FitSugar

Fit Find Faves: Summer Swimming FUN

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:45:00 PDT

When I was young the swim club opened on Memorial Weekend, and then I was at the pool on any day that wasn't stormy. I was checking out the recent Fit Finds and I saw all these wonderful things for working out at the pool or chillin' on the beach, so I wanted to share them with you.

I love the sporty bikini that SU3 found, complete with cover up shorts. I feel more comfortable with my bum covered playing paddle ball on the beach!!! Hollywoodjess found a bunch of swimming accessories to make every lap count!!! I am loving those polka dot hand paddles. Talk about working your arms and back with style.

Check out what other Sugar users are bookmarking as Fit Finds. Chances are high you will find something to satisfy the happy, healthy you. If you want to lean more about bookmarking in the Sugar pages, read my buddy geeksugar's excellent tutorial.

If you find anything out there on the web that helps you stay happy and healthy, do bookmark it and share it with us.

Body of Work: The Top Fitness Icons

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 29 May 2012 04:15:12 PDT

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

Bionic and iconic, these game changers have inspired us over the years to perspire and put our best body forward. Take a cue from our 20 favorite masters of motivation as they share their secrets to getting better, fitter, stronger than ever.

The Rock (Hard) Star: Gwen Stefani

Before Gwen Stefani began strutting her stuff as the superfly front woman for the otherwise all-guy band No Doubt in 1995, the role of female lead singer tended more toward being a sexpot than having a six-pack. The blond bombshell, now 42, brought a new athleticism to the stage with a bod she credits to "lifting weights [and] a little boxing."

The Legend: Jane Fonda

She has played many roles - Oscar winner, political activist, billionaire's wife - but for millions of women, Jane Fonda's legacy is all about leg warmers. It was 1982, and fresh off her triumph in On Golden Pond, one of Hollywood's leading ladies, at the age of 44, decided her next act would be as a fitness guru. Workout: Starring Jane Fonda, originally on VHS and Beta, remains the best-selling fitness video of all time, having sold 17 million copies.

"It launched the home fitness video industry and made it okay for women to have muscles," Fonda reflects. Only years after its release did she reveal that the cover photo of her in a striped leotard and those maroon leg warmers, legs scissored skyward, was that of a woman who had embraced exercise as a way to save herself from bulimia.

In 2010, despite hip and knee replacements, Fonda was back in the studio - wearing yoga pants now - to film her Prime Time DVD series targeted at inspiring older people to move. At 74, Fonda loves hiking up mountains, and she has a body most 30-year-olds would envy. Her secret? "It's one-third good genes and less than one-third diet, and all the rest is working out," she says. When asked what's next, Fonda demurs. "I don't know. And if I did, I wouldn't tell because I wouldn't want someone else to get there first."

Keep reading to learn about other important fitness icons.

Lil Links: 5 Things to Know Before Swim Season Begins

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:32:58 PDT

Five dangerous myths about kids and swimming - BabyCenter Blog
Breastfeeding isn't porn; it's food! - HuffPost Parents
A photo journal of what life with kids really looks like - The Stir
Katherine Heigl names her daughter Adalaide - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Zutano launches a collaboration with Target - Momtastic
Jennifer Connelly says her kids never fight! - Celebrity Baby Blog
A no-time, no-excuses prenatal workout - FitPregnancy
Übercreative ways to announce your pregnancy - Parenting
Can a child be considered a psychopath? - Yahoo! Shine
Ten ways to make spelling practice fun - Circle of Moms
Are British women having babies so they can take a year off from work? - LearnVest
Paul Frank launches an exclusive collection for Babies"R"Us – Child Mode

Source: Flickr user albertopveiga

How to Start: Work Up to Swimming a Mile

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 01:00:43 PST

If trying a triathlon is one of your fitness goal for 2011 don't be intimidated by the swim. I know many experienced runners and cyclist who harbor deep fears of the swimming. While getting your heart rate up in the water is completely different than sweating it out on land, running/biking and swimming complement each other nicely. Running and biking work the legs, swimming works the upper body, and all three build your cardio endurance. If you're ready to make friends with the pool, I have found a great beginner program to get you swimming a mile in six weeks.

Ruth Kazez's endurance building program, Zero – 1650: A Mile in Six Weeks, is to swimming what the Couch to 5K program is to running - I love fitness workout analogies.

Swimming, like running, takes some time to build up the endurance needed for lengthy workouts. With running the first benchmark is the 5k, and with swimming it's a mile, which I learned from Kazes is 1650 yards (1500 meters), not 1760 yards. Curious to see what the first workout looks like? Then

Here's an example of the workout for the first week, which you should complete three times in seven days.

4 x 100 yards – rest for 12 breaths (total = 400 yards, or 16 laps* in a 25 yard length pool)
4 x 50 yards – rest for 8 breaths (total = 200 yards, or 8 laps)
4 x 25 yards – rest for 4 breaths (total = 100 yards, or 4 laps)
Total: 700 yards

*A swim coach at Equinox schooled me that a lap is the length of a pool in swimmer speak. I had previously thought it was there and back, but no. A lap is a length.

I feel that twenty-eight laps are totally doable, right? Remember, that you take breaks between to catch your breath, which is similar to taking walking breaks when starting a running program. After swimming 100 yards, you take a rest to take 12 breaths. Then you repeat swimming 100 yards three more times, with breaks, until you complete the set. Each week you add 50 to 200 yards to your workout to slowly build up endurance and conquer the mile! Who's ready to take the plunge?

Get It Up, Your Heart Rate That Is: Swimming Sprints

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:30:00 PDT

Many of us are starting to move our workouts indoors. Temperatures are cooling off and daylight is becoming increasingly limited; the days are going to get even shorter. One way to move your cardio inside is swimming and here is a fun workout to try. Sprinting intervals are not just for running; they're great for the pool too. I suggest adding some sprints into your swimming workouts to keep things fresh and challenging. Check out this simple workout and try it next time you head to the pool. Better yet, print it out and use it as your excuse to head to the pool. I have even added some kicking sprints to target your legs too.

To see the workout, just

Warm up:
100 yrds Freestyle - easy
50 yrds kick Freestyle
50 yrds kick Backstroke
50 yrds kick Breaststroke
100 yrds pull* Freestyle

The Main Event:
200 yrds Freestyle

Sprints
8 x 25 yrds alternating Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly***
(rest :10)**

200 yards Freestyle

Kick Sprints
4 x 25 yrds Freestyle kickboard sprint
(rest :20)
4 x 25 yrds Breaststroke
(rest :20)

200 yards Freestyle
100 yards Breaststroke

Cool Down:
50 Backstroke
50 pull Freestyle
100 Freestyle - easy

* Pull: Hold a buoy with your legs and use only your arms to swim
** Rest the listed amount between reps/laps
***If you don't swim Butterfly, substitute Freestyle

This workout is 1650 yards, a mile. A swimmer's mile is 1500 meters, or roughly 1650 yards - 66 lengths in a 25 yard pool.

Fit's Tips: If you are new to swimming check out this beginner's program to get you from sitting on the side of the pool to swimming a mile.

Mark Wahlberg Goes Shirtless in Boxer Briefs For a Miami Afternoon

Lauren Turner — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:50:22 PDT

Mark Wahlberg stepped out on the balcony of his Miami hotel for some air yesterday. He walked out in just boxer briefs and later emerged wearing workout shorts. Mark's buff body is the result of hard work rather than steroid-like enhancements to help him get into character for Pain and Gain, which he's been filming since last month. He's been showing skin in front of the cameras, but has also taken advantage of downtime to display his rock solid abs and arms. Mark went shirtless to swim with his family during their visit to Florida in April. Mark's wife Rhea Durham wore a bikini for the sunny outing and splashed in the ocean with their four kids Ella, Michael, Brendan, and Grace.

A Cancer Survivor's Goal: 50 Triathlons by Her 50th Birthday

espnW — Fri, 04 May 2012 04:26:06 PDT

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

By Julia Savacool

It's a good thing Jenn Sommermann discovered triathlons when she did. "I was turning 40 years old, and my friend and I were looking for a way to commemorate the occasion," Sommermann said. "We decided to train for a triathlon." Because Sommermann was on the East Coast and her friend was on the West, the two trained together virtually, exchanging workout notes and messages of encouragement. Several months later, they competed in the Danskin Women's Tri in Seattle.

"That was it, I was in love with triathlons," Sommermann said. Little did she know, two years later the fitness she gained through the sport would help her win a battle against ovarian cancer.

It was December 2006 when Sommermann received her diagnosis. She'd been feeling out of sorts for months, but had been reluctant to see her doctor.

The symptoms for ovarian cancer are subtle: Bloating, weight gain, fatigue and indigestion are all indicators for the disease, but they are also common symptoms for many women during their monthly cycle. The main difference with ovarian cancer, explained Sommermann, is the symptoms don't go away.

It was by chance she discovered the cancer - she was pressing on her stomach one night and came across a hard lump. "I called my husband over, and he felt it, too," she said. "I knew this wasn't good." She went to see her physician immediately, and an ultrasound revealed a tumor about the size of an eggplant. "I had Stage 3 ovarian cancer," said Sommermann. "I was in shock. The disease is 94 percent curable if you catch it by Stage 2. But after that, the numbers are not in your favor."

Surfing gets Anastasia Ashley through tough times

Read more about Jen's inspiring story after the break.

Cardio Workout: Swimming

Susi May — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 01:41:17 PDT

I know many runners and cyclists, who though tempted by the lure of mixing it up in a triathlon, ultimately skip these races because they're intimidated by the swim. Not only is swimming in open water scary, unlike running, it is also considered a skill sport, similar to tennis or golf because technique is so important. If you feel less than confident in the pool, taking lessons to hone your stroke is helpful; I did it and learned so much. Do know that long sessions of laps might not necessarily be the best way to train. Many tri coaches recommend sprint interval training in the pool to challenge your speed, before tiring and losing your hard earned technique.

Here's a workout I have been doing lately. It is mostly freestyle, but I like to add a little backstroke to work the opposing muscles.

Check out the workout.

Andrew Garfield Nominated For a Tony

Allie Merriam — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:21:55 PDT

Andrew Garfield nominated for a Tony for his work in Death of a Salesman - People
Enjoy these amazing Tom Hiddleston smiling pictures - Lainey Gossip
Miley's latest revealing workout ensemble - HuffPost Entertainment
Christina Aguilera wears a tiara and no pants - TooFab
Jason Segel gets along swimmingly with Michelle Williams's daughter - Us Weekly
6 juicy bits from the new Simon Cowell biography - The Daily Beast
Matthew McConaughey and Cary Fukunaga coming together for HBO - Hollywood Reporter
42 roles we think Nicolas Cage would be perfect to play - BuzzFeed
What to know about Drew Barrymore's wedding - YourTango
Can Think Like a Man stay at the top of the box office? - Rotten Tomatoes
What will David Beckham do on his birthday tomorrow? - Wonderwall
Who got the first perfect score on Dancing With the Stars? - Lifeline Live
Can you believe Candice Crawford gave birth three weeks ago? - Zap2It
John Mayer sings about his breakup from Jennifer Aniston - Celebitchy

Jessica Alba's Fit Philosophy

Leta Shy — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:21:18 PDT

Happy birthday, Jessica Alba! The erstwhile action star and devoted mom of two turns 31 on Saturday, and to celebrate we are taking a look at how Jessica's stayed fit while enjoying life throughout the years.

Bootcamp style: It's all about high intensity for Jessica. She enlists the help of Barry's Bootcamp, a favorite with starlets in LA, to get fast results. Each workout contains high-intensity cardio intervals and strength training for an all-in-one session that saves time.

Reluctant workout: Even though she works hard in the gym (which isn't always a good thing: to get ready for a photo shoot soon after having her first child, she exercised so hard she said she cried!), she's no fitness fanatic. "I'm not a big workout person," she told Self. "Every single day, I tell my girlfriends we're starting a regimen. And then it's, like, 'Want to get dinner? Want a glass of wine?'" Jessica does, however, know how to keep workouts fun; she alternates between the gym, her treadmill at home, swimming, and yoga to keep from becoming bored.

Diet-free zone: Jessica doesn't like to diet, so instead she eats clean all the time. “Diets are for the birds. I think you have to eat in a way that makes you feel your best. I include a lot of vegetables and lean protein and fruit and grains in my diet," she told Self.

The importance of sleep: Running a company, being a mom, and starring in films can jam-pack anyone's schedule, so Jessica gets her workouts out of the way early in the morning. Sometimes, however, she knows it's healthier to catch up on sleep than continue to tire out her body. "Slacked off this am on the work out but the sleep was the best I've had in three weeks. Tomorrow its ON . . . " she once tweeted. Listening to your body is the best way to tell if you are skipping a workout because of a lame excuse or because you actually need to rest.