FitSugar

Gear Review: Modern Union Yoga Bag

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:03 -0700

Dealing with my yoga mat when I ride to the gym can be a pretty tricky feat. I have a bike basket that I can tie it to but it always throws me off balance. That's why I was really excited to find these messenger bags from Modern Union ($68). The bags were designed by yoga studio owners Stephanie Ofanankis and Belinda Osborne because the partners couldn't find a yoga bag that met their lifestyle needs - lucky me!

First off, I love the textiles they chose - simple, colorful, and modern. Beyond that it's a great bag to take to the gym or use on your days off. The straps on the bottom of the bag keep a yoga mat secure, and I like that there are outside pockets for a water bottle and cell phone. The inside of the bag is roomy enough to carry gym essentials or even a laptop. Inside are a bunch of smaller pockets so things don't get lost, including a key ring holder.

Most importantly these Modern Union bags make commuting on a bike so easy. There's a padded shoulder strap for comfort and a magnetic closure, which is great in case you need to get in and out of your bag quickly if you're stopped at a light. An added bonus is each bag is made out of durable cordura, meaning it won't be ripping, scuffing, or tearing on you anytime soon and it's water resistant.

Anna Paquin Shares Her Healthy Habits

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:30:08 -0700

With her fresh face and healthy physique, True Blood star Anna Paquin has made a graceful transition from child star to sexy vamp. In this week's issue of Us, the recently engaged, 27-year-old actress talks about the healthy habits that keep her feeling and looking great.

Paquin understands the importance of mixing up her fitness routine. "I'm obsessed with Pilates," says the star. But she also loves swimming in the ocean and recently took her first surf lesson.
A big fan of watching gymnastics on TV, Paquin once dabbled in trapeze arts: "I've always wanted to be a circus performer, so I took aerial silks classes at Trapeze School New York a few years ago."
Since staying healthy isn't just about exercising, Paquin gets plenty of rest and avoids unhealthy habits. She says she takes a lot of naps and that "Kombucha and coffee are my two biggest vices."

If those are here only vices, I can understand how she looks so good! Do you think she's a good role model?

Back to Basics: Side-Lying Neutral

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:00:19 -0700

Working in a neutral spine is a core component of Pilates. That little pun is intended, too, for working in neutral ensures that your back and abs are both engaged, often turning simple ab exercises into core work. There is a side-lying neutral, too. This is important if you're a fan of floor exercises used in Pilates and aerobics classes around the world.

When side lying, the bottom waist tends to touch the ground, curving the spine like a smile-like shape, unleveling the pelvis by raising the top hip. Not only can this position be bad for your back, it oversimplifies many exercises. To find your side-lying neutral:

Lie on your side with the back of your body against the wall, this prevents you from rolling back or leaning forward.
With your heels against the wall, lengthen your top waist by reaching through your heels until your pelvis is level and your bottom waist is pulled from the floor. You will feel your abs engage.
Keep this position as you move your top leg for leg circles or your lower leg for inner-thigh leg lifts. Maintaining side-lying neutral will decrease the range of motion of your leg, but the movement will be concentrated where it should be rather than in your spine.

If you want to test your newfound neutral, try this Pilates inner-thigh workout.

Mandy Moore Goes Deep to Find Balance

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:00:06 -0700

Mandy Moore appears to accept herself gracefully, brushing off Hollywood ideals and expectations and replacing them with her own. While dealing with a relatable love-hate relationship with her hips, the singer is working to achieve a deeper sense of balance in her life. She told Women's Health, "I'm into having balance in my life and trying to treat myself well." To find out how Mandy nourishes her body and mind, read more.

Mandy exercises her body by going on hikes and doing Pilates three or four times a week, and she achieves mental health and happiness by receiving regular acupuncture sessions and going to therapy. She loves acupuncture and says, "It's so restorative. It brings me back to myself." The therapy sessions are "freeing" for Mandy because she gets an unbiased view and doesn't feel like she's being judged. It's clear that Mandy is doing everything she can to take care of herself, and her efforts are paying off.

Get the Bod: Sandra Bullock

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:50:00 -0700

According to my pal Buzz, Sandra Bullock rocks the pencil skirt in her new film The Proposal.

This is no coincidence. According to InStyle Sandra wanted to "emulate her character and look buff and smashing in suits." Sounds like her hard work paid off. The lovely comedic actress doesn't shy away from variety; she mixes up her fitness routine. While in LA, Sandra incorporates Pilates, kick boxing, and weight training, including plyometrics, into her regimen. But back home in Austin, TX, she runs and rides her bike. The variety of fitness activities helps Sandra stay motivated and keeps workout boredom at bay. Always frank and funny, when asked if health was her sole motivation for working out, she replied:

"People ask, 'How do actresses do it?' Um, they pay us to do this in order to look good on film."

We could all take a page out of Sandra's playbook and work to keep our fitness routine fresh even if we don't have to wear pencil skirts on the silver screen.

Guess Who?

FitSugar — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Can you guess which female actress just finished taking Pilates?

Fitness Switchup: Boot Camp Instead of Pilates

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Spring is a time of change, and I think it is a perfect time to switch up your fitness routine. If you're starting to dread your Pilates mat class, might I suggest experimenting with a boot camp of some sort?

Pilates is great for training the small muscles that support your skeleton, while boot camps (like TRX and CrossFit) target the larger muscles. You can put your well trained Pilates posture to work while doing squats and lunges, and challenge your well honed Pilates core in a whole new way. It is a good idea to train your body in a variety of ways to keep yourself injury-free and to prevent workout boredom. Not sure how to find a boot camp? Check out this list of CrossFit affiliates.

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Yoga, Pilates, or Both?

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Many of you enjoy strictly doing yoga or Pilates, but some of you enjoy the benefits of both. They share many similarities, but there are also big differences between them. Take this quiz to see what you know about these two types of movement.

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Take the quiz

Which Do You Do More: Yoga or Pilates?

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Yoga and Pilates have a lot in common. Both are great forms of strength training, and both practices will increase your flexibility, but yoga more so than Pilates. Breath and breathing patterns are central to both practices, and both are considered mind/body exercises since they encourage you to focus on that connection. However, yogic philosophy includes a strong spiritual aspect that is not present in the Pilates method at all.

Seeing as these are so similar, I'm sure many of you do both, but I'm wondering . . .

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Pilates For Cross Training

FitSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

I firmly believe Pilates makes everything better. I have been selling the exercise method as a form of cross training to many of my endurance athlete friends - primarily because many endurance athletes skimp on strength training due to lack of time, lack of interest, or they just plain don't know that there are so many reasons do it.

Pilates is great for runners, swimmers, and cyclists because it works the core, and a strong stable core makes you more efficient and less prone to overuse injuries, which can plague endurance athletes. As a cross-training method, Pilates works flexibility training into the many multitasking moves that make up the exercise repertoire. Keeping muscles flexible protects your joints and helps prevent injury. Lastly, Pilates is a form of functional fitness, meaning many of the exercises translate directly into everyday actions, from lifting heavy objects to leaning forward over handle bars.

If you're training for a marathon or a long-distance swim, make sure to schedule time for cross training and be sure to check out Pilates.

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