FitSugar

Aerial Yoga: Om My!

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:30:00 -0800

Bored with your yoga classes recently?

Then maybe you should try Aerial Yoga. It is a new type of Yoga that combines Yoga Asanas with movements done on a trapeze like apparatus. The physicality of training on any aerial apparatus complements the physicality of the Yoga Asanas - shoulders are stabilized while being stretched, core abdominal muscles can be strengthened and spinal flexibility becomes comfortable to explore.

Why? Michelle Dortignac, the person behind aerial yoga, believes that your body will have no choice but to learn proper alignment thanks to the effects of gravity since (like it or not) gravity always works, and it always works in one direction. The best part? No previous aerial or Yoga experience is necessary.

Right now you can only take Michelle's Aerial Yoga in Brooklyn, NY but it is only $15 per class, which in my opinion is not bad at all. For more information visit the Aerial Yoga site or call (917) 312-4339 to set up a class reservation.

Don't live in NYC, well Triangle Yoga in North Carolina has its own version of Aerial Yoga.

Class Act: Circus Arts

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0700

As a little girl, who didn't dream of flying around on a trapeze dressed in dazzling spangles. Some childhood dreams can come true, but maybe without all the sequins. Chances are high that you can find Adult Circus Arts Fitness classes (also called Aerial Arts) in your neck of the woods, since these classes are becoming increasingly popular. You can learn to walk on a tight rope, to perform handstands on blocks, or to dance tangled in a long pieces of silk hanging from the ceiling. Check out the video to see the feats you could learn.

There is no way you could get bored with this type of workout. Not only do the Circus Arts look amazingly fun, but all these stunts will challenge your strength intensely since they require so much attention, strength, balance, and endurance. Are you're interested in taking a class or workshop? Then read more.

Here are some circus schools you can contact for more information:

Circus Arts Institute in Atlanta, GA
Circus Center in San Francisco, CA
Acro Sports in in San Francisco, CA
The School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts (SANCA) in Seattle, WA
Everyday Circus in St. Louis, MO
The Flying Gaona Gym in Northfield, IL
Trapeze Arts in Oakland, CA.
New York Circus Arts in New York, NY

Jukari Fit to Fly: Reebok and Cirque du Soleil Team Up

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Flying through the air might scare the daylights out of some people, but I happen to find it pretty appealing. And when paired with a fitness element, it seems like it could be a really creative way to work out. Reebok and Cirque du Soleil have joined forces to design a new gym workout called Jukari Fit to Fly, which combines suspension and cardio training into a fun one-hour class.

The class is based on a piece of equipment called the FlySet, and the companies call it "a workout that gives the sensation of flying while strengthening and lengthening the body through cardio, strength, balance and core training." Sounds like fun, right? That seems to be the whole point, as the brands say their main goal is making fitness fun again for women.

Jukari will be rolled out to Equinox gyms in 14 cities around the world to start, and if the concept catches on, I think we can expect to see Jukari classes in more cities. Reebok is hosting a competition that awards you and a friend with a trip to try the Jukari Fit to Fly workout in a major European city. To see a video that offers a little sneak peek of the class, read more.

Pink and Her Shoulder Go Separate Ways

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:30:51 -0700

After seeing her crazy aerial show on the VMAs last Sunday, it's easy to understand how Pink could injure her shoulder. After initially thinking she had broken her collarbone, Pink learned she had separated her shoulder. A painful injury indeed. In fact she tweeted that "it kinda feels like 50 angry invisible demon fairies are stabbing me."

To learn what body part actually separated from what and how she did it, read more.

A shoulder separation is not technically an injury to the actual shoulder joint (the ball and socket) but a weakening or tear of the ligaments that attach the top of the shoulder blade to the collarbone. These ligaments help stabilize the shoulder through the wide range of motion this joint has.

Although it is assumed that Pink injured herself on the trapeze, she twittered to her pal and sometimes punching bag Jason Ellis this message when he asked what happened:

Proving she is a super toughie, Pink will continue her tour in spite of her injury - minus the trapeze tricks.

Anna Paquin Shares Her Healthy Habits

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:30:08 -0700

With her fresh face and healthy physique, True Blood star Anna Paquin has made a graceful transition from child star to sexy vamp. In this week's issue of Us, the recently engaged, 27-year-old actress talks about the healthy habits that keep her feeling and looking great.

Paquin understands the importance of mixing up her fitness routine. "I'm obsessed with Pilates," says the star. But she also loves swimming in the ocean and recently took her first surf lesson.
A big fan of watching gymnastics on TV, Paquin once dabbled in trapeze arts: "I've always wanted to be a circus performer, so I took aerial silks classes at Trapeze School New York a few years ago."
Since staying healthy isn't just about exercising, Paquin gets plenty of rest and avoids unhealthy habits. She says she takes a lot of naps and that "Kombucha and coffee are my two biggest vices."

If those are here only vices, I can understand how she looks so good! Do you think she's a good role model?

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:00:52 -0700

From the pole to the trapeze - are the new fitness trends for you? - Daily Spark
Emotional eating can take a toll, but you can control it - Fit Bottomed Girls
Kelly Ripa's fave workout, Physique 57, comes to DVD - Vital Juice Daily
OK Magazine and Jessica Simpson's photoshop diet - Never Say Diet
Japanese food makes for a great breakfast - Vitamin G
Rush Limbaugh is dropping pounds fast - but how? - That's Fit
The best snacks for under 200 calories - Shape
Pregant Gisele starts her day with early morning yoga - FitCeleb

Source

Need a Little Exercise Motivation? Try These 8 Techniques

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

There are a million excuses you can come up with not to work out - you're too tired, you don't have time, you forgot your sneakers at home, or you have your period and would much rather eat chocolate. We've all been there so here are some fail-proof ways to motivate you to follow through with your workout dates.

Plan ahead. Get out your calendar and jot down exercise appointments before anything else comes up. Call personal trainers to set up sessions, sign up for salsa dance lessons with your partner, or mail your deposit in for that flying trapeze workshop you've had your eye on. It only takes a short amount of time to organize your exercise commitments, but once they're set up, you'll be more likely to stick with them.
Get into a routine. Either work out at the same time every day, or if that's not possible, get into a routine of working out the same days each week such as Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. It will be tough to get going at first, but soon it will become as habitual as brushing your teeth.

To see the other six ways read more

Keep a fitness journal. It allows you to keep track of every aspect of your workouts so you can see your progress, and also forces you to be accountable to the commitment you made to exercise.
Set a goal. Maybe you want to reach a certain weight, fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans, or train for a race. Having a goal you want to reach by a certain amount of time can give you the push you need to exercise regularly.
Be creative. If you do the same workout every day, in the same place, you're bound to get bored. So run or bike a new route, use different weight equipment, take a new fitness class, or follow a brand new exercise DVD. Your body will become stronger and is at less risk for injury when you challenge it with different activities, and it'll also keep your mind stimulated.
Be flexible. If you always work out at noon, but today a surprise meeting came up for work, don't let that ruin your plans. Figure out another time to fit in exercise that day.
Do it with other people. Humans are social creatures and exercising with one or more people not only makes you keep your fitness dates, but it's also more enjoyable.
Reward yourself. The physical and emotional benefits of exercise may not be enough to push you to stick with it, especially when you're just starting out, so try a tangible reward. Once you reach mini goals, such as losing a pound or being able to do 10 push-ups without your knees on the ground, buy yourself a new exercise shirt, a CD of music to work out to, or a chocolate truffle. When you reach bigger goals, get larger rewards such as a massage or pedicure. The rewards should be something you'll really appreciate, but make sure it doesn't undo all the good you've done.

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Biggest Loser Families Recap: Tears and Even More Tears

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

After watching a politically charged reality show, aka the second presidential debate, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Biggest Loser Families would run 60 minutes instead of two hours. After watching Jillian make almost every member on her team cry in the course of the hour, I was sorely disappointed to learn that the weigh-in will take place during a second "special" episode that airs tonight. The show is really mixing things up - keeping us on our toes or rather our couches, and I am not quite sure how I feel about that.

In this episode a couple of teams "cashed" in their prizes from the hill-climb challenge from the first episode. The red team, Amy and Philip, flew to South Carolina for a 24-hour visit with their three children. It was a heartwarming and tearful reunion. The entire family went on a hike to reinforce the lessons these parents have learned on the ranch.

Amy and Shellay, the mother-daughter purple team, decided to use their prize of 24 hours with their trainer Jillian. Instead of pampering the contestants, Jillian took the purple team to the gym for a workout, and was more than disappointed with mother Shellay's attitude and laziness. Their strength-training session ended in tears.

To hear details on the challenge, just read more.

The challenge involved a slowly draining large tank of water, a trapeze to stand on, and a handle to hold. The last contestant standing would win a care package from home, as well as a VIP three-day package for a vacation to Universal Studios in Hollywood. After talking with Bob about how to burn a lot of calories without running, Vicky from the brown team held on the longest and won the challenge even with her injured knees. She was able to pick another family to receive a care package from home and she chose the purple team, which came in second place. Watching the winners read letters from home and crying reminded me to drop my own mother a line.

Leading up to the last-chance workout, we were treated to Jillian trying to motivate her team to do their cardio homework. This motivational session ended in tears.

The weigh-in is tonight and I have no idea who will be going home, do you? Will you watch? How do you feel about the split episode? I found the show ending with no conclusion rather unsatisfying. I wanted some closure, not a cliffhanger. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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The Pilates Cadillac: So Many Fun Things You Can Do

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0800

The word Cadillac conjures up big convertible cars with fins, electric windows and fancy hub caps. That is why this piece of Pilates equipment is named the Cadillac - it has all the bells and whistles you could possibly want.

There are so many elements to the machine: leg springs, arm springs, fuzzy loops to hang from, a push-through bar to stretch you out, and even a trapeze. The trapeze was the original add on accessory to the machine which is why it is also known as a "trap" table. As a piece of equipment it looks pretty intimidating - it is about 6 feet tall. When folks first see it they often laugh uncomfortably and joke that it looks like a medieval torture device or kinky sex playground - and the name trap table just feeds into those thoughts. So Cadillac it is.

Pilates lore has it that eponymous Joe created the prototype Cadillac to enable bed ridden patients to exercise. His design was simple - a hospital bed with mattress springs attached to the wall. The design has definitely evolved over the years and and so have the exercises and stretches one can do on the Cadillac.

You can isolate almost every muscle group on the machine - it is an excellent tool for breaking down motion into small pieces to restore correct motion patterns. Using the leg springs is one of the best ways to get runners to fully use their hamstrings. This little video is a leg springs exercise.

Because the Cadillac is such a large piece of equipment it is rarely used in group classes. So the best way to experience this machine is in a private Pilates session. Some studios offer "Wall Unit" classes. A Wall Unit has one side of the Cadillac mounted on a wall - good for home use too. Look for these classes, because they are great.

Want to see some more of the cool moves you can do on a Cadillac? then read more

View 10 Photos ›

Weekend Well-Being: Take a Wellness Retreat

FitSugar — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Summer is a great time to get away from your job and take a vacation. Sometimes it's hard to get away for a whole week, so why not take a long weekend to get away on your own? It'll be a time for renewed perspective, emotional wellness, physical health, and spiritual growth.

There are tons of wellness retreats going on at one of my favorite places, the Omega Institute in Rhineback, NY. You can sign up for a retreat and stay there on their beautiful campus complete with home-cooked organic meals. You'll come back from your workshop feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

July 6-8: Seane Corn: The Body & Beyond, $340
July 13-14: Couples Massage, $265 per person
July 20-22: Flying Trapeze, $475
July 27-29: The Dance of Tennis, $265
Aug 3-5: Yoga & the Gentle Art of Healing, $270
Aug 1-17: 7-Day Cleanse, $745

Want to see some others that take place at Kripalu, in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts? Then read more

July 1-6: Circusyoga for Adults, $190
July 6-8: Yoga and Kayaking, $240 (add $200 if you need to rent a kayak)
July 13-15: Introduction to Kripalu Yoga, $190
July 13-15: Introduction to Thai Yoga Massage, $210
July 15-20: Salsa and Yoga, $295
July 22-25: Yogilates Roll & Release, $280
Aug 12-17: Sacred Nourishment: The Art of Eating Mindfully, $350
Aug 17-19: Anusara Yoga Weekend, $225
Aug 17-19: Traditional Ashtanga Yoga, $225

Fit's Tips: If these are too far to travel, check out the retreat centers in your area. Sometimes you don't have to travel that far to "get away."