FitSugar

Vinyasa: The Link Between Poses

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your body, and vinyasas help that happen. Vinyasas link static yoga poses together, so your practice becomes more of a deliberate, fluid dance instead of just a bunch of random poses thrown together. Vinyasa is a series of 5 movements, kind of like a shortened Sun Salutation. You do a vinyasa between different poses and between the right and left sides of poses as well. Vinyasas are like the glue that holds yoga poses together.

Check out this video to see the flow of the 5 movements.

How did it get its name? To find out, read more

"Vinyasa" is a Sanskrit word that literally means "uniting breath with movement." Each of the 5 movements in a vinyasa is synchronized to an inhale or exhale, and those movements help to make the connection between your breath and your body even deeper. This helps to make yoga more of a moving meditation, by increasing your awareness and ability to focus. Vinyasas also make yoga more challenging, because those 5 movements really work your upper body and core. Vinyasas also enable you to maintain heat, which opens your muscles and allows you to get deeper into poses. Doing a vinyasa between each pose brings the body back to a neutral pose, so you're like a clean slate - ready for the next pose.

Here's a simple description of a vinyasa and how the breath is connected to each of the 5 movements:

Inhale - LIFT your feet and hips off the ground.
Exhale - 4-Limbed Staff (Chaturanga) pose.
Inhale - Upward Facing Dog.
Exhale - Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale - Jump your feet through your legs and get ready for the next pose.

Now here's a more descriptive explanation:

Inhale - From a seated position (whichever pose you are doing), plant your palms firmly next to your hips and bend your knees up to your chest. Cross your right leg in front of your left just below the knees (not at the ankles), engage your abdominal muscles and LIFT your feet and hips off the ground.
Exhale - If you can, keep the lift and don't even let your feet touch the ground as you kick them back to Chaturanga. Since that's really tough, try at least to do the LIFT for a moment, then touch your feet to the ground and kick back to Chaturanga.
Inhale - Scoop your chest forward between your arms and come into Upward Facing Dog.
Exhale - Press into your hands and lift your hips up to the ceiling coming into Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale - Look between your hands, bend your knees, jump off the balls of your feet and come into a seated position, ready for the next pose. If you can, you want to try and jump your feet through your hands and land softly on your bum. If that's not happening, take 2 jumps instead of 1. Jump your feet to your hands, then jump your legs in front of you and land on your bum.

You'll do this vinyasa in Ashtanga yoga classes and in other yoga classes too, such as Jivamukti. There's even a style of yoga called "Vinyasa" (also called "Flow"), that involves doing vinyasas between poses, and that's how it got its name.

Check out this video of a guy doing the LIFT back to Chaturanga without even touching the ground. Those are some serious core muscles!

A New Exercise Movement: NIA

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Sick and tired of the same old treadmill routine?

NIA (pronounced NEE-ah) stands for neuromuscular integrative action, and it's one of the many ways you can breathe life into your stale workout routine. NIA is an interesting blend of the fluidity of Tai Chi, the flexibility of yoga, the randomness of modern dance and the energy of martial arts. NIA is done barefoot to music and delivers cardiovascular and whole-body conditioning. It starts off slow and explodes with energy over the course of the class which is typically an hour. Want to know one of my favorite things about NIA? It supports the Pleasure Principle of if it feels good, keep doing it, if it hurts, stop! The class is gently lead by an instructor, so if you don't do well with having an instructor barking orders at you, NIA may be a perfect fit. Think of it like this: If boot camp is like your older brother that went to military school, then NIA is much more like your somewhat peppy hippie sister who wore flowers in her hair and protested the war.

To find a teacher near you and to try it out, check out NiaNow.com. If you try it, be sure to let me know what you think!

Applied Kinesiology: It's All About Your Muscles

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:45:00 -0700

The other day my friend said "My chiropractor used applied kinesiology to discover that I had too much mercury in my body. They did some tests on my muscles to find out." Huh? This was news to me and I was intrigued, so I went home and hopped on the beloved internet to find out more about it.

Applied Kinesiology is a newcomer to the field of healing, but its roots can be traced back through centuries of ancient Chinese medicine. It involves studying a person's movements as a way to examine how his or her body is functioning (or not functioning).

Using muscle testing, they assess your posture, your gait (the pattern of how a person walks), and test your body's range of motion. If they find a muscle that is unbalanced, they'll work to figure out why it's not functioning properly.

This information is analyzed along with standard methods of diagnosis such as your clinical history and laboratory tests. The hope is that by studying the WHOLE person, the doctor can then determine the best form of treatment for you.

Treatments include joint manipulation or mobilization, various myofascial therapies (this involves gentle sustained pressure to injured or inflamed muscle tissues), cranial techniques, meridian therapy (like acupuncture and reflexology), evaluation of environmental factors, and nutrition.

This is definitely considered an alternative approach to healing. Only people trained in applied kinesiology are allowed to perform it. Many chiropractors, naturopaths, medical doctors, dentists, nutritionists, physical therapists, massage therapists, and nurse practitioners are becoming trained to complement their current practices, so if you are interested in having a session, ask around to find out who is the most qualified.

I'd like to think that since your muscles are part of your body, there has got to be some truth to studying them in order to encourage healing. Of course, many people think applied kinesiology is just a bunch of pseudoscience garbage, but it's worth a shot, right?

DVD: Endurance for Movement by Tracie Long

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 10:15:00 -0800

Sometimes I like my workout to be straight up strength training and other days I like it to be a little more new age.

Trainer Tracie Long knows how to create a total-body workout that mixes strength, balance, core and endurance moves with power, which is exactly what you'll get with her Endurance for Movement video ($19.95). The aerobic segments keep you in the fat-burning zone, and the toning segments work multiple muscle groups. The integrated stability ball exercises in this workout means greater results in a shorter amount of time. I like that! Sounds like any other video out there, right? Wrong! This video is not based on the same ol' moves you can see anywhere, the moves in Endurance for Movement are specially designed by Tracie based on her years of training experience. Buy the dvd from FitnessOrganica.com.

Fit's Tip: For this workout you are going to need dumbbells, a stability ball and a cloth or paper plate for sliding exercises.

Beyonce's Trainer Reveals 5-Minute Preparty "Body Blast"

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:50:29 -0800

When I'm totally wrapped up in Thanksgiving cooking, prepping, organizing, shopping (need I go on?), there's hardly a fighting chance that I'll make it to the gym for a full-on workout. Usually, I'll try to squeeze in a set of push-ups while prepping dinner preparation, or an early morning yoga session, if I can. So, I was excited to see Marco Borges, the trainer credited with whipping Beyonce, husband Jay-Z, and Gwen Stefani into tip-top shape, sharing an easy and no-equipment-needed workout with US Weekly. Here are the five moves he suggests to give yourself an all-over body-blasting workout (even if you only have five minutes to spare before your guests arrive):

Jumping Plies: I call these jumping squats, but it doesn't matter what you call them as long as you do them. Here's how: stand with your feet just a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, abs pulled in tight, and bend your knees, lowering your body till your thighs are parallel to the floor and jump straight into the air. Return to starting position and repeat for one minute.

Reverse Lunges: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, step back into a lunge and repeat on the opposite side, alternating for one minute. Be sure that abs remain tight throughout, working your core and maintaining your balance and posture.

Push-Ups: According to Marco, "The push-up is quite possibly one of the simplest and best body weight movements targeting the muscles of the chest, arms, shoulders and core." Do as many classic push-ups, or moderated position push-ups from your knees, as you can for a full one minute, making sure to maintain proper form and bring your chest as close to the floor as you can before pushing back to starting plank position.

For the rest of Marco's workout, keep reading

Lessons From the White House Chef

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:00:07 -0800

Part of Michelle Obama's master plan to reform eating habits in this country includes the directive of a young chef named Sam Kass. Kass has been the Obamas' personal chef for several years now, and when the Obamas packed up and moved to the White House, he did too.

Kass, 29, plays more than cook at his current post: he is the first White House chef to have an actual desk in the East Wing and works alongside the rest of Ms. Obama's policy team with the title of "food initiative coordinator," meaning he's given the daunting task of getting the entire country to eat better.

To hear how Kass is trying to making the country healthier, read more.

How does one man do that in a country where the golden arches rule? In the latest editions of People and the Chicago Sun Times, Kass shares that moving past the obstacles won't be easy but "it's an unbelievable opportunity" that he couldn't turn his back on. In the last year, the chef has gotten closer to his goal by helping plant a garden on the White House lawn and educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. He's also discussing legislation with the Agriculture Department that would reform school lunch on a national level.

When it comes to feeding the first family, Kass and White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford serve up classic fare like burgers and tacos, but make healthy food swaps and use lean beef and low-sugar ketchup instead. As for dessert, it's a special treat served only on the weekends, and that order comes directly from Michelle herself.

Inspired by the Slow Food movement, Kass looks to the White House garden to inspire his menu, pushing forth the idea of eating local and by season. Right now, he's got his eyes on a bevy of sweet potato dishes and fresh salads, which should come in handy for the Obamas' first state dinner later this month.

Pilates and Control

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:30:00 -0700

It is no joke that Joe Pilates nicknamed his exercise method Contrology, as in the study of control. While it is easy to mock for sounding so very anal retentive, it is actually a great movement principal to use in most forms of exercise.
Labeled a body / mind exercise, Pilates is about consciously moving your body with control. Haphazard and sloppy movement is a serious no-no in the Pilates method, in both the mat work and when using the machines. Focusing on motions emanating from your core helps you control the movements of your body. Basically you never really get to give into momentum in Pilates instead you control the momentum. You move your body actively and stabilize your core while your limbs move all about.

This movement fundamental can be applied to almost everything. I like to use it when I am lifting weights either free weights or weight machines. Slow and controlled lift up and slow and controlled lowering. If I am trying out a new piece of cardio equipment like the StepMill, I know I have figured out the basics when I can start focusing on this element of control. Step aerobics is another place to finely tune control. Step quietly on the step and you are using control.

Fit's Tip: Being conscious of your body movements while working out is great for injury prevention. Flinging free weights about is a sure fire way to over tax your joints.

Game Review: Your Shape For Wii

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:50:08 -0800

There's a new fitness game in town and it's ready to work you out and make you sweat. Your Shape ($69), a new Wii game by Ubisoft, makes Jenny McCarthy your workout coach and training buddy so you don't have to sweat it out alone.

The game comes with a camera that you perch on your TV; it captures your image and plays it on your TV so you move with a reflection of yourself, like looking in a mirror. The camera also monitors your movements, and if you slack off, Jenny will let you know - she also gives you praise when you make a correction. Who couldn't use an ego boost mid-workout?

To learn more about the game, continue reading.

You Asked: Why Does Running Make Me Have to "Go?"

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering.

"Fit. I've recently started running but I've noticed an unpleasant side effect. A few times I've had to get off the treadmill and run to the bathroom. It's totally embarrassing to me; please tell me it's normal."
-Running to Restroom

Great question and I love when readers pose slightly embarrassing questions because it always provides a small sigh of relief for everyone to read it and say, "I'm not alone." Needing to go is a very common issue among runners; let's just say that the abundance of port-o-potties at marathons are not for the spectator's use. To see why, just read more.

Here is the thing: The up and down motion of running can irritate the intestines and make us have the urge to go. When I first started running I had this very same problem, and I know that having to stop halfway through a run can be very discouraging to someone trying to build up endurance. For an expert's advice on how to deal I turned to WedMD:

Gastroenterologist David Bjorkman, MD, dean of the University of Utah School of Medicine, recommends eating at least two hours before a run. Caffeine can speed the movement of wastes through your system, and artificial sweeteners (such as mannitol and sorbitol), which are often found in energy bars, can cause GI distress. Although it's not wise to have a bran muffin before a race, Dr. Bjorkman says to incorporate more fiber in your diet (work up to 20 grams a day). "Adding fiber can make you more regular. You can get your system to operate like clockwork, so that you can reliably go before a run."

From my own experience all of the above holds true, but I've also found that timing is critical. For example, if you typically hit the restroom first thing in the morning, then an a.m. run may not be the best option. Also, it's a good idea to always try to use the bathroom before you run.

You're definitely not alone and hopefully, with a little tweaking of your diet and timing, the only urge you'll feel is to run longer.

Source

Surgery to Get Your Feet Stiletto-Slim?

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:00:48 -0800

According to Christian Louboutin, Barbie has cankles - but she's not the only one who needs a makeover to fit her stilettos. Apparently, donning perfectly crafted sky-high heels means women need perfectly re-crafted feet to match. In fact, even while most cosmetic procedures are on the decline - thanks to the recession - podiatrists report that the demand for cosmetic foot surgery is on the rise.

The fashion industry is already credited with making women feel inadequate when it comes to their figures, but I was surprised to learn that even a pair of strappy, heeled sandals can wreak havoc on female body image, causing some women to develop body dysmorphic disorder about their feet. Michelle Tzonov, a massage therapist from San Diego, always enjoyed an active lifestyle - an avid runner, hiker, dancer, and snowshoer - who decided her fully functionally, but bunion-covered, feet were in need of a makeover. Multiple surgeries to beautify her feet with intensive cosmetic surgery and a bunionectomy have since left her feet mutilated and saddled her with excruciating pain, likely to be lasting results of her botched surgeries.

To see how three inch heels affect your body, read more.

On their own heels are bad enough - even at three-inches high, they can increase the weight on the forefront of the foot by 110 percent, displacing bones and tissue, according to a recent study by the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. But, surgery to get the foot stiletto-ready can cause severe complications that will eventually radiate throughout the whole body. While I'm certainly not an advocate of any kind of cosmetic surgery, just think of it this way - face work will never jeopardize your ability to walk, but feet support the whole body - mess with them and you're likely to jeopardize any kind of movement, especially the ability to strut your stuff in a pretty pair of Louboutins.