FitSugar

No Equipment Necessary: Mountain Climbers

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PDT

There are lots of exercises you can do that really work your body without having to use a machine, weights or accessories. One of my favorites is the Mountain Climber, because it's a great exercise for the lower body muscles, the core, and it's also a great form of cardio.
Here's how to perform it:

Start in a traditional push-up starting position - shoulders over hands and weight on just your toes.
Bring your right foot forward, bending the knee and putting weight on the ball of your foot.
Switch legs bringing the left knee forward while moving the right leg back. It feels a little like running in place in a plank position.

Fit's Tips: Make sure to keep the head in line with the body and the stomach muscles contracted throughout the entire range of motion. Start by moving consistently for 30 seconds without stopping. Pick up your pace as you get used to the movement.

Beach Body Beach Workout

FitSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:00:00 PDT

So you've been hitting the gym a lot to get into that bikini and now that you've arrived, try and keep it that way with this beach body beach workout:

Warm-Up: Tread water for 5 minutes.
Cardio: Jog in the sand for at least 30 minutes. For an added challenge, run in ankle high water.
Walking Lunges: Walking lunges are a great variation to regular lunges. Plus doing them in the sand adds a whole new variation. Try doing 20 forward and 20 backward. For an added challenge, hold two water bottles down at your sides.
Mountain Climbers: Do 3 one minute intervals. (Hands in sand with shoulders over hands. One leg tucked, one leg extended. As quickly as possible "climb" alternating legs back and forth.) Word to the wise: You may want to close your eyes as you'll probably be kicking up a lot of sand.
Push-Ups: Do 3 sets of 10 push-ups on the sand. For an added challenge, make sure your head is at a slightly lower level than your feet.
Crab Walk: (Reverse push-up position: belly facing up, abs tight, legs out in front of you, arms extended below your shoulders, spine straight) Walk forward for 25 steps and then backward 25 steps. Repeat. For an added challenge, soak a towel and rest it on your belly for some added weight.
Crunches: Do 2 sets of 25 basic crunches in the sand -- For an added challenge position yourself so that your head is at a slightly lower level than your feet.
Cool-Down: Walk around in the sand for 5 minutes and follow with 15 high kicks.

Fit's Tip: Be sure to use a waterproof/sweatproof sunscreen and I prefer to wear sneakers (except when swimming) for support of my ankles despite the sand.

Source

Countdown to the Oscars: Get Fit with Ellen and Bob

FitSugar — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 03:40:00 PST

On day 6 of our Countdown to The Oscars with Ellen and Bob, Bob teaches us push-up mountain climbers. Try to do them for 45 seconds and if it seems too hard, then drop down onto your knees while doing them.

We are halfway through our Countdown to The Oscars with Ellen and Bob Harper. Check in tomorrow for day seven. Missed the other workouts, no worries, visit my other Countdown to The Oscars posts.

Rock Climbing With a Toddler on Your Back: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding Me?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:21:11 PST

For Menna Pritchard, rock climbing, hiking, and surfing are a way of life -and she isn't going to let a lil thing like a baby get in her way of a great adventure. The single mama is at the center of a storm of controversy since turning to Facebook to post a photo of herself rock-climbing with her daughter Ffion, 2, strapped to her back. In the image, mama Menna is wearing a helmet for protection, but lil Ffion is not. When fellow moms questioned her decision, she told the BBC:

The route I was climbing with Ffion [at Three Cliffs], there was no risk of any rock fall. I knew 100 percent it was safe. The person below me was very competent, I had a mountain climbing instructor there too and I'm pretty confident of my own competence. I was top-roping (which prevents a climber from falling down the cliff surface), which is very safe.

The babywearing advocate spends a significant amount of time blogging on her personal blog, Per Ardua Ad Alta, about her adventures, many of which include having her daughter riding on her back.

What do you think?

Source: Per Ardua Ad Alta

From the Community: Everything You Need to Know About Tabata Training

Fit Community — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:24:34 PST

FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin gives us a primer on Tabata training, a type of high-intensity interval workout.

You've probably heard the word Tabata by now (and if you haven't, you will!). So what exactly is this hot new fitness trend, and why you should care about it?

What is Tabata?

The term Tabata was coined after the Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata, who compared the effectiveness of short, very high-intensity training (bursts of maximal effort for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of recovery, repeated for four minutes in total) to a traditional 60-minute aerobic workout.

Who should do it?

Anyone looking to amp up their fitness level, maximize their cardio time, burn more calories, and blast off more fat in way less time. The key to a successful Tabata session is being able to hit the high levels of intensity (the participants in the Tabata study worked at 170 percent of their VO2 Max - that's killer!). If you are new to exercise, or returning after a long hiatus, you may want to progress slowly with trying a Tabata workout.

Learn more about Tabata, after the break!

Class Review: Sport Club LA's Aspen Ascent Gets You Mountain-Ready

Leta Shy — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:20:20 PST

If you live for the mountains during the Winter, your gym time probably includes exercises to strengthen your lower-body muscles and challenge your balance. Aspen Ascent, a new class at Sports Club LA locations, offers such a workout for skiers and snowboarders alike.

Like many strength-training cardio classes, Aspen Ascent focuses on circuit training with supersets grouped by muscle area, to pump up your heart rate while challenging your muscles. But Aspen Ascent is specifically designed for those who want to enhance their snow sport skills.

The class is divided into three sections: speed and agility, strength and balance, and core and flexibility. A short warmup period at the beginning includes light cardio, such as jumping jacks (my instructor had us do a set of always-exhausting mountain climbers afterward as well). Each of the three sections last between 10 to about 20 minutes, depending on the length of the class, which varies by location. After the core and flexibility section, which focuses on abs and yoga- and Pilates-inspired moves, there are a few minutes of cooldown to stretch your muscles.

Lunges and squats play an important role in Aspen Ascent, as do unstable surfaces to improve balance and upper body work, so many exercises mix a pair of weights with gliding discs. In my class we did two "runs" of every exercise - a short set for 30 seconds with a short break, followed by a minute of the same exercise and a longer break.

See what I thought about Aspen Ascent after the break.

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts For the Outdoor Enthusiast

Michele Foley — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 03:33:27 PST

Your nature-loving friends may spend every weekend camping, hitting the slopes, or ascending mountains, but that doesn't mean they don't need any stylish gifts to help them enjoy the outdoors. If you have a camper, hiker, or climber in your life, we've got the perfect gift for you to give. Whether it's hitting the trail, sleeping under the stars, or being the MacGyver of the wilderness, any of these award-winning items are bound to brighten the day of your outdoorsy friend.

5 Ways to Warm Up Indoors Before Exercising Outside

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:45:12 PST

Before exercising, it's important that you do a five- or 10-minute cardio warmup to get blood flowing to your muscles and help prepare them for prolonged exertion. When it's cold outside, it be even more difficult to warm up your muscles prior to exercising. Here are five warmup ideas that can be done indoors and with relatively little space. Wear a sweatshirt and an extra layer of sweatpants for additional insulation when completing these exercises.

Mountain climbers: Increase the difficulty of a plank position by doing 30-60 seconds of mountain climbers, which are a quick way to warm up your whole body and increase your heart rate.
Tabletop: If you are a runner, try completing tabletop lift to warm up your hamstrings and glute muscles.

Keep reading to see more warmup tips.

Burn It Up: 30-Minute Circuit Workout From Equinox

Susi May — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:33:36 PDT

Circuit training is one of my favorite ways to get my sweat on. You torch calories by getting your heart rate up while building muscle with strength training - a win-win workout. My Equinox trainer, Lauren, likes 'em too. Recently she put me through the paces of the following circuit workout, and I just had to share the fun. Get ready to sweat!

There are three circuits of four exercises each. Do 15 reps of each exercise, and keep rolling through the four exercises for 10 minutes. Between each circuit, rest (stretch and hydrate) for one to two minutes. To warm up, run on a treadmill for five minutes. This workout uses 12 kg. kettlebells and a variety of dumbbell weights. As always, work with a weight that is appropriate for your strength level.

Circuit One

Exercise	Reps	Equipment	Notes
Jump squat	15	Body weight move
Squat thrust deadlift	15	12 kg. kettlebells	Place hands on kettlebells to jump back into plank; come to standing lifting kettlebells.
Single-arm kettlebell swings	15 each arm	12 kg. kettlebell	Really pop your hips to get that kettlebell up!
Plank with reverse row	15 each arm	10-15 pound dumbbells

Keep reading! There are two more circuits after the break.

Healthy Dose Link Time: Ace Backsides of Tennis

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:58:05 PDT

Tight shorts and short skirts: check out the best butts in tennis - Shape
Do you use these flimsy excuses for why your weight loss is stalled? - Prevention
Say what! Being born in Spring can lead to developing an eating disorder? - Blisstree
If you like mountain climbers, then the "Core Fusion Cardio" workout is for you - Health
Cute gear for exercising with a bun in the oven - Fit Bottomed Girls
Refreshing chilled soups to keep you cool as August winds down - Fitness