FitSugar

Strike a Yoga Pose: Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I love yoga poses that both challenge my sense of balance and work on my strength, like this one called Crow. I know it looks really hard, but once you break it down step by step and practice it a lot, you'll be flying like a crow in no time. Not only does it feel amazing to be balancing solely on your hands, but this pose really works your core and upper body, so it'll make you feel strong inside and out.

This pose is ultimately done with your arms straight, which takes a ton of upper body and abdominal strength. Once you can do this easily with your elbows bent then you can work on straightening your arms.

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana
English Translation: Crane Pose
Also Called: Crow Pose

How do you do this pose? To find out read more.

Begin in a Wide Squat. Place your palms firmly on the ground in front of you. Be sure to spread your fingers as wide as you can, and press into your fingertips to release any pressure in your wrists.
Now straighten your legs slightly and place your knees as high up onto your triceps as possible, toward your armpits.
Shift your weight forward into your hands and see if you can lean the weight of your knees into the backs of your arms. Then try lifting one foot off the ground and then the other. If you can bring your toes together, you'll feel more compact and it'll be easier to balance. Squeeze your knees together slightly and pull your belly button in towards your spine to give you a sense of lightness.
Stay here for five breaths or you can work on straightening your arms. It's OK if you lose your balance and fall over. It took me a ton of tries to be able to stay balanced. Just keep trying!
After you've had enough, release your feet down to the ground and come into Child's pose to give your lower back and upper body a break. Then do these two wrist stretches to increase flexibility in your hands and wrists.

Move It At Home: Yoga Booty Ballet – Goddess Abs

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0700

The title of the DVD intrigued me more than anything – such an interesting mixture of concepts: yoga, booty and ballet. What more could a mother, who is trying to avoid the temptation of her daughters' Halloween goody bags, want?

The two ladies behind Yoga Booty Ballet have put together an effective abdominal routine that is just shy of 20 minutes. They call this mixture of yoga and Pilates "Goddess Abs" and it is fun to do since these gals certainly keep you going. Much of the work is done using a small squishy ball (which I guess comes with the fitness package of DVD and diet info you can buy from the Beach Body web site). However, the work is quite effective without the prop.

The workout moves quite briskly, and suggestions for beginners are only offered a handful of times, but many pseudo yogic inspirational phrases are repeated often while you crunch your abs to oblivion. I enjoyed the workout, however, I did not enjoy the coy instructors leading the DVD and their pearls of wisdom. If you are looking to spice up your ab routine, I would add the DVD to your NetFlix queue. It is certainly worth a rental and comes paired with the "AM Latte" invigorating morning workout. You can also find the DVD set for $18 from Amazon.

DVD Review: Body Target - Abs

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800

Want to work your core but aren't sure if you're in the mood for yoga or Pilates? Get a taste of them both on the Gaiam DVD, Body Target - Abs ($15). It's broken down into two segments: Yoga for Abs (with Rodney Yee), and Pilates for Abs (with Ana Cabán).

The yoga section starts off pretty slow, guiding you through a seven-minute relaxation exercise to help you connect your breath with your core. Then it moves into challenging variations of leg lifts and Boat pose. The workout involves slow, concentrated holds so not only did I feel my abs working, but I also felt completely relaxed. The 25-minute routine ends with Savasana, to calm the mind and recharge the body.

The Pilates section wastes no time and moves right into a demanding workout that targets your "powerhouse" (core). It includes 26 minutes of basic Pilates exercises such as the Hundred, the Roll Up, the Roll Over, Single Leg Circles, Double Straight Leg Stretch, and the Open Leg Rocker.

Yoga and Pilates all on one DVD - it's the best of both worlds. If you have time, you can do both routines, or just turn on one for a quick ab workout. I'd recommend this to anyone looking to strengthen and tone their core. To see a clip of Body Target - Abs, read more.

DVD Review: Shiva Rea - Creative Core Abs

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0700

I'm always looking for ways to sculpt and strengthen my abs without having to do crunches, so I was psyched to try Shiva Rea's Creative Core Abs ($9.99). I've loved her Yoga DVDs in the past (especially Fluid Power - Vinyasa Flow Yoga), so I had a feeling this would be just as great. Her voice is calming, her instructions are clear, and her routines are always challenging.

The DVD includes three short workouts: Water Core (10 min), Spontaneous Core (8 min), and Fire Core (10 min); you can do all three in a row, or choose which ones you want to do. The sequencing is very fluid and dance-like, so the time goes by really quickly. It definitely doesn't feel like yoga. Shiva encourages you to explore your range of motion, and even though this video was focused on the abs, the movements strengthened and stretched my upper and lower back, hips, quads, shoulders, and neck too. Cool to know that even Shiva Rea is all about the core.

If you're looking for a DVD that works your abs in a unique way you can order it here or rent it through Netflix.

5 Yoga Poses For a Strong Core

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Yoga calms your mind and increases your flexibility, but it can also strengthen your core and tone your midsection - just in time for bikini season. Try these five yoga poses that target your abs and back muscles.

View Slideshow ›

Beyonce's Trainer Reveals 5-Minute Preparty "Body Blast"

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:50:29 -0800

When I'm totally wrapped up in Thanksgiving cooking, prepping, organizing, shopping (need I go on?), there's hardly a fighting chance that I'll make it to the gym for a full-on workout. Usually, I'll try to squeeze in a set of push-ups while prepping dinner preparation, or an early morning yoga session, if I can. So, I was excited to see Marco Borges, the trainer credited with whipping Beyonce, husband Jay-Z, and Gwen Stefani into tip-top shape, sharing an easy and no-equipment-needed workout with US Weekly. Here are the five moves he suggests to give yourself an all-over body-blasting workout (even if you only have five minutes to spare before your guests arrive):

Jumping Plies: I call these jumping squats, but it doesn't matter what you call them as long as you do them. Here's how: stand with your feet just a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, abs pulled in tight, and bend your knees, lowering your body till your thighs are parallel to the floor and jump straight into the air. Return to starting position and repeat for one minute.

Reverse Lunges: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, step back into a lunge and repeat on the opposite side, alternating for one minute. Be sure that abs remain tight throughout, working your core and maintaining your balance and posture.

Push-Ups: According to Marco, "The push-up is quite possibly one of the simplest and best body weight movements targeting the muscles of the chest, arms, shoulders and core." Do as many classic push-ups, or moderated position push-ups from your knees, as you can for a full one minute, making sure to maintain proper form and bring your chest as close to the floor as you can before pushing back to starting plank position.

For the rest of Marco's workout, keep reading

Strike a Yoga Pose: 4-Limbed Staff

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 11:00:00 -0800

4-Limbed Staff pose, also called Chaturanga Dandasana in Sanskrit, is one of the toughest yoga poses to hold. It works yours abs, your back, and your upper arms and shoulders intensively. The thing about doing this pose, is once you get the right technique and you practice it a lot, it'll get easier.

We always do this pose in Sun Salutation A and B, and in between poses, so you'll get to do it a lot during a yoga class.

From Standing Forward Bend pose, you're going to inhale, straighten your arms and back, and look up. You can bend your knees so that you can place your palms flat on the ground.
Bend your knees slightly and step your right foot all the way back and then your left, so that your body is in one straight line. (You can also jump both feet back together). You want your shoulders directly above your wrists. This is called Plank pose. It's like the top of a push-up.
As you exhale, bend your elbows straight behind you so they brush against the sides of your body. You want to try to keep your body parallel to the ground. Draw your belly button up towards your spine to protect your lower back. Work on keeping your shoulders parallel with your elbows. This is called 4-Limbed Staff pose

Eventually the three moves all flow together with no breaks or holds in between, so you go from looking up in the the Standing Forward Bend (1st photo), straight into 4-Limbed Staff pose (3rd photo). Practice bending your knees and jumping both feet back at the same time, and lowering your body, all in one exhale.

Class Act: Cardio Tai Boxing

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:13 -0800

I'm big on fitness classes, but tend to stick with Pilates, yoga, or something slower-paced - usually afraid that I won't be able to keep up with a class that requires any dance technique. My exercise solution came in the form of Crunch's Cardio Tai Box class - a class that gets you moving without a required-knowledge of dance choreography. All you need to know? How to punch and kick. Really.

In fact, once you master the basic kicks and three different kinds of punches, you'll easily catch on when the combinations are introduced - so don't psych yourself out if you can't keep up right away. The key throughout the workout is to focus on each individual action, fully extend your arms and legs for punches and kicks, and be conscious of your core - if you're flexing your abs throughout you'll notice improved balance and form that'll make leg extension easier for round-house and side-kicks.

To learn more about the class and see video, just read more.

Ultimately, you'll find that the high intensity that the class requires goes hand in hand with the kinds of moves you're doing - and throwing a few punches is sure to relieve stress or any aggression after a long day at work; it's hands-down my top choice for a workout to shake things up and re-energize mid-week. If you lag behind during round one, just go back and do it again, or pull aside your instructor after class to go over technique, this way, you'll be up to speed and blasting calories by round two in the cardio ring.

You Asked: Stretch For Sciatica

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:50:08 -0700

Hey Fit,
I've been having issues with my sciatic nerve lately, I was wondering if you could post some stretches and/or yoga poses that would help with sciatica? Thanks!
- Hitting a Nerve

I feel your pain. The sciatic nerve, when pinched or pressed, can cause tingling and numbness down the back of the leg. The pain can come from a nerve root being pinched in the lower spinal column - mostly at the last vertabra (lumbar 5) and the sacrum. Pain can also come from a tight piriformis muscle, since the nerve runs through this deep booty muscle. If you are experiencing sciatica from a degenerative or herniated disc, you should see an orthopedist to get a diagnosis and a recommendation for a physical therapist. When it comes to lower back injuries due to nerve compression, strengthening your core is elemental to getting rid of the tingling pain. It is important to strengthen your abs and spinal muscles in a way that won't compromise your injury further.

I do have two safe stretches to share with you. Learn them when you read more.

I have found this piriformis stretch to be safe and effective with Pilates clients experiencing sciatica. I call it the figure four, but it is a simplified variation of the yoga pose pigeon.

Lie on your back with both legs in the air. Place your right ankle on your thigh above your left knee. See the shape of the number four? It is there, just upside down.
Reach your right hand through the open space created by your right leg and grab your left hand that is reaching around the outside of your left thigh. Slowly bend your left knee. You should feel a stretch on the outside of your right hip. Hold for 30 seconds.

Another stretch that can relieve tension caused by an unhappy sciatic nerve is this simple hamstring stretch.

Lie on your back, bend your right knee and place right foot on the floor.
Raise your left leg as high as you can keeping your pelvis square (don't raise your left hip toward your ear).
Hold your lower thigh or place a strap over the arch or ball of your foot. Flex your foot to stretch your calf too.
Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs.

You Asked: How to Get Rid of My Ab Flab

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:47:12 -0700

Dear Fit,
I'm fairly thin, have muscular thighs from running 20 minutes a few times a week and toned arms from doing yoga, but my belly is pudgy. I heard crunches won't get rid of my gut, but what exercises will?
- Jiggly Middle

We all have areas of our body that hang on to fat, so to hear my suggestions about how to get rid of the extra around your midsection keep reading