FitSugar

Relax Already: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:00 PDT

I am always looking for ways to relax. From work to my family to tax season, I've been pretty tightly wound. I haven't had the time to go get a massage - my favorite stress reliever - so I have been looking for ways that I can relax on my own. I came across a technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation where you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. The idea is that you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation, which allows you to become more aware of physical sensations. What's more? Concentrating on relaxing your muscles makes it harder to think about stressful problems and events.

Want to learn how to do it? Then

Here's how you do it: Sit in a chair with your back straight, head in line with your spine, both feet on the floor, and hands resting on your lap. Tighten each muscle group and keep it tightened for 15 to 20 seconds. Then relax slowly and notice the difference between tension and relaxation. It is best to start at the head and work down the body or start at the feet and work up. Try and do the technique twice a day - it should take you about 12-15 minutes to get through all your muscle groups.

I've been using the technique for a few days and I've got to say that it really is relaxing - though I can't say I've forgotten about Uncle Sam. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Source

6 Tips to Start Your New Job Right

Kiplinger — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:08:12 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

I learned some valuable lessons about how to succeed in the "real world" while starting out at my first full-time job, and you can, too.

I never expected my social circle, at age 22, to use the phrase "I feel so old" so much. We know we still have our whole lives ahead of us, but making the transition from college to career can really make you feel like you've aged 20 years. For example, unlike in my college years, convincing myself to go out on a Friday night these days takes almost as much work as getting out of bed on a Monday morning. And I never thought I would be spending my beloved lazy Sundays running whatever errands I didn't get done during the week. Even four internships, including one with my current full-time employer, the Kiplinger Washington Editors, hadn't fully prepared me for this whole professional-life thing.

To help you make the adjustment and overcome common obstacles you might face when you're just starting out, here are some lessons I learned in the first few months of my first job. I hope these tips will help you feel as young as you are. SEE ALSO: Our Quiz on Navigating the First Weeks at Your New Job

Read on for tips.

How to Run a Faster 5K

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:23:54 PST

You've been running regularly for some time and have completed a few 5K fun runs. But now it's time to step it up and take this distance seriously. Here are some tips to help you beat your personal record when running 3.1 miles.

During Training

Add speedwork: If you want to run a faster 5K, you have to practice running faster. Coach Andrew Kastor recommends adding 80-meter sprints into your training schedule, and here's his plan for running a faster 5K in four weeks. Remember: sprinting can be hard on the body, so make sure to start off with shorter sprints and build up to the full 80 meters, especially if you're new to speed work.
Add short uphills: Hills require strength and endurance, so if you practice them during your training, you'll develop speed and muscle power, and just as with plyometrics (jump exercises), hill sprints will increase flexibility in your muscles and tendons, which reduces your risk of injury. In your training, tackle shorter steep hills (about six to 10 percent incline). Sprint up for 10 seconds, then walk downhill backwards to avoid pressure on the knees. Repeat, eventually building up to eight 10-second sprints. It's a surefire way to stronger, faster legs.
Incorporate strength training moves that target your shins, calves, quads, glutes, and core: Running alone won't increase your speed. You need to strengthen the muscles that make you move so your actions will be more powerful and more efficient. Incorporate variations of squats, lunges, step-ups, calf raises, bent over rows, and these three booty moves from celebrity trainer David Kirsch.
Become familiar with the route: Obtain a map of the 5K course, and if the route is open (like in a neighborhood or wooded trail), practice running it to familiarize yourself with the hills, curves, and mile markers. Knowing the course in advance will give you confidence and an added advantage over runners who are running it for the first time.

Keep reading to find out what to do on race day to run a faster 5K.

Forget the Muffin Top: How to Ditch Your Pooch

Self — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:00:50 PDT

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

As of this past weekend, Spring is finally, officially here - along with panic about the upcoming bikini season.

When it comes to shaping up your abs, you want to combine a healthy, diet with high-intensity cardio and moves that target your deep abdominal muscles - aka the transverse abdominus. When strong, these babies work like an invisible girdle, pulling everything up and in. Result: A flat belly without the Spanx!

We asked exercise physiologist Amy Dixon, group fitness manager at Equinox in Santa Monica, CA, for some of her favorite moves to tame the lower abdominal area - or as we like to call it, the "pooch."

Stability Ball Rollout
Kneel on the floor behind a stability ball. Place your forearms on top of the ball, hands clasped to start. Contract your abs and roll the ball forward as far as possible without bending back or hunching shoulders (shown above). Hold for 2 counts, then return to start for one rep. Do 2 sets of 15 reps.

Stability Ball Jack Knives
Get in push-up position with your shins elevated on a stability ball. Your body should form a straight line from the top of your head to your heel. Brace your abs to prevent your midsection from sagging toward the floor. Slowly pull your knees toward your chest. Straighten legs to roll the ball back to start and complete the rep. Do 2 sets of 14 reps.

See how planks can help you tone your belly.

De-Stress Out With These Five Tips

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:09:38 PDT

Stress makes the body and the mind tense and can inspire a flood of unhealthy decisions. While exercising definitely helps alleviate stress, we've pulled together five more ways to help you cool your jets.

Tackle the To-Do List
The more we put off the items on our to-do list, the longer the list grows, and the more it contributes to elevated stress levels. Schedule a “Blitz Day” to knock out all those items you’ve been avoiding. Rise early in the morning and spend the entire day knocking out the items on your list. Your stress will be lower as you cross items off, but more importantly, you’ll realize just how effective and industrious you can be when you apply the full force of your will to accomplish things.

Turn Off After Work
Turning off electronics gives you more time to be active and also gives you more time to focus on the relationships in your life. To make this more of a priority, when work is over for the day, turn the computer off. Leave your phone at home when you are out with friends for the night. And even though it may sound crazy in this day and age, you'll find it liberating.

See more ways to tackle stress.

DrSugar Answers: Waiting Period For Exercise After Having a Baby?

DrSugar — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:00:33 PDT

Guest writer Kerri Walsh recently shared about taking baby steps on the road back to fitness after having her second child. The post prompted this question:

Medically speaking, why does a woman have to avoid physical activity for four weeks after giving birth? - Asche

Since DrSugar is in the house, I handed the question over to her to answer. Here's what she had to say.

I'm so happy you asked this question, as I think it is very important to review why doctors recommend avoiding exercise after giving birth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that each individual check with her obstetrician or nurse midwife before initiating an exercise program in the postpartum period. Depending on whether one had a vaginal birth versus cesarean section and if there were any complications, that may change the amount of time they will advise against exercise. Generally speaking, some women will be advised to hold off on exercise until the four-to-six-week post-delivery checkup, where the obstetrician or nurse midwife can assess the progress in healing. However, some women will be able to resume their normal routines soon after giving birth and some women will have to wait longer than four weeks before resuming activities.

To learn more, keep on reading.