FitSugar

Dodgeball? A Workout?

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Okay, I'm having major PE flashbacks here. Dodgeball was definitely not my favorite sport as a child, but Dodgeball, the movie definitely sparked my interest in the sport as an adult.

I just found out that Crunch Fitness Gyms offer Dodgeball 101 classes.

Dodgeball is back folks! You get a great cardio workout from all that running around, ducking, and throwing balls. Playing this fast-paced game as an adult is much more fun, since now you have more throwing and aiming skills, not to mention upper body strength and speed. I always end up laughing my ass off, so it's a great way to relieve stress. Plus, since you are playing a game you forget that you are working out.

You're interested now, aren't you? To find a Crunch Fitness Gym near you, check out this map of gym locations.

Fit's Tips: If you're even more into it, you can also join a local Dodgeball team or league. Check around in your area to see where they're offered (try the YMCA), so your team can start practicing for the 2007 National Dodgeball Championship.

Source

Get Motivated: Join a Team

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 03:30:00 PDT

I am always looking for motivation. Be it a 73 year old completing a 50 mile race or turning off the TV and putting on some rockin' tunes or wearing your hot new gear, there are always great ways to keep yourself motivated in your fitness goals.

Another way to keep motivated? Join a team. Having a group that you are accountable for will really motivate you to get active even if you don't want to be. Most recreational teams (or leagues) are a group of people brought together by a common goal. To keep the team alive, everyone needs to give it her all and most importantly, everyone needs to show up. Joining the office softball team will motivate you in more ways than one, especially if your boss is on the team. Besides, I am sure you'd love to bring the ole' soccer skills, the ones that won your high school the state championship, back to the table. Be it soccer, Frisbee, basketball, track or even badminton, there are adult teams all over the country that will be a great motivator for you (also a great way to meet people). Don't know of a team near you? Check out Yahoo Groups to search for a team in your area.

Gymnast Shawn Johnson Dreams of Making the Team

Susi May — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:35:22 PST

Shawn Johnson never officially retired from gymnastics. Although she toyed with the idea after the 2008 games, she's once again set her sights on the Olympics. But the decision to step back into competition wasn't simple. It took a a self-described "garage sale" wipeout on the ski slopes to end her indecision. Ironically, skiing, the only activity Shawn's long-time coach Liang Chow (they've worked together since she was 6) considered completely off-limits, brought her back into the game.

At a recent event at Nike headquarters, in Beaverton, OR, Shawn told me that after learning the results of her postaccident MRI, she drove straight to the gym and told Chow she wanted to come back even though she had torn two ligaments in her knee, torn her meniscus (the cushion of cartilage that sits between the thigh and the tibia, or shin bone), and ripped her hamstrings. "Instead of thinking, 'I'll never be able to come back now,' the first thing that came to me was, 'I have to go back.' It was kind of a motivation to me to get healthy again and to rehab myself . . . I really like to make things hard, and I don't like things that are easy."

Keep reading to learn more about Shawn's comeback.

A Deeper Look Into One Winner of the World Architecture News' Long List of Best Houses From 2011

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:26 PST

This stunning, five-story townhouse in London is featured on the WAN Interior Design Awards of 2011. The architectural and design team at Lawson Robb renovated and modernized the space to create a tranquil environment for their busy, travel-heavy client. Beyond the masculine yet cozy design, the beautiful, refurbished house includes lavish amenities like an entire floor devoted to a "wellness center," a cinema room, wine cellar, and gym. Click through to see more.

Photo courtesy of Lawson Robb

Now You Can Shower Lying Down

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:38:24 PST

If you're so groggy in the morning that you can hardly stand up (or just really love the Vichy showers at spas), German luxury fixture brand Dornbracht has come up with something just for you: the horizontal shower. At the Swissbau 2012 in Basel in January, the company presented this gorgeous shower, which is designed to have the user lie down on the platform instead of performing more traditional standing ablutions. It looks incredibly relaxing, and we're not sure that it wouldn't put us right back to sleep, but it's still an excellent idea.

The horizontal shower also has a bunch of cool controls, with massaging programs, "rainfall" patterns, and the ability to send different water temperatures out of shower heads at the same time. Granted, you'd need a rather sizable bathroom for this thing, and installing it might cost more than our rent. But if we were fielding a fantasy bath-time team, you can bet this shower would be one of our first-round picks.

EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux Show Chemistry in New Wanderlust Clip!

PopSugar — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:42:03 PST

Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd team up to star in Wanderlust, a comedy about a couple who escapes big city life and stumble upon a free-love commune including their leader Seth, played by Justin Theroux. Jennifer, Justin, Paul, and their costars will step out in LA tomorrow night for the film's premiere. Jennifer and Justin's relationship has been heating up in real life, and now we've got a new look at them sharing the big screen in the movie that reportedly sparked their romance. Watch Jennifer and Justin deliver witty lines alongside Malin Akerman and Paul in this exclusive new clip from Wanderlust, and make sure to see the comedy when it hits theaters on Feb. 24!

The Burden of the Working Mom: Fact or Fiction?

LilSugar — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:33:40 PST

If you've been part of an office environment while pregnant or as a parent, chances are, you've faced challenges (and some judgments, too) that are nonissues to your co-workers. In a recent article for Forbes.com, Victoria Pynchon states her case for the working mom, admitting frustration when her "mom employees" would have conflicting obligations but also noting that she now realizes that it wasn't necessarily their fault. She writes:

As I look back on the problem for both me and the working mother, I realize that my law firm simply failed to take into account the existence of working mothers on my team when planning my staffing needs. This was not rocket science. There was plenty of work for women to do at home if they had to relieve a babysitter or pick up a child at 6 p.m. If I needed a live, warm body in the office, better management on my part and better support from HR could easily have solved the problem.

According to a set of statistics presented by Dina Bakst, cofounder and copresident of A Better Balance: the Work & Family Legal Center, absences because of illness, injury, or medical problems are often two to three times as high as absences because of "child care problems, other family or personal obligations, civic or military duty, and maternity or paternity leave."

We want you to weigh in! Share your workplace experience by voting in the below poll.

How to Throw a Moneyball-Themed Oscar Party

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:30:21 PST

It may not be baseball season quite yet, but you can get that feeling if you throw an Oscar viewing party and let best picture nominee Moneyball be your inspiration. The film might even make for a better theme than Midnight in Paris or The Artist, depending on your crowd. Here's how to score a home run at your Oscar gathering (and don't forget to fill out a ballot for a chance to win an iPad.)

How to decorate: Bring out baseballs, bats, gloves, and any other sports memorabilia you may have. String up streamers in green and yellow (the Oakland A's colors), and nod to the movie's financial theme by decorating with fake dollar bills. If you really want to tie in the film, get a life-size Brad Pitt cutout (which wouldn't be a bad thing to have around, anyway).
How to dress: Wear the shirt of your baseball team of choice, but to really mirror the film, rock Oakland A's gear, or at least their colors.
What to serve: Traditional ballpark fare like hot dogs, beer, cotton candy, and peanuts in the shell, of course. Bake cookies or cake pops and frost them to look like baseballs.

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

It's About Time: 3 Steps Closer to Back to the Future II

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:45:31 PST

We've seen film magic turn into reality before - remember, the tablet was first seen on Star Trek! Now for those who daydreamed of a life as cool as Marty McFly's as a kid, your turn has come. During this week's New York Toy Fair, Mattel announced plans to produce the pink hoverboard from Back to the Future Part II.

OK, there's no actual air hovering that will occur, but it's a 1:1 replica that will glide over most surfaces and make whooshing noises. Mattel will take pre-orders from March 1-20 for the hoverboard, expected to ship in the 2012 holiday season. There's a bit of a catch: Mattel needs you to get your fellow superfans to pre-order the product to bring it to production. As they say, "Because this is such a high-cost item, there will be a minimum number of orders required to go into production. If we don't receive the minimum orders, won't go into production and customers will not be charged. The price will be announced later this month."

It's up to you mini-McFlys to make the hoverboard a reality! The hoverboard, though, is just one of the products that can have you living like Marty; follow the break to see what else can get you Back to the Future.

Nina Dobrev Joins Ashley Greene and Camila Alves For Fashion Week Fun

Lindsay Miller — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:21:25 PST

Nina Dobrev spent the weekend in style as she hit up several New York Fashion Week shows. The Vampire Diaries star kicked things off on Saturday at Christian Siriano before joining her friend Camila Alves at Herve Leger by Max Azria and at Monique Lhuillier. The pair made a quick change between the latter two shows, as Camila swapped her sexy Hervé top in favor of a bright-yellow dress, and Nina changed out of a simple, black look and into a bold, blue sheath. Yesterday, Nina was back on the scene as she teamed up with another star of a bloodsucking franchise, Ashley Greene, at the DKNY presentation. The actresses claimed coveted spots right along the runway and chatted up their seatmate, model Coco Rocha, during the show. Nina had to leave the fashionable festivities shortly after DKNY wrapped, however, tweeting that she had a 6 a.m. call time on The Vampire Diaries set today. Nonetheless, there are still many more shows to come as NYFW continues, so don't forget to stay tuned to Fab and Fashionologie for all the latest looks and backstage coverage!