? The workout is specifically designed to be done by women in high heels. The Legwork workout was created and designed by high heel designers, top Broadway dancers and ballerinas with the advice from fitness experts and podiatrists. Sounds torturous? Kylin Brady's (the amazing Broadway dancer who helped create the DVD) killer legs are motivation enough.

And here's why, the DVD claims that:

You will increase sexiness, grace and confidence in heels, leg tone and strength, heal wearing endurance and stamina as well as core strength and control.
You will learn proper heel walking and control, perfect posture, poise and pose as well as everyday walking exercises and relief techniques.
You will decrease pain in feet, ankles, legs and lower back, your risk for injury as well as your daily heel wearing discomfort.

Buy the DVD on LEGWORK.com. One thing is for sure, this DVD will definitely make you feel like you're ready for A Chorus Line.

The Pilates Reformer Will Reform You

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:00:00 -0800

I would say that the names of Pilates exercises and equipment are not really known for their poetry. Joe Pilates was German after all, so there's really a no nonsense approach to much of Pilates. My favorite factoid was that he referred to his work as Contrology. You know, like the study of control.

The first piece of equipment Pilates designed was the Reformer and it is my favorite piece to workout on because it is so dang versatile. You can work out every muscle of your body with this one machine.

Many different companies make Reformers, but my favorite is by Balanced Body - the wood frame makes it look almost homey. If you have enough room in your place to house this machine that is the size of a single bed, than you can hopefully afford the cost. It retails at $3195.

Basically, the carriage moves against spring resistance - there are five springs with different tensions creating an infinite amount of possible weights to work with.

For Footwork, the most basic exercise on the Reformer, you lie with your back on the carriage, put your feet on the foot bar and just push yourself out and control yourself back in.

You can put your feet in the loops (at the end of the ropes) to work your legs. Or attach handles to the ends of the ropes to work your arms. Standing on the machine and moving the carriage really challenges your sense of balance and your core. Ahhh...so many variations, so little time.

To see some of my favorite moves you can do on the Reformer read more

View 7 Photos ›

You should take a private Pilates session to experience the joy that is the Reformer. Some Pilates studios and gyms offer group classes on the Reformer, which is an economical way to spend some time on the machine.

Fit Tip: Work Your Legs While Blow Drying Your Hair

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 03:30:00 -0700

This may seem silly, but think about how long it takes you to blow dry your hair. Just in those 5 to 10 minutes, you could be fitting in some strengthening and stretching moves for your ankles, calves, shins, quads, hamstrings, booty, lower back, and even your abs. Here are some ideas.

Do squats and side lunges to tone your thighs and glutes.
Work your quads and your abs with alternating knee lifts. Hold one leg up at a time for at least five seconds. To make it harder, straighten the lifted leg. Balancing on one foot will also strengthen the muscles in the leg that's on the ground.
Strengthen your calves and shins with heel lifts.
Ankle rolls will stretch the muscles in your feet.
Prop your foot up on the sink, keep that leg straight and fold forward to stretch your hamstring. Hold for at least 30 seconds on each side.
You can also stretch out your hip by doing Standing Pigeon on the sink.
Stretch out your lower back and hamstrings with a relaxing Forward Bend (and dry the back of your hair at the same time).

Fit's Tip: If you don't blow dry your hair everyday, you can always challenge your sense of balance while you brush your teeth.

Source

Now Is the Time to Get Ready For the Slopes

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:41 -0800

Even though we're in the middle of Fall and I've yet to see any real signs of snow, experts say now is the time to get your butt in gear for Winter sports. Days on the slopes can be long and require a good amount of endurance, especially if you're the type who likes to visit the mountains for an extended weekend or even longer.

Veteran Winter Olympic athletes like ski racer Daron Rahlves and snowboarder Elena Hight recommend doing specific training for Winter sports six to eight weeks before the season starts. They say the key to lasting all day, weekend, or week on the slopes is to work on flexibility, strength, and cardio. A good mix of this will ensure you can snowboard from sunup to sundown. Being in tip-top shape will also help cut down on injuries.

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle asked a group of Winter Olympians and trainers their advice on getting in shape for Winter sports. Here's some of their advice.

Stretch for 15-20 minutes every day or do 10 minutes of sun salutations. Skiers should focus on their lower bodies, while snowboarders should focus on their upper and lower areas.
Two to three times a week, focus on strength training with emphasis on your quads, hamstrings, and core muscles. Keeping your legs and core strong helps with balance and endurance, and helps cut down on ACL injuries. If you can, use kettlebells and also make sure to do tons of squats, leg curls, and lunges.
Do some sort of aerobic activity for at least 15 minutes every day, keeping your heart rate elevated the entire time.

Sounds doable to me. Who's hungry for powder?

What Do You Work More, Your Arms or Your Legs?

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:47:21 -0700

When I work out on my own, I am all about lunges and squats - anything to work my legs. I might throw in a few biceps curls or some push-ups, too. When working with Hannah, my trainer at Equinox, we do a lot of upper body work - I feel like she has taught me every kind of push-up variation imaginable. My arms and back are becoming a lot stronger using the cable pulley machine and some kettle bells. What about you . . .

Get on the Ball: Circling Plank

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:47:57 -0800

Plank is one of my favorite exercises because it really targets your upper body and core. Plus there are so many challenging variations such as plank jumping jacks and walking elbow plank, so you mix up your routine and never get bored. Here's another variation that will really work your lower abs, so grab an exercise ball and give it a try.

Music: "Faith I Do Believe" by Rusted Root

For detailed instructions on this move, keep reading

Pilates Tip: Increase the Challenge By Lowering Your Legs

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Someone recently asked me if Pilates was German for ab exercises. While the founder of Pilates hailed from Germany, his last name is now what we know his exercise method by. This question, however, is highly indicative of classic Pilates exercises - they work your abs!

In many Pilates exercises that focus directly on strengthening the abs, you lie on your back and have both your legs as well as your head and upper back off the ground. To increase the intensity of the exercise, lower your legs. This forces the abdominals to work harder.

There are a couple of caveats though:

Only lower your legs as far as you can keep your deep abs engaged. You will know they are no longer working if your belly is pooching. When the top layer of abs, the rectus, works alone it pulls away from the spine and creates a mound of abs. This is not good. You want to work all layers of your abdominals together. To ensure that is happening focus on pulling your navel to your spine.
Keep your low back glued to the floor. When working with your legs off the ground you don't want a neutral spine. Nope. You want every vertebrae in your low spine attached to the ground / You want to round your low spine into the floor by scooping your abdominals, not by squeezing your booty.

If you are having trouble finding and consistently working and/or feeling your deep abs, you should raise your legs. It might seem super cool and tough to have your legs lower, but if you are pooching then you are not doing Pilates.

Looking for an exercise to put these tips to use? Then read more

Class Act: Cardio Tai Boxing

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:13 -0800

I'm big on fitness classes, but tend to stick with Pilates, yoga, or something slower-paced - usually afraid that I won't be able to keep up with a class that requires any dance technique. My exercise solution came in the form of Crunch's Cardio Tai Box class - a class that gets you moving without a required-knowledge of dance choreography. All you need to know? How to punch and kick. Really.

In fact, once you master the basic kicks and three different kinds of punches, you'll easily catch on when the combinations are introduced - so don't psych yourself out if you can't keep up right away. The key throughout the workout is to focus on each individual action, fully extend your arms and legs for punches and kicks, and be conscious of your core - if you're flexing your abs throughout you'll notice improved balance and form that'll make leg extension easier for round-house and side-kicks.

To learn more about the class and see video, just read more.

Ultimately, you'll find that the high intensity that the class requires goes hand in hand with the kinds of moves you're doing - and throwing a few punches is sure to relieve stress or any aggression after a long day at work; it's hands-down my top choice for a workout to shake things up and re-energize mid-week. If you lag behind during round one, just go back and do it again, or pull aside your instructor after class to go over technique, this way, you'll be up to speed and blasting calories by round two in the cardio ring.