FitSugar

Pilates Tip: Avoid the Head Rush

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT

When I am gardening and move from a deep squat to standing, I get a little lightheaded. It is not really disconcerting, but when it happens when I'm doing Pilates, well that is a different story. Exercises where you move from horizontal to vertical quickly can create a sudden lowering of blood pressure, which can make you dizzy. The most simple way to avoid the head rush is to move more slowly. And moving more slowly will emphasize the element of control central to the Pilates philosophy. This will also increase the difficulty of the move. Think of that as a perk brought to you by your desire to avoid a head rush.

The expert at About.com: Pilates also thinks that increasing the "scoop" of the deep abs on the inhale can help keep the blood pressure from dipping too low. Keeping the low and deep abs engaged while you breathe in means you need to focus on breathing into the sides and backs of your ribs - an element of Pilates we can all work on.

Try these two fixes and see if they keep getting dizzy at bay.

Source

No Headphones? 5 Ways to Entertain Yourself on the Treadmill

Leta Shy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:44:44 PST

I love running on the treadmill, but let's be honest: it's not the most entertaining workout. I usually distract myself from counting down the minutes with a good playlist, audiobook, or tuning in to the gym's TVs. When I forget to take my running headphones, however, I have to entertain myself in an entirely different way. Here are some ways to keep yourself entertained (not to mention motivated!) when you can't do your normal headphones-on, tune-everything-out routine.

Change up your intervals: You should be doing this anyway once you've mastered your current workout, but if you're used to going through the motions, now's the time to change your intervals or the speed of your high-intensity runs.
Take a fit test: See how fast you can run in a set period - say, five minutes - without stopping (make sure you don't overdo it, though - stay at a level where you don't feel short of breath, lightheaded, or dizzy). Doing a fit test regularly is a good way to gauge your progress if you've been running regularly and if it's time to pick up the pace. Plus you may be surprised by just how fast you can really go!

Read on for more.

5 Things Not to Bring to the Gym

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:03:10 PST

If you want to make the most of your gym time, there are certain things you shouldn't take with you. To stay healthy and centered during your workout, leave these five items at home:

Reading material. It's important to stay focused while you're at the gym, not only for safety reasons, but also to maximize the benefits of your workout. If you're focusing on the latest issue of your favorite magazine, you're probably not paying attention to your body. Read outside the gym to zero in on your training.
Energy drinks. Stick to zero-calorie water to stay hydrated. The amount of caffeine in different energy drinks varies, but you should steer clear while you're working out to avoid becoming lightheaded. Prefer something with a bit of flavor? Try adding electrolyte enhanced flavor packets to your water.
A plastic water bottle. Refilling and reusing old plastic water bottles can be dangerous to your health - and the environment. Go green and invest in a stainless steel option instead.

Keep reading for two more things to leave at home.

Yoga Class Fears (and How to Overcome Them)

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:06:14 PST

As one of yoga's biggest fans, I'm always trying to persuade newbies to try a class. Whether you suffer from pain, stress, or you just want to get in shape for ski season, I'm convinced yoga is the answer. The problem is, some people are afraid to try yoga. Here are some popular yoga class fears and how to get over them.

"I'm worried I'll pass gas in class"
A valid fear, but at some point, all those twists and bends are bound to get things moving, and just about everyone I know has passed gas in class once or twice. Other students are very adult about it by pretending nothing happened. There are a few things you can do to prevent this possible embarrassment. Avoid eating gas-producing and high-fiber foods like beans, broccoli, and apples before class, and finish eating one to two hours before you head to the studio so your body has time to digest. If you know certain positions are bound to result in a loud outburst, move into them slowly. You can also choose classes that are highly populated or involve loud music so if you do let one go, it will be less obvious.

Keep reading to see what other fears keep people from trying a yoga class.

3 Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:59:59 PST

After you've had a few yoga classes under your capris, it's easy to get so caught up in the actual postures that you forget about other important details that can deepen your practice. While the physical aspect of yoga is important, not being aware of the mistakes you're making on your mat may hold you back from the emotional and spiritual benefits. During your next yoga class, focus on these three aspects of your practice and see how it helps deepens your awareness and sense of relaxation.

Scan the Body For Tense Muscles
When you're in a pose that challenges your sense of balance like Tree, or postures that challenge your strength like Forearm Stand, you can be so focused on holding the pose that you tense up every muscle in your body. Not only does this make for a stressful yoga practice, you could also injure yourself by overworking muscles that should be relaxed. In your next class, be aware of tension you're holding in common areas like your shoulders, face, or toes. Constantly scan your body each time you move into a new posture to ensure you're holding the pose with as little muscular effort as needed.

Continue reading to find out other ways to deepen your yoga practice.

Beginner Tips For Hot Yoga

Heather Dale — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:16:59 PDT

Hot yoga, aka bikram yoga, can be quite intimidating for those who are either new to yoga in general, or haven't been to a hot yoga class before. If the 105ºF temperatures aren't enough to scare you away, the thought of getting sticky and sweating with a group of strangers can be enough to turn you off of it. But, once you get past the heat and the sweat factor, hot yoga classes can provide you with some of the best workouts of your life. Here's what you should know before attending your first hot yoga class.

What to bring: Unlike traditional yoga, hot yoga requires a few more accessories to make the class more enjoyable. I like to bring a big bottle of water so that I can stay hydrated throughout class; my own yoga mat; a slipless yoga towel to help keep me in place during the practice; and a smaller towel for face/neck sweat. Note: towels are not required, but with all of the sweating you do, they are nice to have.
What to wear: I tend to just wear my regular yoga clothes to class which are made out of sweat-wicking materials. I would suggest steering clear of baggy or articles of clothing made out of cotton because anything baggy will just become a nuisance, and cotton actually traps sweat, so you'll feel even more uncomfortable.

Keep reading for more tips.

Hunger: Is It Your Brain or Your Stomach?

Heather Dale — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 02:05:41 PDT

Feel hunger pangs, find food, eat food - sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, there's a long list of reasons as to why we eat in addition to just physiological hunger pangs. With obesity rates in the United States continuing to climb, it's important for people to not only be conscious about what they are eating, but the motives behind their eating habits. Here's how to know if you're eating to satiate your brain, or your belly.

Stomach hunger: Stomach hunger is exactly that: the feeling when you experience hunger pangs, stomach growling, and you physically need food. It tends to mount as more time passes since your last meal, and is dependent on factors like the hypothalamus in your brain, your blood sugar levels, hormone levels in your body, and how empty your stomach is. Feeling tired, moody, light-headed, having a headache, or finding it difficult to focus are all symptoms of real physical hunger.
Mind hunger: Otherwise known as "psychological hunger," this type of hunger is often caused by emotions triggered by stress, sadness, boredom, and even sometimes happiness. You aren't physiologically hungry, and you tend to eat more than normal since you don't know when to stop. Usually, you crave one particular thing, and if you wait it out, the craving tends to go away. The key is to recognize your cravings and to learn how to control them. Thanks to our brains, fatty, sugary foods release chemicals called opioids into our bloodstream. It's these chemicals that put us in a mild euphoric "feel good" state, therefore just reinforcing our cravings.

Keep reading to learn how to control mind hunger.

Tempo Runs: How to Push Yourself Past Your Comfortable Running Pace

FitSugar — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:50:36 PDT

When you first start running, it's important to think of yourself as a tortoise and not a hare, slowly easing yourself into running two to three miles a day, three to five days a week for about five weeks at a comfortable pace. This way, you can cover a lot of ground, yet still build endurance while minimizing injuries.

Once you're in a comfortable pace zone, you'll notice that you're getting in better shape and building a stronger aerobic system. But, to avoid hitting a plateau, it's a good idea to move out of your now-comfortable cruising pace and push yourself to run faster by doing tempo runs. A tempo run challenges you to run outside of your normal pace for a steady period of time (rather than in short bursts like interval training). To start training with tempo runs, Shape suggests 10-minute tempo runs for beginners, 20 minutes for intermediate runners, and 40 minutes for advanced athletes. What tempo runs do is they get you running faster, but at a speed that you can handle for an extended period of time.

Keep reading for more tips about getting past your normal running threshold.

Tips For Surviving Sweaty Summer Yoga Classes

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:01:12 PDT

Summertime heat means practicing yoga in an extremely hot and humid room that can make breathing unbearable - especially when the guy next to you forgot his deodorant. Who can focus on their drishti when sweat is pooling in their eyes? If you're not used to practicing in super high temps, you'll need to take some precautions to get through the 60- to 90-minute class without passing out. First, make sure to drink water throughout the day to prevent dehydration and bring an insulated water bottle with ice water with you to class. Sip your chilled water every 15 minutes or so to cool yourself down and prevent overheating.

Make your yoga outfit work for you and wear clothes made of lightweight, breathable material designed to wick moisture away from your skin. You'd think sporting less clothes, like spandex shorts and a sports bra, would be the perfect outfit for a sweaty practice, but you actually want material to cover your body. Slip on your regular tank top, but wear leggings on the bottom that cover your calves. Loose shorts or pants tend to trap heat, so make sure they're skintight. Pants or capris won't make you feel that much hotter than shorts, and they'll help absorb your perspiration, keeping puddles of sweat off your mat.

Speaking of your mat, some types become dangerously slick when wet. When it's really hot and humid, sweat may pour off your body like a leaky faucet, so invest in a rug or towel designed to go on top of your mat. It'll absorb dripping perspiration and offer a stable surface you can grip without slipping. Don't forget to bring along a hand towel to wipe sweat off your face and arms.

For more tips on enduring your hot and sweaty Summer yoga class, keep reading.

Yoga Styles Decoded

Shape — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:34:24 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Hatha Yoga

Origin: Introduced in 15th-century India by Hindu sage, Yogi Swatmarama, Hatha poses - Downward Facing Dog, Cobra, Eagle, and Wheel, for example - make up most yoga sequences practiced today.
Philosophy: The goal of Hatha yoga is to bridge the body and mind with the breath in a series of physical poses called asanas.
What to Expect: Prepare for a gentle routine that often includes Sun Salutations, balancing poses, forward bends, and back bends to work the body and focus the mind. These movements all lead up to the final relaxation - the blissful Savasana at the end of class.

Try it if…
… you want an easy-going class that will challenge without overwhelming.

Ashtanga Yoga

Origin: One of the oldest forms of yoga, Ashtanga yoga was first recorded in ancient Indian manuscripts, but brought to life by K. Pattabhi Jois, who has been teaching it since 1948. Ashtanga (which literally translates to eight-limbed yoga) is influenced by Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a yogic guideline for a meaningful life.
Philosophy: The Ashtanga technique is concerned with linking breath and movement - also known as Vinyasa. The advanced practice utilizes the dristi (the gaze) and the bandhas (internal body locks), which assist in holding the challenging poses of the sequence.
What to Expect: Think of traditional Ashtanga as the zen form of yoga. You'll flow from pose to pose with your breath - no props, no music, and no self-help lecturing - staying present in the moment. You'll earn your Savasana, the final relaxation pose, with plenty of arm strengthening chaturangas, inversions, and other advanced poses.
Try it if…
… you're looking for an old-school, kick-ass practice that's rooted in tradition rather than trend.

See even more styles of yoga decoded after the break!