FitSugar

Get on the Ball: Prone Leg Raise

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:30:00 PST

The Prone Leg Raise on the Ball is great for stabilizing the spine and strengthening the lower back, but even more than that it also works your hips and glutes. To do this exercise you'll need an exercise ball. Here's how:

Lie face-down on a stability ball with your arms bent slightly, abs tight, and legs straight.
Keep your abs engaged, slowly lift both legs toward the ceiling.
Pause for three seconds (or at least one second), then lower your legs back to the floor.
Do two sets of 10 reps.

Fit's Tip: If you're having a hard time doing this (i.e. wobbling off the ball) then start by raising one leg at a time until you get strong enough to do both.

High Heels Can Give You Barbie Feet

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:41:45 PST

High heels. You either love them or hate them, but you can't deny they are chic. We love the height boost and illusion of longer legs they offer, but we do realize they're not the best things for our feet. Unfortunately, recent research shows that these lovely shoes may be worse than previously thought.

In a study of longtime high heel wearers, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers found wearing heels actually shortens the fibers of the calf muscle, making the Achilles tendon stiffen instead of flex when walking. High heels keep feet in a pointed position, so even when habitual high heel wearers (those who wore heels at least 40 hours a week) slipped off the pumps, their feet were so used to walking with the heels raised that it became the new norm for their muscles and joints - think permanent Barbie feet. The constantly engaged calve suffers from serious muscle fatigue, but switching abruptly from heels to flat shoes, like sneakers, puts stiletto wearers at a greater risk for injury.

Keep reading to find out what you can do to heal your heel-wearing legs.

Stop Slouching! 3 Exercises For Bad Posture

Self — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 04:00:38 PST

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

Mom may have been setting you up for success when she told you to "Stand up straight!" as a kid.

According to new research from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, people who have better posture are more likely to think and act in a powerful way, and take an in-charge role - whether they are a high-powered manager or a newbie intern.

Despite mom's reminders (and the occasional poking of a pencil eraser between our shoulder blades!) we know our posture could be much better. So we called Pilates intructor Marcia Polas, of polaspilates in Denver, CO, to find out how we can correct our stance.

If you have kyphosis (a hunched posture, commonly called "slouching")
Try: Prone arm raises

Lie on your belly with legs straight and inner thighs turned out. Place a ball or rolled up towel between your heels. Rest your forehead on a folded towel, and place a pillow or folded towel under your belly (a trick to help you engage your abs). Bend your arms 90 degrees so hands are in front on you, roughly in line with your shoulders. Squeeze the ball between your heels to engage your inner thighs, pelvic floor and butt. Exhale, feeling your belly engage and lift your arms and hands a few inches off the ground. Hold, then inhale and lower. Repeat 10 times. Throughout the exercise, focus on keeping a wide back, pressing your rib cage toward your elbows and resisting the urge to allow your shoulder blades to come together. When you've nailed this with perfect form, you can add a chest lift.

How to Choose and Use an Exercise Ball

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:00:00 PDT

Yoga ball, exercise ball, gym ball, fitness ball - whatever you call it, it's a must have for all active people. An exercise ball can be used for both stretching and toning exercises, but if you're new to this piece of gym equipment, here are some things you should know.

When choosing an exercise ball, you should know they come in three sizes, depending on your height. Check the list below to see which size is right for you before purchasing one.

4'11" to 5'4" height: 55 cm ball
5'4" to 5'11" height: 65 cm ball
5'11" to 6' 7" height: 75 cm ball

Now that you know which size ball to use, here are some ways you can use it:

Use the ball as a weight bench. Lie across it on your back and do chest presses, tricep presses, or lying pec flies to work your upper body. Since you're using your legs to keep your body stable, you end up toning your glutes, quads, and hamstrings as well.

To see the other exercise ball ideas,