FitSugar

Get Lifted: Reverse Fly

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:00:00 PDT

If you're working on strengthening and toning your upper back and shoulders, this exercise has your name on it. You'll need a set of dumbbells and a sturdy place to sit.

To find out how to do this exercise,

Sit on a chair or the end of a bench.
Place a light dumbbell in each hand and lean over your thighs. Don't collapse onto your legs, but keep your chest about six inches from your quads. Try to straighten your spine and engage your abs.
Now at the same time, lift both arms up, drawing your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then with control, lower the dumbbells back toward the ground.
Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Posture Perfect: Standing Reverse Fly With Exercise Band

Susi May — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:09:49 PDT

Rounded shoulders and bad posture have the unfortunate effect of making us all look heavier than we really are, especially in the midsection. If you spend hours hunched over a computer, you need to combat the inevitable slouch so you can rock your bikini at the beach or wow your wedding guests as you walk down the aisle.

Having good posture can really make you look 10 pounds thinner! So try this variation on the reverse fly I learned from my Equinox trainer, Lauren; it's the perfect antidote to bad posture. It not only strengthens the upper back muscles (both the rhomboids and the middle part of the trapezius), it tones the back of the shoulder, too (aka posterior deltoid).

Learn how to do this variation on a reverse fly after the break.

3 Reasons to Work Your Back in Time For Summer

Leta Shy — Wed, 02 May 2012 01:17:24 PDT

When it comes to looking your best on the beach, it's not all about how to build a six-pack or which exercises make your backside look the best in a bikini. In fact, having a healthy and strong back can make you feel your best on the beach in more ways than one. Here are some essential back exercises and why they will help you rock a swimsuit with confidence.

Stand tall and slim: Wanna look five or 10 pounds lighter without dropping a number on the scale? Stand correctly! Having bad posture pushes out your belly and rounds out your shoulders, making you look shorter and fatter in an instant, so it's important to add posture-building workouts to your bikini-ready routine. Stand tall with this standing reverse fly exercise and these eight back and shoulder exercises and stretches to combat any workday slouching.

Help banish the muffin top: While all the spot-training in the world won't melt away your muffin top, doing specific workouts that target your torso and upper back will create a slimmer, more toned look. If you're dreading showing off any of the extra padding you've accumulated around your waistline, try a few of our back-strengthening exercises to help you tone, like this video of how to do the Superman exercise and these exercises that will help you get rid of your muffin top.

Stay injury-free: A strong back helps keep you injury-free by preventing imbalances and unnecessary strain. If you're looking forward to an active Summer burning calories outdoors, start working on your back muscles to make sure an injury doesn't sideline your fitness fun. Get more bang for your buck with this butt-lifting, back-strengthening single leg dumbbell row or try these four spine- and torso-stabilizing exercises to keep your back healthy and strong.

Surprising Makeup Tips From Three Celebrities

Guest Writer — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:45:33 PST

Sometimes it's the student who teaches the teacher, and in the world of beauty analogies - and in this particular case - it's the celebrity client teaching the makeup artist. Here, our guest writer, Vanitymark Cosmetics founder, and celebrity makeup artist, Brett Freedman, shares with us his role-reversing experiences.

In my career as a makeup artist I've been turned on to some really great beauty tricks. Some are self-learned from trial and error, some are from other makeup artists, and more than a few have come from the subject themselves. There's a difference between doing makeup on a gal that's not in the entertainment industry (or as I term them, "civilian") and someone who gets made up as part of their job. Civilians are excited to try new colors, textures, and see their faces through the eyes of a pro; whereas actresses, singers, and models have seen their faces made up many different ways, making them hyperkeen on how products feel, wear, and photograph. Who better to give insight into glam than the canvas themselves?

To see Brett's favorite celebrity-given tips, just keep reading.

Chic Destinations a Hop From Your Doorstep

LearnVest — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:15:33 PDT

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

At this point, most of us have planned our summer travel, but there’s no reason our journeys have to end when the air starts to chill.

We’ve rounded up the best upcoming chic destinations for you, depending on your part of the country–because travel expenses aren’t just about where you’re going, they’re also about where you’re coming from. A quick and inexpensive trip for some might require hours in the air and thousands of dollars for others (Hawaii and London come to mind as quick jaunts for the West and East Coast respectively, not so much for the reverse coasts).

We’ve divided our favorite chic and inexpensive getaways by region, so you can spend less time and money in the air, and more where you want to–on the ground.

If you’re traveling from the Northeast:

Iceland

A hot new destination, it’s close to the Northeastern United States and affordable compared to the rest of Western Europe. Iceland Air has a great stopover option which allows travelers to explore Iceland en route to (or on their way back from) more than 20 destinations served by the airline, for the cost of a single flight. For example: Depart Boston on September 9th, hang out in Reykjavik for a few days, and then head on to London on the 12th, all for $439 including taxes and fees. Despite the economic crisis that nearly turned Iceland into a barter economy just a few years ago, hotel prices still haven’t dropped to what we’d call “cheap” levels. But deals are certainly available. At the Hótel Frón, rooms in September start at $139 per night.

For more hot cities to visit, read on.

Ergonomic Beauty Products to Make Your Life Easier

Jaime Richards — Tue, 24 May 2011 06:01:55 PDT

When you think of ergonomics, you probably think of oddly shaped keyboards and office chairs equipped to reduce strain on the back, but you likely don't think of beauty products. However, there are a whole slew of personal care goods that feature such well-thought-out designs as swerved handles, smoothed angles, and curved mechanisms that can make your life a whole lot easier. Japonesque's ergonomic mini tweezer set ($29), for instance, is made specifically for maximizing comfort and control during hair removal.

And then there's Klhip's Ultimate Clipper, a hefty price at $70, but you'll have it forever. Its reversed lever makes cutting softer and smoother, so much that you'll find you probably won't need to file your nails after grooming. And thanks to its gentler pressure, you'll love that clippings won't go flying to no man's land during the process. To see more ergonomic beauty products and discover more, just click on any of the images above.