FitSugar

The Rise of the Running Camp

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 03:00:00 PDT

The NewYorkTimes.com recently had a fascinating article about how running has taken on a whole new light these days. Instead of just strapping on a pair of sneaks and hitting the sidewalk, runners are looking for more these days. From Chi Running to running camps, if you are looking to learn how to really run, it can be done.

Running camps are really the latest fad in running and while some may call it gimmicky, there is nothing wrong with perfecting your run in hopes of preventing injuries down the line. Keep in mind that you'll pay a price for these camps and you have to be really prepared to run while you're there, so they're not for everyone. Here are a few notables:

Craftsbury Running Camps in Craftsbury, Vermont has several camps for all levels throughout the summer that are week and weekend long. Prices range from $379-$679.
Dick Beardsley Marathon Running Camps in Waubun, MN is a week of eating, running, attending seminars, talking one on one with coaches in Minnesota. Prices range from $999.
The Orange County EZ8 Running Camp is an 8-week outdoor running program (day camp) for women that offers running instruction & motivational tools - packed with fun and energizing activities designed to help you reach your fitness and running goals fast, no matter your age, size or fitness level. Price is $260.
The Jim Ryun Running Camp will be held in Gettysburg, PA and Fort Collins, Colorado. Beware that this camp is heavily Christian and geared more towards teens as they believe in developing the total runner - physically, mentally and spiritually. Price is $475.
Coach Benson's Smokey Mountain Running Camp is a week long adult running camp in Asheville, NC that includes a run up Mt. Buzzard Bait (a tiny little run...straight up a VERY steep hill). Prices start at $795.

Rewind: Who Will Play Christian Grey?

Maggie Pehanick — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

Amid all the speculation about Fifty Shades of Grey casting, we offered some humble suggestions for the role of Christian. We're also wondering who should play Anastasia.
Meanwhile, Selena Gomez made a hilarious Fifty Shades parody for Funny or Die.
Everyone is abuzz about Leonardo DiCaprio's '20s role after seeing the trailer for The Great Gatsby and the intriguing pictures.
James Bond came back into our lives with the first trailer for Skyfall.
The first teasers for Anchorman 2 have us trapped in a glass case of emotion.
Everyone's got red eye in the new character posters for Breaking Dawn Part 2.
With wedding season on the brain, we recalled all our favorite bridal parties from the small and big screens and reminisced about One Tree Hill's many epic weddings.
Veep star Tony Hale talked to us about his hilarious role as Gary, the vice presidential aide.
May finales are finishing up, and this week alone we watched as Phillip Phillips won American Idol, Glee concluded its third season while Revenge wrapped up its first, and House ended its eight-season run.
The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing, and we got the scoop on Brad Pitt in Killing Them Softly, Gael García Bernal in No, the sleeper hit The Sapphires, and the highly anticipated On the Road starring Kristen Stewart.
The new True Blood characters have us stoked about the series's return.
With Moonrise Kingdom opening, we were reminded of all our favorite movies set at Summer camp.

Wes Anderson's Guide to Love

Tara Block — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:10:00 PDT

As a self-proclaimed Wes Anderson junkie, I was ecstatic to see his latest film Moonrise Kingdom this week. And considering I was either smiling or tearing up (or both) the entire 94 minutes, I'd say it was a hit. The camp-themed coming-of-age film has all the recognizable Wes Anderson-isms fans of the director love, and the young star-crossed lovers at the center of the sweet story really just melt your heart. Set in the '60s on a New England island, the film follows Suzy and Sam, troubled preteens who write love letters to each other before deciding to run away together. Wes Anderson's films always incorporate a romantic coupling, exes, or love triangle in them, and the characters involved are usually full of witty advice and observations on relationships. So see some of my favorite couples and ex-couples from Wes Anderson movies along with their lines on love's redeeming, disappointing, and confusing qualities.

Moonrise Kingdom: A Retro Delight

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

Everything about Moonrise Kingdom is unmistakably Wes Anderson: the hazy cinematography, the clever dialogue, and even the use of the director's favorite actors. Indeed, Anderson isn't leaving his comfort zone as a filmmaker, but Moonrise Kingdom is still a pleasure to watch. Set in 1965, the movie tells the story of Sam and Suzy (newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward), preteen pen pals who conspire to run away together. As they set up camp all over an island off the coast of New England, they're being pursued by Sam's scout troop (led by camp counselor Edward Norton), Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and different authorities (Bruce Willis and Tilda Swinton). Sam and Suzy's experience with young love is sweet and complicated, and made all the more dreamy through Anderson's lens.

The elements might be familiar, but Anderson proves why he's such an admired director with a film like this. It's surprisingly romantic, but there's also a real threat to Sam and Suzy in the wild. Their compelling journey paired with the optical treat of Anderson's style makes Moonrise Kingdom a must-watch for fans of the distinctive director. To find out what else I liked about the film, just keep reading.

How Rihanna Got In Soldier-Worthy Shape For Battleship

Michele Foley — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:01:00 PDT

To get in shape to play Battleship's hard-hitting Petty Officer Cora Raikes, Rihanna geared up to work alongside the real-life Navy. From weapons training to boot camp, find out how the pop songstress got in shape for her big-screen debut.

Drop and give me 20: Forget what you think you know about bootcamp workouts. Rihanna's training was the real deal. She worked alongside Navy soldiers, performing drills that challenged her entire body. She describes the experience as "really intense with lots of yelling," and, of course, lots of push-ups. The goal was to get her in action-hero shape while also breaking her out of the "celebrity mindset." In order for Rihanna to really connect with her role, she needed to understand the mentality of a soldier. You can train just like Rihanna - minus all that yelling - by doing our 11 total-body bootcamp workouts.

A weighty affair: Wielding a big gun is no easy feat. Aside from a ton of weapons training, Rihanna needed serious upper-body strength to maneuver around with such a heavy arsenal. Her trainer's answer? Weighted sandbags. Working out while carrying added weight helped Rihanna prepare for running, jumping, and kicking her way across the screen with heavy artillery strapped to her chest. Feel like challenging yourself with military-style tactics? Get going on these CrossFit workouts that anyone can do, or wear a weighted vest the next time you hit the treadmill.

Fit Tip: Take Your Strength Training Routine Outside

Leta Shy — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:17:28 PDT

As soon as the hint of Summer comes along, I'm all about taking my workout outside. I'll admit, however, that for me, forgoing the gym for the great outdoors usually means I'm out for a run. Luckily, there are many ways I can take more than my cardio outside. Here are some ideas for enjoying the fresh air while you tone up and stretch out.

Take a bootcamp class: Ready to get whipped into shape before most people are even awake? Take advantage of mild Spring mornings by enrolling in an outdoor butt-busting boot camp in your city. You'll learn new moves and blaze through your workouts to see results by Summer.
Create your own workout club: If you feel a little bit self-conscious or unmotivated to do a circuit workout outside when you're by yourself, then gather a few workout buddies to join. You'll have fun creating your own workouts (or try this circuit workout) and helping each other keep correct form, all while ditching the dark gym for a sunnier setting.
Use the playground: Watching the kids at the playground? Take a few minutes to tone your entire body with these simple one-minute playground exercises.
Find a bench: If there's no playground near you, don't worry - all you need is a sturdy bench for an insanely effective workout. Watch our bench workout video here.
Relax with yoga: Stake out a quiet spot, tune into your Sun Salutations playlist on your iPod, and spend some time stretching and toning in the sun.

How do you exercise outside?

Structured or Unstructured Summer Plans: What's Your Style?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:41:12 PDT

Just last week, my son informed me that he only has nine more weeks of school, meaning the official countdown to Summer has begun. For him, just as it was for me growing up, the months spent between school years are filled with day camp, swim lessons, and weekends by the water. While he certainly needs a break from the school-day routine, we've found that structured days suit our lifestyle best. But there's certainly something to be said for letting kids run free in the warm weather months before school starts up again. Breaking free from daily routines allows kids to be creative with their time and go where the day takes them. So tell me, which do you prefer?

Shawn Johnson Takes Us Inside Training Camp

espnW — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:04:59 PDT

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

By Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson is blogging for espnW throughout her training for the Olympics in London this summer. Follow her journey and other Olympic hopefuls on espnW.com.

Say "camp" to an ordinary kid and she'll probably tell you about bonfires and sing-alongs and arts and crafts. Say it to an elite gymnast, and she'll tell you camp is every four weeks outside New Waverly, Texas, at "the ranch" - the national team training center.

Shawn Johnson in the Driver's Seat

The ranch is a lot different than it sounds. Yes, there are animals (camels, peacocks and lots of deer!), but it's also fully equipped with multiple gyms, a row of cabins for gymnasts, a separate row for their coaches and dining facilities. It's an honor to be asked to attend the national team camps, but spending a few days there is also really hard work, especially for a slightly older body like mine. I'm used to it, though - after all, I've been going to camp since I was 12 years old, and I'm now 20.

When we're there, we wake up around 6:45 a.m. and head straight for breakfast. Most of the girls grab eggs and coffee before we go back to our cabins and get ready to hit the gym. National team coordinator Martha Karolyi has an unwritten rule: If you're not 30 minutes early to practice, you're late. So although practice starts at 8:30, we all get there at 8. We get heat packs, get taped and do whatever we need to get ready, then sit in a loose circle on the floor and wait. At 8:30 on the dot, Martha walks out of the office. It's a signal - we stand up, line up and address her. She gives our assignments for the day, and we start practice.

My last camp, three weeks ago, was just a check-in for me. I'm not competition-ready yet, but it was good to be in the gym, working alongside all of the other girls. I'm impressed by them all, but I try not to watch too much because it makes me nervous. I don't want to compare myself to them yet; because of my knee injury and rehab, I'm not where they are right now.

Shawn Johnson Rehabbing, Eyeing London

Read on for more of a day in the life of Shawn Johnson at training camp.

21 Disposable Products You Can Reuse

Wise Bread — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:39 PDT

Even when the product is supposedly "disposable," you can always reuse it. Wise Bread shares awesome ways to reuse these 21 disposable products.

It’s said that we live in a disposable society. But the word "disposable" is a misnomer. Disposable is considered throwaway, something you use once and dump, regardless of the life that may be left in it. As a frugal shopper with a concern for the state of our environment, I think that just won’t do.

I often reuse many so-called “onetime-use” items, and I asked friends, family, and colleagues to tell me which disposable items they squeeze more life from. Here’s my list, including some of the surprising ideas I was given.

RELATED: 25 Things to Throw Out Today

1. Butter Wrappers

If you’re like most people, you unwrap your butter, pop the stick into your handy holder, and throw the wrapper away. But wait a second - instead of trashing the wrappers, keep them in a sandwich bag. The next time you need to grease a baking tray or dish, you’ve got something all ready to go.

Read on for more.

Revenge's Emily VanCamp and Joshua Bowman Show PDA in LA

Lauren Turner — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:03:47 PDT

Emily VanCamp and Joshua Bowman got close to run errands in LA on Saturday. They stopped by the dry cleaners and then picked up a few items from West Elm before going their separate ways. Joshua and Emily were together on the red carpet last week to promote their series at PaleyFest. They talked about upcoming flashbacks on Revenge and opened up about how much fun it is to play "twisted characters."

Emily and Josh took their small-screen romance to real life over the past few months, since they were first spotted showing PDA at a New Year's Eve bash. Their TV relationship is heating up as well, though we'll have wait for a new episode on April 11 to see how the drama unfolds after Joshua's character, Daniel Grayson, was arrested in the midseason finale.