FitSugar

Let Pilates Move You: The Twist

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 09:15:00 PST

The Pilates Twist is a great antidote to any weight gain you might be experiencing in your middle, post holiday season. The Twist will definitely whittle your waist since it targets the abdominals, especially your internal and external obliques.

Watch it, then try it.

You should do The Twist 8 - 10 times on each side.

Let Pilates move you: Balance Point

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 10:14:39 PST

I am always looking for balance in my life and if you are too, here is an exercise for you. It is known as Balance Point.

MOVE 1:
Sit on the ground with your knees bent with your hands behind your knees. Use your abs to roll behind your sits bones (yep, those bones you sit on). Keep your low back rounded as you lift your legs off the floor one at a time. You are now in Balance Point.

But wait there is more...

MOVE 2:
Keeping your hands behind your knees straighten one leg. That simple move will make your abs work more to keep you in place. Bend that knee back to the starting position and try the other leg.

To see the next move and learn some variations

MOVE 3:
Now, straighten both legs - keep your abs engaged and your lower back round, making sure to not "pop" back onto your sits bones.

For more of a challenge take your hands out from behind your knees. Don't let your legs drop when you do this. For even more of a challenge lift your arms up over your head.

Let Pilates Move You: Reverse Plank

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:15:00 PST

Since it is Thanksgiving week and everything is a little topsy turvy (a 3 day work week, lots of food, Black Friday) I thought I would show you a plank flipped over and reversed.

Sit with your legs out straight in front of you and place your hands behind you with finger tips toward your bum. Your shoulders will no longer be over your pelvis. Inhale to prepare and...

Exhale squeezing your inner thighs together and engaging your booty, pull your deep abs toward your spine and press your hands (all the way to the tips of your fingers) into the ground and lift your pelvis UP. Allow your neck to lengthen back.

Hold the plank for 2 rounds of breath, then slowly lower your pelvis to the ground. Repeat 3 more times.

Fit's tip: Make sure to circle the wrists to warm up the joints before bearing weight on your hands. It's also a good idea to release your wrists after this exercise by pulling your fingers back toward your inner wrist.

Let Pilates Move You: Bridge with a Kick

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 13:30:00 PST

This Pilates move will work your backside, toning your hamstrings and glutes. Lie on your back with your arms resting by your sides and your knees bent and heels in line with your sits bones (yep, those bones that you feel on your bottom when you're sitting). Using your legs press your pelvis up into a bridge. But go only as far as you can so you still see your knees - so not as far up as the bridge pose in yoga (see photo of "wrong move" below).

Engage your core, feeling the abdominals and the back muscles sandwich the spine. Use these muscles to keep your pelvis as steady as possible while doing the following exercise. No rocking and rolling. I always say - it's not really Pilates if you are not working your deep abs.

Press your right heel into the floor to feel your right hamstrings and right booty working. Reach your left leg toward the ceiling and flex your foot (pull your toe toward your head). To continue this exercise

On an exhale slowly lower your left leg until it is even with your right knee. Really reach through your heel. Taking about 4 slow counts to lower the leg.

Inhale and point the toes of your left foot and quickly bring the left leg up. Repeat 3 - 5 more times then switch legs.

If this seems a bit daunting, just practice the bridge part of the exercise - pressing the pelvis up and lowering the pelvis with control. If your hamstrings are cramping, give them a gentle stretch and focus on your glutes working to spread the work out.

View 3 Photos ›

To see how not to do this exercise

Yogini Kristin McGee Dishes on Bethenny Frankel's Fave Pose and Getting Ready For Beach Season

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:36:21 PDT

I was lucky enough to take a class taught by Manhattan-based yoga teacher Kristin McGee right here in San Francisco! Although one busy lady, Kristin traveled across the country to teach Vinyasa Vibes (a new offering at The Sports Club/LA), a flow-based, powerful yoga sequence enhanced by music. The most musical part of the practice? During Savasana, the class culminated in a live sax solo by Grammy-nominated musician Dave Koz. After class, Kristin and I chatted about her yoga journey, getting ready for bikini season, and what it's like working with one of her famous clients, Bethenny Frankel.

FitSugar: Some of the moves in Vinyasa Vibes are Ashtanga-influenced. Is that what your yoga teacher training background was in?
Kristin McGee: My original background was really eclectic because I started in the early '90s. I started taking [yoga] at NYU; some of my very early teachers were Jivamukti teachers who did study Ashtanga. Then I did study with Richard Freedman for a while, who is pure Ashtanga, and Cyndi Lee at OM Yoga. I wanted to get deeper into Iyengar classes and get into the alignment and the detail. Now in my practice I want to get more into Pranayama, more of the breathing, and maybe take some more Kundalini classes. I just feel like it constantly evolves.

FS: The Vinyasa Vibes class has live music during final relaxation. Can you elaborate on the experience of live music and yoga combined?
KM: In yoga practice, it’s a very intimate, immediate place. It's almost like live theater or live music where it brings you right into the moment. Music is a universal language, just like our breath is a universal breath. I think the second we're in this surrounding, in this environment with that live music and the intimacy of a live class, it brings it all together in one beautiful experience.

FS: You’ve collaborated with Bethenny Frankel on some projects. What's her favorite pose?
KM: Bethenny’s all-time favorite pose is Straddle Forward Bend because she says it feels like the weight of the world is falling off of her shoulders. Someone like Bethenny Frankel has a million things going on, and I don’t know how she does it! But I think you also noticed it in the practice tonight. Right when we finally got to that Straddle Forward Hang, it was kind of just like, "Ugh! Such a release!" You feel like you could stay there for quite a while.

Keep reading for Kristin's favorite snack before class and how to get your body ready for Summer.

4 Reasons to Try TRX Suspension Training

Leta Shy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:45:17 PST

It may have been developed for the Navy SEALs, but you don't have to be in secret-weapon shape to work out with TRX. The concept of the TRX suspension training is pretty basic: you use two cables on your feet or hands to partially suspend your body and use your own body weight as resistance. The muscle groups you work as well as how hard you work them all depend on the positioning of your body on the cables.

To find out more about the benefits of the workout, I spoke with Randy Hetrick, former Navy SEAL and current CEO and founder of TRX, at the unveiling of the newly expanded TRX Training Center in San Francisco, CA. If you've ever wondered about all those odd-looking straps hanging in your gym, read on to find out more about working out with TRX.

It's for anyone: So, who should do TRX? Everyone, Randy says. "People who like yoga and Pilates tend to like TRX because there are some crossovers. But it's also great for runners, cyclists, or anyone who is an endurance athlete and wants to have more strength training." Even reluctant "power lifters" are usually swayed by the workout once they see how effective it can be at building muscle, he says.
It's beginner-friendly: Another reason to try a TRX class - it's easy to tweak exercises to your own level of difficulty and ramp up when necessary. "It's all user-defined," Randy says. "You determine how hard or how easy you really want to go. So really advanced or really beginners can work out in the same class and get what's right for them."

Read on for more reasons to try TRX.

Hilary Duff's High-Energy Prenatal Piloxing Workout

Self — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:39:32 PST

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

Some women may take it easy during their last trimester, but Hilary Duff isn't the type to let her workouts slide just because she's eating for two. The singer-actress may be seven months pregnant, but according to her trainer of eight years, Vivica Jensen, she's still staying fit with biweekly Piloxing sessions. "Piloxing is the first fitness program that blends the best of Pilates, boxing, and dance into a high-energy, hour-long interval workout," says Jensen, who created the hybrid class. "I put a lot of focus into balance and alignment, which can be thrown off when you're pregnant. You also get a great cardio workout, and the boxing element tones your arms and legs."

Although Jensen has tweaked Duff's workouts to accommodate her pregnancy, she's quick to point out that the mom-to-be is no slouch in the gym. "Since Hilary was already in good shape, she's able to do everything but at her own pace with a few modifications like taking more breaks to drink water and catch her breath when her heart rate goes up and not doing advanced ab exercises," says Jensen.

As her due date draws near, the former Lizzie McGuire star is also preparing her body for the hardships of labor. That means plenty of arm, leg, chest, and core exercises. "For now, I'm focusing on her core muscles because I want those muscles intact so she has an easier delivery," says Jensen. Just don't expect Mrs. Comrie to stay bedridden for very long since "Hilary loves being healthy and has always been very active. Once she gets the OK from her doctor, we're really going to kick it up a notch," says Jensen. "She's tough with amazing form, so I'm able to work her hard and really kick her butt!"

Want to stay fit throughout all nine months of your pregnancy (or even if you're not eating for two!)? Incorporate four moves into your regular workout routine to get buff like Duff. Read on for the moves.

The Best Indoor Workout Classes (Because It's Freezing Outside!)

Self — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:35:01 PST

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

There are lots (and I mean, lots) of reasons why my motivation to work out during the Winter plummets - from the snowy commute to freezing cold winds to the cold, dry air that hits my chest with such force that it becomes hard to breathe. (Ahem, there's a reason I sign up for races that are after September - this born-and-raised Floridian prefers to train outdoors during the Summer.)

But it is possible to sculpt, strengthen, and sweat (majorly sweat) without having to be freezing cold during the winter. So when the weather outside is frightful, head indoors for these top full-body workouts that will help ward off Winter weight:

Indoor cycling: Ruth Zukerman, cofounder of NYC's FlyWheel cycling studio, is heating things up indoors with her 45-minute, heart-racing classes. (Self favorite Jillian Michaels is even a recent investor in the company). "I wanted to be part of the most innovative and effective indoor cycling program, and that is FlyWheel. I am thrilled to join the FlyWheel team," Michaels said in a press release. What makes cycling such an effective alternative is that it's taking the fun full-body workout people love indoors, and instead of scenery, you'll stay motivated to challenge yourself thanks to encouraging instructors and a killer playlist. Flywheel has an awesome on-bike technology board that lets you compete against other riders in the class. Plus if you're looking to shape up before hitting the slopes, "indoor cycling is great preparation for all Winter sports, especially skiing and snowboarding. I know from personal experience that when I hit the slopes I don't tire out easily or suffer from the kind of après-ski muscle pain that most people do, and it's because of indoor cycling," Zukerman says.

Try this move: If you're riding an exercise bike at home or the gym, try some interval training. One thing we often do at Flywheel is a "Sprint Chorus," meaning we increase our RPMs to a sprint during the song's chorus and then revert to a cadence on the beat of the music as the chorus ends.

More best indoor workouts after the break.

No More Pudge! 5 Tips For Rocking That Cropped Top

Self — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 05:10:01 PDT

If you're anything like me, back in the day - before exercise seemed like an issue - you rocked cropped tops everywhere. Circa 1994, was there something else worth wearing? In recent years, though, I've generally kept a little fabric between my belly and the world. Until now. Cropped tops are a must wear again. Luckily, Pilates instructor Natalie Ridley of The Sports Club/LA (where the likes of Katie Holmes, Victoria Beckham, Britney Spears and Nicole Kidman have been known to work out) offered up these toning tips, so we can bare (at least a tasteful bit of) our bellies without fear.

SELF's style team loves this American Apparel ($26.90) top. Get their picks for classy, not trashy cropped tops.

If exposing your stomach sends shivers down your spine, don't let the above picture scare you. To rock this style, there's no need to wear skirts this low or show your entire stomach. But, should a little tummy be revealed above high-waisted pants, skirts, or
shorts, you don't want to have to feel embarrassed by pudge either. According to Ridley, these five Pilates moves will tone your mid-section:

1. Roll Up:
"This exercise is intended to strengthen abdominal muscles and inner thighs. Begin lying on your back with the arms straight up toward the ceiling, legs sealed together, and feet stretched forward. Engage your belly and use your arms to pull yourself forward. Roll up. To advance this exercise, you can roll up with a straight single leg (then change to the second leg)."

See the rest of this ab-centric workout after the break!

4 Ways to Avoid Icky Gym Germs (and Look Cute!)

Self — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:49:14 PDT

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

Let's face it; it's tough to avoid germs when you're breaking a sweat. And it's even harder to keep bacteria at bay if you're sharing space with hundreds of other fitness fans at the gym or in the studio. What's an exerciser to do to stay healthy and safe? Clean up your act with the help of these antimicrobial tools that will make your workouts anything but a dirty job.

Carry your own gym towel. Your hands aren't the only ones reaching for a towel from the stack at the front desk. Toss your own in your bag instead. A good choice, Silver Sport's antimicrobial eco-friendly bamboo towel ($34.99). It's amazingly soft and it uses Terra Silver antimicrobial technology that mitigates 99.9% of surface bacteria. That means if your towel touches down on a dirty surface and then touches your hands/face you're still safe from the germs. Mine also went unwashed for days (oops left it in my gym bag) and remained surprisingly odor-free.
Bring your own equipment. Gym mats and props are dirty, so skip the shared equipment and bring your own. Go with Silver Sport's Silver Mat ($49.99). The nanosilver incorporated in the plush light-weight mat makes it the perfect companion for hot yoga or ab moves at the end of class. I love the Silver Shaper Pilates Roller Cover ($39.99) too. It's latex-free, protects from germs, and covers any standard foam roller. Great for massaging post-workout also. And thanks to their natural antimicrobial technology, a quick wipe down with a damp cloth keeps bacteria and odor in check on both. You can skip the harsh chemicals and sprays!

Check out more germ-busting finds after the break!