FitSugar

Get Mountain Ready With These Strength Training Moves

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:50:10 PST

If the Winter games have you fired up for the slopes, our friends over at American Council on Exercise (ACE) have designed a workout to get you mountain ready. These moves for boarders and skiers will help build muscle to make you stronger and faster - just like the Olympic snow geniuses Hannah Kearney and Lindsey Vonn. OK, maybe not as strong and fast as them, but these exercises will definitely help improve your techniques on the slopes. If snow is not your thing, runners, bikers, and swimmers will also benefit from these exercises that will tone your squads, calves, and glutes.

Gifts For Active Snow Bunnies

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:00:32 PST

Although snow may not be falling in your neck of the woods just yet, it's never too early to start thinking about all the people in your life who love playing in that fluffy white stuff.

If you have a friend or family member who's big into hitting the mountain, here are some gift ideas that are sure to keep her warm and happy. Although picking out ski or snowboard equipment is best left up to her, these items are sure to make wintertime even better.

Get Mountain Ready With Ashtanga Yoga

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:30:00 PST

Now that Winter is in full force, I'm sure many of you spend your weekends skiing or snowboarding. Nothing beats the excitement and anticipation of standing at the top of a white mountain and looking down the slope. However, an exhilarating day on the mountain can leave you very sore and achy the next day.

If you take the time to lengthen and strengthen your legs and core before heading to the slopes, you can seriously decrease the delayed onset muscle (DOMS) you experience the day after boarding or skiing. Let me tell you, Ashtanga Yoga can help get you mountain ready, especially the Primary Series. This sequence of set postures, involves tons of poses that stretch and strengthen your quads, hamstrings, hips, shoulders, and lower back. These are the areas skiers and boarders need to focus on, and stretching and strengthening them can prevent injury, as well as make you stronger and more in control when you hit the mountain.

In the Primary Series, you practice both Sun Salutation A and B, which are great for warming up heading up the lift. Other great poses in the Primary Series are: Warrior 1 and 2, Seated Straddle, and Head to Knee. These poses help increase your flexibility and build endurance. Ashtanga is perfect for inflexible athletes who like to sweat and work every muscle.

Fit's Tips: Check out your local yoga studio to see if the offer Primary Series classes or beginners workshops. If they don't, check out this awesome Primary Series DVD. Also check out my videos of Sun Salutation A and Sun Salutation B.

The Obamas Honor Baseball Champs, Berlin Does Racy Fashion, and China Gets Ready for the Year of the Dragon!

Tara Sharp — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:00:00 PST

This chilly week started off golden with lots of sexy bow-tied actors and cute couples at the Golden Globes, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and the kickoff of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. And while this was a celebratory week for some of our favorite birthday girls Michelle Obama, Zooey Deschanel, and Betty White (who turned 90 this week!), it also took a somber tone with the deaths of 29-year-old skier Sarah Burke and legendary singer Etta James. So before we dive into the Year of the Dragon, let's look back at what you might have missed this week, including the Obamas hanging out with the Cardinals and an adorable costar moment between Shame's Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan.

Standing Yoga Series For Strong and Sexy Legs

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:24:38 PST

Athletes of all kinds, from cyclists to skiers, benefit from strong legs. Toned legs not only look good, but they can help prevent injuries too. This dynamic yoga sequence flows between basic standing poses targeting your legs and booty while working your core and arms too. Complete all nine poses on the right side first, and then repeat on the left.

Here is the printable version of the sequence. Enjoy!

Class Review: Sport Club LA's Aspen Ascent Gets You Mountain-Ready

Leta Shy — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:20:20 PST

If you live for the mountains during the Winter, your gym time probably includes exercises to strengthen your lower-body muscles and challenge your balance. Aspen Ascent, a new class at Sports Club LA locations, offers such a workout for skiers and snowboarders alike.

Like many strength-training cardio classes, Aspen Ascent focuses on circuit training with supersets grouped by muscle area, to pump up your heart rate while challenging your muscles. But Aspen Ascent is specifically designed for those who want to enhance their snow sport skills.

The class is divided into three sections: speed and agility, strength and balance, and core and flexibility. A short warmup period at the beginning includes light cardio, such as jumping jacks (my instructor had us do a set of always-exhausting mountain climbers afterward as well). Each of the three sections last between 10 to about 20 minutes, depending on the length of the class, which varies by location. After the core and flexibility section, which focuses on abs and yoga- and Pilates-inspired moves, there are a few minutes of cooldown to stretch your muscles.

Lunges and squats play an important role in Aspen Ascent, as do unstable surfaces to improve balance and upper body work, so many exercises mix a pair of weights with gliding discs. In my class we did two "runs" of every exercise - a short set for 30 seconds with a short break, followed by a minute of the same exercise and a longer break.

See what I thought about Aspen Ascent after the break.

Hit the Slopes in Style: Adorable Ski Apparel For Kids

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:29:43 PST

The holiday ski season is in full swing, so it's time to gear up the kiddies for a day in the snow. Keep it basic with the pants and mittens, so they can be worn again next year or handed down to little siblings. Bold hats and jackets will help mama distinguish her kids on the mountain. If ski weekends are filling your Winter calendar, it may make sense to invest in some junior skis with your tot's favorite cartoon.

For Paul Frank fanatics: The Junior Julius AKO Wave Ski ($205) is geared toward novice to intermediate skiers and is designed to make skiing a light and fun feat.

For the cool kid on the slopes: Gordini's Little G2 Goggle ($15) have all of the safety features of the grown-up version, but sized down for lil ones.

For a basic staple: Brooks Brothers Ski Bib Pants ($148) have adjustable straps, so your kids can grow into them for several years. The black color is gender neutral – that way all younger siblings can receive this hand-me-down.

For the bold and silly: Gymboree Lion Sweater Hat ($18) is a bright and distinguishable hat, so you can find your kid amid the crowded slopes.

For the très chic daughter: London Fog Tweens Hooded Ski Jacket ($135) has a hot pink fleece lining, yet the white exterior will deflect sunlight, so she won't become too hot while skiing.

For a basic but stylish look: Greendog Kids Basic Ski Mittens ($11) are cute, but durable and machine-washable, so you can easily keep them clean.

Start Your Balance Exercises Now For Ski Season

Leta Shy — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:30:19 PST

When I was a gym newbie, I enlisted the expertise of a personal trainer to help me learn which exercises were best for my goals. His verdict? Start balance exercises ASAP! Years of bearing weight on my right leg and overloading my handbags meant my first balance diagnostics results were a disaster - I couldn't last a full minute standing on my left leg.

As I learned, balance is an important skill that needs to be maintained. Since we start losing our sense of balance after 25, doing exercises to maintain it is an essential part of your fitness routine. And with ski and snowboarding season just around the corner, perfecting your balance should start now. Get five ways to help your balance after the break.

Common Yoga Myths Busted

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:08:16 PDT

Yoga offers numerous health benefits, but there are some rumors about this ancient practice that need a little debunking. While it's obvious that regular Down Dogs won't cause instant enlightenment or help you live to 150, we'd like to dispel some persistent yoga myths before you step on your mat.

Hot Yoga Helps You Lose Weight
Certain types of yoga like Bikram and ashtanga are practiced in a heated room, and you end up sweating buckets. Weigh yourself after one of these intense classes, and after sweating so much you probably lost a couple pounds. This is only water weight and will quickly be "gained" back as soon as you rehydrate. While any type of exercise will help with weight loss, yoga is better for building muscle rather than burning calories. If it's pounds you're trying to drop, complement your yoga practice with cardio sessions.

It'll Give You Better Orgasms
Yoga improves sex right? Not exactly. I'm sorry to say hitting a few classes won't instantly turn you into a sex goddess and make your time under the sheets more satisfying. What practicing yoga can do is increase your flexibility, which increases your ability to try new and adventurous positions in the bedroom.

Continue reading to hear more yoga myths.

This Winter, Hit the Swiss Slopes at New Hotel Nira Alpina

Elka Karl — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:20:24 PDT

For the alpine sports enthusiasts with a keen design eye, Switzerland's new hotel Nira Alpina, a glass-and-timber-built mountain sanctuary, is the place to be this Winter.

From award-winning hotelier MPS Puri, Nira Alpina is the only hotel in Switzerland's Engadin Valley to offer guests a true ski in, ski out experience. Just five kilometers away from the Swiss resort town of St. Moritz in the village of Silvaplana, Nira Alpina's location grants guests access to some of Switzerland's highest mountains, including Corvatsch, the highest mountain in the upper Engadin skiing region.

With 120 kilometers of ski runs, outdoor recreation and natural beauty abound, with gorgeous views over Lake Silvaplana, as well as up to the mountains. Skiers can access a private, glassed-in covered walkway that leads directly to the Corvatsch cable car, which guests can take to reach the mountain peaks and virgin powder snow.

Keep reading to find out more about the Nira Alpina's design and offerings.

Atlas Elektra 8 Series Snowshoe ($140)	Darn Tough Merino Wool Over The Calf Cushion Ski Sock ($17)
Outdoor Research Meteor Mitts ($65)	The North Face Freedom Low-Rise Boot-Cut Insulated Pants ($149)
Smartwool Glove Liners ($18)	Smartwool Women's Midweight Bottoms ($75)
Mountain Hardwear Dome Meritage Hat ($30)	CamelBak Sno Angel Hydration Pack ($55)
Turtle Fur Neck Warmer ($12)	Oregon Scientific ATC5K Waterproof Helmet Camera ($200)
The North Face Amore Down Insulated Jacket ($249)	Smarwool Women's Midweight Zip T ($85)