FitSugar

Trainer Donny D-Fine Turns Twitter Into a Workout

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:30:37 PDT

Get excited! Donny D-Fine is back, and has managed to turn another popular social networking site into a fitness workout. This time it's Twitter. We first came across Donny a few months ago when the OnSugar blog goddessbody shared his Facebook workout: "Update your body, not your status." It was pretty hilarious, and also effective if you were looking to sweat a bit.

This time around Donny has named a series of upper body moves after Twitter actions, throwing in his own brand of humor: "Don't let you body sag so throw in a hashtag." He even references Kim Kardashian outing a federal marshal via Twitter and Britney Spears having the most followers. Are you gonna work out Twitter style?

Kranking Burns Major Calories

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:00:55 PDT

If you're unfamiliar with Kranking, you're not alone. A Krankcycle resembles a bike, but instead of peddling with your legs, you peddle with your arms. This piece of equipment is perfect for those with knee, ankle, or foot injuries, but when you watch someone krank, it doesn't seem like it's the most effective cardio workout.

A recent study from ACE (American Council on Exercise) studied 20 people who participated in a 30-minute Kranckcycle class, all wearing heart rate monitors. Researchers found that on average, each participant burned 9 calories per minute, for a total of 269 calories. When running 30 minutes at a pace of 10 minutes per mile, a person will burn about 295 calories, making the two workouts surprisingly comparable.

If you're tired of using your legs on the treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike, then get your arms cranking on a Krankcycle, and you'll get in a great workout. Tell me, have you ever tried Kranking?

Go Kayaking to Strengthen Core and Upper Body

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:00:56 PDT

If you're too hot to run, bike, or hike outside, but you still want to enjoy the Summer weather, exercising on water is a great way to beat the heat. Kayaking is one of my favorite water sports because it's safe to do alone, or if you prefer some company, you can kayak with a group of people.

The paddling action will effectively tone your arms, back, and abs. Sitting upright will also increase flexibility in your hamstrings and improve your posture. It's a great complement if you're a runner or biker, since most of the work is done by your upper body and back. You can paddle hard to burn calories and work your muscles, and if you get tired, you can slow down or take a break and just let the current float you along. The best part is that if you get hot, you can jump in the water for instant refreshment.

To find out how to get started

Rent a kayak at a nearby lake, river, or bay, and it'll cost between $20 and $40, depending on how long you want to stay out and what type of kayak you rent. I recommend taking a lesson or class to learn how to paddle efficiently, and to also get tips on how to get in and out of your kayak while in the water. Go when it's not windy, so the water will be less choppy. Wear waterproof sunscreen and a hat to protect your skin.

If you love kayaking, consider buying one. Ones made out of plastic will be less expensive than fiberglass kayaks, but they'll also be heavier and harder to repair if it gets damaged by rocks. If you want one that's even lighter, they make kayaks out of kevlar, graphite, or carbon fiber. One of these kayaks will cost between $400 and $2,000, and that's not including the paddle. If that's too steep, many gear shops will sell used kayaks for much cheaper.

Exercise Plan: 100 Push-Ups in 6 Weeks

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:00:00 PDT

There's the 8-week Couch to 5K running program and the Zero to a Mile six-week swim program, and now there's a push-up plan for you to follow. It is guaranteed to increase your upper body strength in a month and a half. The goal? One hundred consecutive push-ups! I can see you smiling through the blogosphere.

It doesn't matter how push-up proficient you are right now. If you follow the six-week program, 100 consecutive push-ups are in your near future. If you're serious about toning your upper body then

Before starting the program, you need to determine where you rank strength-wise. Complete as many push-ups as you can. For example, if you can do 10 push-ups, you're in Rank 2. If you fall into Rank 1, you may want to consider doing the alternative push-ups instead, with your knees are on the ground (these still work your upper body). If you ranked 6 or 7, you may want to do more difficult push-ups where your legs are on an incline.

The plan requires that you work out three days a week, resting between each day (so Monday, Wednesday, Friday works well). For each workout, you complete five sets of push-ups at your level, and each day, you progressively increase the number you can accomplish. At the end of the six weeks, you should be strong enough to take on the final test and execute 100 push-ups. To find out more details about this training program, check out the onehundredpushups website.

Are you going to do it? I am. So drop and give me as many as you can.

Source

Class Act: Kranking

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:45:00 PST

Looking for a new group class that will whip your butt, er arms, into shape?

Kranking is here! Performed on a Krankcycle - an upper-body, stationary handcycle that utilizes an adjustable, variable-resistance mechanism connected to a floating flywheel - Kranking is a new way to train that focuses solely on upper-body cardiovascular training. Kranking is a great cardiovascular complement to anyone's workout, but especially those who have bad knees, ankles, etc., since the upper body is primarily used to get the workout. What's more? Kranking was created by the same guy who created spinning, a favorite among many. Kranking is offered at limited gyms nationwide, but you should definitely inquire with gyms near you to see if they offer the class. I'm trying to wiggle my way into a class at my gym, so I'll be sure to give a full report after I take it.

Inflatable Kayak: Cheap and a Great Workout

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 07:30:00 PDT

Kayaking is great exercise to do in the summer and early fall. Not only does it completely work your upper body, but you're near water so if you get overheated, you can always jump in. While cooling off, you can tread water, which will work your lower body. A complete body workout!

Kayaks can be rather pricey though, so if you don't want to spend a large chunk of change, check out the Coleman 2-Person Inflatable Touring Kayak.

This kayak comes with two 86" aluminum paddles, and is made out of tough 22 gauge PVC. It can hold two people comfortably (I love the back rests), or a capacity of 395 lbs. This little kayak also comes with a cargo net attached for storing sunscreen, water bottles and anything else little you may need.

It inflates easily (you'll need to buy a separate air pump) and grows to about 11' x 36' long. Plus it only weighs 22 lbs so it's great to pack along if you are camping near a lake. Order it from CampersLand on sale for $69.99.

Fit's Tips: My safety warning - This isn't a real kayak, so it's definitely not as durable or easy to steer. This should only be used for fun and short excursions on calm lakes.

What's the Deal With: Swimming Hand Paddles

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Swimming is the best low impact exercise around. If you are looking to increase the intensity of your swimming workout, adding hand paddles is one to accomplish that.

Hand paddles come in many shapes and sizes, but most are a variation on the original plastic rectangular design with rubber tubing fasteners. There are some webbed gloves styles as well. Paddles come in different sizes depending on the hand size of the user, as well as desired increase in resistance. The bigger the paddle, the bigger the pull.

Hand paddles increase the amount of resistance you experience with each stroke, so your upper body works more. They also make the flaws of each stroke obvious, and thereby encourage good stroke technique. Hand paddles can, however, tweak shoulders since they can exaggerate bad technique. Remember moderation is key as you add new elements to your swimming fitness routine. Listen to your body, if something hurts - stop.

Jackie Warner's Calorie-Blasting Power Pyramid Workout

Zelana Montminy — Sat, 26 May 2012 14:53:57 PDT

Work your entire body pyramid-style with celeb trainer Jackie Warner in just 10 minutes. Each time-saving exercise combines two moves, making the workout efficient and effective. To build strength and torch calories, you'll work your muscles to exhaustion. Grab some dumbbells and get ready to work out with Jackie.

Looking for more? Tone your upper body in 10 with this workout for sexy sculpted arms, then stretch out and cool down for 10 minutes with our yoga flow workout. Put all three videos together for a 30-minute full-body workout!

4 Reasons to Add an Exercise Ball to Your Home Gym

Leta Shy — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:58:44 PDT

The exercise ball may occupy a lot of room in your home gym, but it's one versatile piece of equipment. Find out how to get the most out of your exercise ball below.

A healthier seat: Ditch your normal seat on the couch and sit on an exercise ball instead. Using a ball to sit helps correct your posture, tones your abs, and encourages you to stretch, all of which sounds a lot better than the lower back pain that too much sitting on the couch can cause.

Routine shakeup: Adding an exercise ball to your normal mat routines can shake things up and challenge you. For example, you can plank using an exercise ball at your feet to make holding your pose that much harder, or sit or lay on your exercise ball while you execute arm exercises. Even just practicing your balance by kneeling on the exercise ball can help you tone and whittle. Need some ideas? Try these amazingly effective ab and butt workouts using the exercise ball:

Find out how to do the plank pike and the hamstring curl using an exercise ball with this advanced exercise ball workout video.
Skip boring crunches and do this ball pass ab exercise instead.
Challenge your core and balance with this single-leg squat, done against a wall using an exercise ball.
Lie on the ball and work your arms with this chest press move.

Read on for more reasons to use an exercise ball.

Weekend Workout: Push-Up Variations

FitSugar — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:05:40 PDT

Who doesn't want sexy, sculpted arms, shoulders, and an upper back they're proud to bare? Push-ups are one exercise sure to give you the results you're after. Although basic push-ups are effective, there's no need to keep it simple. Try these three variations to work your upper body in new and challenging ways. If these push-ups are too difficult to do with your legs straight, rest your knees on the floor. Each of these exercises works one side at a time. Complete 10 reps of each variation (five on each side) for a total of 30 push-ups.

Elevated Push-Up

One Elbow In, One Elbow Out

Spider-Man Push-Up

Itching for more short workouts? Check out these Weekend Workouts to learn how to tone other areas of your body.