jeudi 29 décembre 2016

30-Day Love Your Strength Challenge

Emily Skye encourages her millions of social media followers to lead active, authentic lives, and those are qualities she demonstrates herself every day: In between sharing her her fast, effective workouts, she has never shied away from dishing about her own struggles with self-acceptance and body confidence. That's why Health partnered with the Aussie fitness sensation on the 30-Day Love Your Strength Challenge, a get-fit program to help you become your strongest self, inside and out.

Over the next four weeks, you'll take a two-pronged approach to owning the skin you're in:

Strengthen your body: Cycle through four of Emily's workout circuits: upper body, lower body, core, and full body. As you get stronger week by week, you'll progressively add more rounds to each of the circuits. All you'll need are a mat and a set of dumbbells (shoot for 10 to 20 pounds).
Strengthen your confidence: Emily's workouts are fast and fun—but they're also challenging. Each week, as you tack another round onto your circuits, you're going to notice how much stronger you're getting, and it's going to empower you to keep working your way through this program. Plus: Every day, Health will deliver an exclusive new message from Emily straight to your inbox. You'll get a mix of fitness and nutrition tips, life advice, motivational mantras, and Emily's real-life stories about how she's overcome her demons and become the strong, confident woman we see on social media today. Preview her messages in the videos below, and get access the rest by signing up for the emails here. You can join at any time!

Strengthen Your Body

The Plan (PIN IT!)

The Workouts

Upper Body

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Standing Military Press (30 seconds)
Bent-Over Row (30 seconds)
Bicep Curl (30 seconds)
Tricep Kickbacks (30 seconds)

Rest for 60 seconds, and repeat

Lower Body

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Dumbbell Front Squat (30 seconds)
Dumbbell Deadlift (30 seconds)
Curtsey Lunge (30 seconds)
Dumbbell Glute Bridge (30 seconds)

Rest for 60 seconds, and repeat

Core

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Figure 8s (30 seconds)
V ups (30 seconds)
Russian twist (30 seconds)
Butterfly kicks (30 seconds)
Lying leg crossovers (30 seconds)

Rest for 60 seconds, and repeat

Full Body

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Modified Burpee: 15 reps
Mountain Climber: 30 reps
Alternating Spider Climber: 30 reps
Leg Lowers: 10 reps

Complete each exercise one after the other, then rest for 60 seconds and repeat

Strengthen Your Confidence

"Focus on your own journey and don't worry about anyone else."

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"I've gained 24 pounds since I started exercising and eating healthy, and I feel better than ever."

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"Call them 'treats,' not 'cheats.'"

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"The images you see online aren't real...I know all about lighting and posing."

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"Lifting weights will not make you bulky!"

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30-Day Love Your Strength Challenge

This Fat-Burning Workout by Emily Skye Will Sculpt Your Legs and Lift Your Butt

Emily Skye encourages her millions of social media followers to live active, authentic lives. That's why Health partnered with Skye on our 30-Day Love Your Strength Challenge, a get-fit program to help you become your strongest, happiest self. Skye's lower body workout can be done as part of the Love Your Strength Challenge, or you can incorporate it into your own strength training routine. Either way, it will help lift your butt, tone your legs. And—most importantly—this workout is designed to strengthen your posterior chain, arguably your body's most important grouping of muscles. For this routine, all you need is a pair of 10- to 20-pound dumbbells and a mat. It should take you 15 to 20 minutes to complete. This Fat-Burning Workout by Emily Skye Will Sculpt Your Legs and Lift Your Butt

This Full Body Workout from Emily Skye Torches Calories and Builds Strength Fast

Emily Skye encourages her millions of social media followers to live active, authentic lives. That's why Health partnered with Skye on our 30-Day Love Your Strength Challenge, a get-fit program to help you become your strongest, happiest self. Skye's full-body workout can be done as part of the Love Your Strength Challenge, or you can incorporate it into your own strength training routine. For this workout, all you need is a mat. It should take you 15 to 20 minutes to complete—and you don't even need to go to the gym to do it. This Full Body Workout from Emily Skye Torches Calories and Builds Strength Fast

Quick Lower Ab Exercises for a Stronger Core

This article originally appeared on DailyBurn.com.

If there’s one major muscle group we don’t mind firing up during almost every workout, it’s our abs. And for good reason: Aesthetics aside, a strong midsection leads to proper body alignment, better balance and it can help alleviate lower back pain.

When it comes to targeting the bottom half of your trunk more specifically, there’s just one catch. Those “lower abs” people often refer to are known as the rectus abdominis, which run along your entire midsection (and help give that coveted flatter belly or six-pack look). So while you’ll be working the lower portion of your stomach, you’ll also be getting the upper half involved. That’s not a bad thing, though—you’re targeting your tummy from every angle to really carve out some definition.

Tone up—from bottom to top and front to back—with these seven lower ab exercises. Consider yourself hardcore!

7 Lower Ab Exercises to Strengthen Your Core

Perform these seven moves in a row, with little to no the rest time in between. At the end of the circuit, take a 90-second break, then repeat two more times.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

1. Bear Crawls

How to: Start on all-fours, then lift your knees a few inches off the floor (a). Keeping your knees elevated, move your right hand and left foot one step forward (b). Then move your left hand and right foot one step forward (c). Keep walking forward or if you have limited space, step backward with opposite hands and feet (d). Repeat for 10 reps.
Pro tip: This move works your entire core, but to really target the deep transverse abdominis (which cinch your waist), make sure you draw your navel in and maintain a neutral spine.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

2. Straight Leg Lifts

How to: Lie on your back with your hands underneath your butt or low back, whichever is more comfortable and will keep you from arching your back. Your legs should stay straight and your low back should remain against the floor throughout the entire exercise (a). Lift your feet toward the ceiling so your legs are perpendicular to the floor (b). Lower your feet back down, just a few inches off the floor (c). Continue to lift and lower for 10 reps.
Pro tip: Start with your head, neck and shoulders resting on the ground and when you’re ready to kick your ab workout into high gear, raise your shoulders and head off the floor.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

3. Bicycles

How to: Lie on your back, with your feet a few inches off the floor, toes pointed, and your head and shoulder blades lifted off the ground. Place your hands behind your head, elbows wide (a). Bring your right knee in toward your chest, as you lift your shoulder blade higher off the ground and toward your knee (b). Straighten your right leg and lower your left shoulder, as you rotate and bring your left knee inward and your right shoulder up and toward your knee (c). Continue switching sides to complete 20 reps total (10 each side).
Pro tip: Make sure to lift and rotate your shoulders — not just your neck and head — to really fire up your obliques during this exercise. Keep a neutral pelvis, too.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

4. Mountain Climbers

How to: Start in a high plank position, body in a straight line from head to toe and hands shoulder-width apart (a). Bring your right knee in toward your chest (b). Return it back to the floor and immediately bring your left knee to your chest (c). Continue switching legs to complete 10 reps on each side.
Pro tip: The faster you move (without wrecking your form), the more calories you burn, so get stepping!

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

5. Dead Bug

How to: Lie on your back. Lift your legs and bend your knees 90 degrees so your shins are parallel to the floor. Lift arms straight above you (a). Lower your left arm toward the floor behind you (elbow straight), as you lower your right foot to just above the floor (knee bent) (b). Return to start (c). Lower your right arm toward the floor behind you and your left foot to just above the floor (d). Return to start and continue alternating, so you do 10 reps on each side.
Pro tip: As for most of the moves on this list, focus on drawing your belly button toward the floor so you maintain a neutral pelvis and keep your low back in contact with the floor. This helps target more muscles.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

6. Modified V-Ups

How to: Sit down on the floor, knees bent and feet flat. Lean your upper body backward, so it’s about 45 degrees from the floor (a). Bring your knees into your chest, shins parallel to the floor and arms straight in front of you (b). Extend your legs straight out so your feet reach just a few inches off the floor (c). Bring your knees back into your chest and repeat for 10 reps.
Pro tip: Intensify this exercise by keeping your knees straight as you lift your legs and as you lower them, slowly drop your upper body back toward the floor as well. You’ll complete a full V sit-up.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

7. Forearm Side Plank

How to: From your side, place your forearm on the ground, elbow in line with shoulder and other hand on your hip (a). Stagger your feet and lift your hips up so your body is in a straight diagonal line (b). Hold this position for 30 seconds, then switch sides.
Pro tip: Planks work the deep inner muscles of your abdominal wall, helping to keep your trunk stable. Want to make your plank even more challenging? Try one of these five variations.

For more creative exercises that work major muscle groups, sign up for Daily Burn 365. You’ll get a new workout every day.

Quick Lower Ab Exercises for a Stronger Core

mercredi 28 décembre 2016

Anna Victoria's 9-Move HIIT Workout Will Tone Your Entire Body

In this video, Anna Victoria guides you through three different HIIT circuits for the lower body, upper body, and core in just six minutes. Watch as she demonstrates the best exercises to do when you’re short on time, from wide squats to walking planks and more. Anna Victoria's 9-Move HIIT Workout Will Tone Your Entire Body

A 12-Minute Salsa Dancing Routine for Beginners

Tired of the treadmill and sick of the elliptical? Try salsa dancing instead! It might just be the sexiest workout ever. Full of fancy footwork and moves like body rolls and hip circles, salsa dancing is all about feeling the rhythm—and flaunting what you’ve got while you do so. A 12-Minute Salsa Dancing Routine for Beginners

mardi 27 décembre 2016

The Tone It Up Girls Swear By This Butt-Sculpting Workout

Want to reinvent your rear in the new year? Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott—better known by their legions of social media followers as the Tone It Up Girls—have the perfect butt workout to get you started. The trainers love these lower body exercises because they attack your tush from all angles, ensuring you hit muscles your typical squat-and-lunge workout might miss (you'll see there are no squats in sight in this butt-sculpting circuit). And this workout will do more than just make your booty pop: performing the moves back to back revs up your heart rate and melts away fat from your entire body.

Complete each exercise 42 times with as little rest as possible. All you'll need is a set of dumbbells and a little space—you can even do this workout at home.

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Weighted Hip Dips

Begin in a bridge position, holding two dumbbells on your hips and making sure your heels are directly below your knees. Slowly lower your butt down so it's barely touching the ground, then immediately lift hips back up to the original position. Make sure you're squeezing your glutes at the top of the pose.

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Forearm Booty Kickback

Begin in a tabletop position on your forearms. Keeping your shoulders directly over your elbows and your core engaged, kick your right leg behind you and raise your leg as high as you can. Squeeze your glutes to get your leg even higher, then slowly lower your knee back down.

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High Jump

Begin in a squat position with your feed hip-width apart. Make sure your arms don't go past your toes. Push off the ground and jump as high as you can while raising your arms above your head. Land softly on your feet. Complete 42 reps to increase your heart rate and tone your entire body.

Pin the full workout:

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RELATED: Watch This Video for Tracy Anderson's Booty-Boosting Butt Exercises

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Want more great workouts from Karena and Katrina? Starting January 1, the pair is launching a 6-Week New Year's Challenge to help you shape up (and stick to those resolutions!) with meal plans, fitness tips, workout videos, and more. Sign up now on toneitup.com.

The Tone It Up Girls Swear By This Butt-Sculpting Workout

vendredi 23 décembre 2016

Build Strength and Stamina With This 15-Minute Trampoline Workout

From rope wall yoga to simulated surfing, exciting new fitness classes seem to be cropping up everywhere. One such class we love: cardio trampoline workouts at the Bari Studio in New York City. Build Strength and Stamina With This 15-Minute Trampoline Workout

The Best High-Intensity Exercises for a Toned Core

In order to boost overall strength, it’s essential to work on tightening and toning your core. That’s because the muscles in the core serve as the powerhouse for the rest of our bodies. When the abdominals are engaged, performance improves—no matter what type of physical activity you’re doing. The Best High-Intensity Exercises for a Toned Core

This Is Tracy Anderson’s Go-To Arm Workout

One thing that people don't do often enough is just stand and extend their arms out—really reaching through the chest while relaxing the shoulders. The simple act of holding your arms outstretched, either to the side or in front, is quite fatiguing. Why? It's a new movement that the body must build the strength to sustain. And that's what you want. Add weights and you'll sculpt the entire arm, as well as further strengthen it, building even more muscle. And we all know that the more muscle you have, the more calories you can torch at rest. Another reason to tighten up: As we age, the skin starts to sag, but toning helps you fight back. OK, time to get defined!

Go through this sequence twice. And don't forget your 30 to 60 minutes of cardio six days a week.

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1. Throw & Reach

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, fingers lightly on shoulders and elbows out to sides (A). Raise elbows up, then bring them in to touch (B). Open elbows back out to "A," then extend arms straight out in front of you with palms facing out so wrists touch (C). Bring arms back in to "A." Repeat 30 times.

2. Punch & Rock

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, elbows bent at sides and a 3-pound weight in each hand (A). Extend arms straight up overhead and jump up (B); as you land, return arms to "A." Jump up again, this time extending arms straight out in front of you (C). Bring arms back in to "A" as you land. Continue jumping, alternating punching up and out, for 30 reps. Bonus: Jumping adds cardio.

3. Rolling Arms

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a 3-pound weight in each hand. Bend left elbow at torso so arm forms a V, palm facing forward. Raise right arm to side to form a 90-degree angle, palm facedown (A). Pull right elbow back and rotate right shoulder up (B) and around, then punch forward (C). Return to "A"; repeat in a fluid motion. Do 15 reps per side. Start on left side your second time through the circuit.

4. Swinging Triceps

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a 3-pound weight in each hand. Bend left elbow at torso so arm forms a V, palm facing forward. Bend right arm and cross it over torso (A). Lift right elbow up and out, keeping it bent (B), then swing right arm across torso to meet left, returning to "A." Open right arm out to side so arms form a W (C). Do 25 reps per side. Start on left side your second time through the circuit.

5. Monkey Pull & Reach

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a 3- to 5-pound weight in each hand at sides. Come into a low squat, dropping right arm toward right foot (A). As you stand, curl right arm to armpit (B); twist wrist and press right arm up (C). Lower arm and return to "A." Do 15 reps per side. Start on left side your second time through the circuit.

Pin the entire workout for later:

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Tracy Anderson is wearing: American Apparel T-shirt customized by stylist ($20; americanapparel.com). Sam Anderson for TA Vision Legging ($95; tracyanderson.com). Nike Free RN Running Shoes ($100; nike.com).

This Is Tracy Anderson’s Go-To Arm Workout

Sculpt a Stronger Back With These 5 Moves

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

It’s easy to take for granted how much we use our back muscles every day. Whether it’s lifting bags of groceries up a flight up stairs or squatting down to pick up something off the floor, we use our backsides to carry out the most complex and simplest tasks. “The back is literally involved in every movement. Even if you aren’t doing a ‘back exercise,’ per se, the back is still anchoring and stabilizing to support all arm gestures, core exercises, balance work and leg moves,” says Cheri Paige Fogelman, a Daily Burn 365 trainer.

And can you guess how many muscles are in the human back? Approximately 140 overlapping muscles. The major muscles are divided into three groups: extrinsic, intermediate and intrinsic—most of which we’re underutilizing sitting at our desks all day. What’s worse: Stress and anxiety also tend to manifest as tension in our necks and back before spreading to other parts of the body. Talk about a bad chain reaction.

If you’re looking to nix back pain, improve your athletic abilities, or, we said it, look better from behind, working out your posterior is key. “A strong back enables us to better stabilize, meaning you’ll work more efficiently and get more out of moves like plank, bicep curls and even cardio moves like running or speed skating,” Fogelman says. “The back is a secret weapon for a better workout,” she adds. “When I stand up tall and anchor my shoulder blades down and back during an exercise, I feel more triumphant, which boosts my self-esteem.”

These no-equipment back exercises from the trainers of Daily Burn 365 have you covered from every angle (rhomboids, lats, traps and more). Perform ‘em right and they’ll even help improve posture and range of motion, too. Don’t worry—we got your back!

5 Back Exercises to Tone Up Fast

Repeat the following circuit three times through, resting for one minute in between rounds. Or, mix things up by adding these moves into your usual exercise rotation.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

1. Renegade Rows

How to: Get into a high plank position with your hands shoulder-distance apart, shoulders stacked above wrists (a). Keeping hips square and core engaged, lift your right hand off the ground. Your right elbow should be tucked close to your rib cage (b). Bring your right arm back to the starting position and repeat with your left arm (c). Do 10-12 reps on each side (d).
Pro tip: Repeat after us: Light as a feather, stiff as a board. Make sure to keep your hips stable and avoid shrugging your shoulders or moving your body to the side as you perform the row.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

2. Bent-Over Reverse Flys

How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hinge forward at the hips. Arms should be at your sides, palms in, gaze forward (a). Engaging your back and shoulder muscles and keeping our chest up, raise your arms to form a “T” (parallel to the floor), with your elbows slightly bent. Be sure to squeeze your shoulder blades to fully engage the muscles (b). Bring your arms back down to the starting position (c). Repeat for 15 reps.
Pro tip: Think about pinching the shoulder blades together with each rep, while maintaining a long spine. Once you’ve nailed down the movement and can do the reps fairly effortlessly, grab a dumbbell in each hand.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

3. Scapular Push-Ups

How to: Get into a high plank with your hands shoulder-distance apart. Keep your body in a straight line with your head in a neutral position (a). Imagining that there’s something in between your shoulders on your upper back, pinch your shoulder blades, as you slowly lower your body halfway down the floor (b). Raise your body back up to the starting position (c). Repeat for 8-10 reps.
Pro tip: If holding your high plank is too challenging, do a modified standing version by placing your hands flat on a wall in front of you, and walking your feet out to your comfort zone. (The further from the wall, the harder it will be.)

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

4. Supermans

How to: Lie face down on an exercise mat with your toes pointed down and your forehead on the floor. Keep your gaze in a neutral position (a). Bring your arms straight out in front of you with your palms on the floor (b). Engaging your back, glutes and hamstrings, lift your hands and feet a few inches off the ground (c). Repeat for ten reps, holding for three seconds each time.
Pro tip: As you lift your arms and legs off of the floor, be sure to pull your shoulders down and back (our tendency is to scrunch them up to our ears). Inhale as you lift your body and exhale as you lower it.

Photo: Ryan Kelly / Daily Burn 365

5. Swimmers

How to: Again starting face-down on your exercise mat, reach your arms out in front of you with your palms on the floor (a). Engaging your back, abs and glutes, lift your right arm and left leg off the ground at the same time, then lower them and lift your left arm and right leg (b). This is one rep. Continue alternating for 12-15 reps.
Pro tip: Just like a swimmer in the pool, make your movements precise and efficient by keeping your neck and spine long, shoulders down. To help you use your breath efficiently throughout this exercise, inhale for three counts and exhale for another three counts.

Sculpt a Stronger Back With These 5 Moves

mardi 20 décembre 2016

An 11-Minute Yoga Flow to Ease Holiday Stress and Fight Weight Gain

Between dealing with family drama, preparing excessive amounts of food, and shopping for way too many gifts, there’s no denying the holidays can be pretty stressful. But despite the challenges thrown at us in the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, there really are ways we can remain relaxed. One healthy coping strategy: Yoga. An 11-Minute Yoga Flow to Ease Holiday Stress and Fight Weight Gain

Sign Up for Health's Total Wellness Weekend at Canyon Ranch

This Mental Trick Makes Your Workouts Easier

So convincing are the health benefits of exercise that it’s a wonder we don’t all run to work every day. That’s until you consider the downside of exercise, of course: it’s hard, sweaty and uncomfortable.

That’s especially true in a hot environment. When you work out in the heat, your body shuttles more blood to the skin in order to help heat escape—meaning less blood flows to the muscles and brain, causing fatigue to set in faster. But now, in a new study, a group of researchers wanted to see if a person could overcome the negative effects of being in a hot space just by thinking about their sweat session differently.

“If there are changes going on, can we use psychological tools to improve our tolerance to heat and reduce how uncomfortable it makes us?” wondered Stephen Cheung, professor and a Canada Research Chair at Brock University in Ontario, who is an author of the small new study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Could those same tools also make people better exercisers?

Cheung and his colleagues had 18 competitive cyclists do an intense exercise session in the heat. Nine of the cyclists then took two weeks to train as normal. The other nine received sessions in motivational skills training, a kind of self-talk that involves “reframing” negative feelings—like how hot it is—into positive ones. Instead of thinking “My legs are burning” or “I’m sweating like crazy,” they were taught to come up with more positive, empowering phrases like “I’m doing well” or “I can handle this.”

At the end of two weeks, everyone came back to do the hot-exercise test again. The first group saw no change in their performance. But the experimental group “improved a huge amount,” Cheung says. They were able to pedal for 25% longer than they were initially, and they could sustain high levels of discomfort for a lot longer than their peers. Their body temperatures were also hotter than those of their peers, suggesting that the brain has a lot of power in determining how far the body is able to push itself.

The results aren’t likely to shock athletes, who know that the mind is often the first thing to get tired. “It’s really ultimately the brain that lets you down,” Cheung says. “You can go a lot harder than a lot of times you think you can.” What is surprising is that the words you tell yourself can make such a difference. “Even in the face of strong physiological cues to stop,” Cheung says, “the brain can still override them.”

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

This Mental Trick Makes Your Workouts Easier

Emily Skye on Her Go-To Snacks, Favorite Mood-Boosting Workout, and Daily Fitspiration

Aussie fitness sensation Emily Skye is all about living an active, authentic life. Now she's partnered with Health for our Love Your Strength challenge, a get-fit program for the new year with workouts and videos to help you become your strongest self, inside and out. The challenge officially kicks off January 1, 2017, but you can sign up now to get plenty of inspo from Emily straight to your inbox, including a 4-week workout plan, total-body videos for every fitness level, advice on building killer confidence, and more. Here, she shares why exercise changed her life and her best tips on owning the skin you’re in.

You inspire your followers to live healthy and feel good about themselves, but what inspires you?

I know what it feels like to be unhappy, unhealthy, and unfit, and I don’t want to go back to feeling that way ever again, so that keeps me motivated. I also love the fit community I have online. All the beautiful members of my programs and my followers inspire me to be the best I can be.

You’ve talked openly about your experience battling depression. How did you get through it?

I started eating healthier foods, lifting weights, and surrounding myself with supportive people and worked on being more positive with myself. Fitness was a huge part of my transition from living with depression to living a life I love. I love how it makes me feel, and I’m a much better person all around.

What’s your favorite mood-boosting workout?

Sometimes going to the gym when you’re feeling a little down or stressed is the last thing you feel like doing, so something fun—like putting on good music and dancing, watching a hip-hop tutorial on YouTube, or getting outdoors—is usually my go-to.

Do you have go-to snacks?

I love nuts, chia seed pudding, and smoothies. I also love getting seaweed wrappers and filling them with squeezed lemon, avocado, cottage cheese, chicken or fish, lettuce, and tomato.

What would you say to someone struggling with emotional eating?

When you feel like eating something that is not so healthy, just think about what it is you really want. Do you want the short-term pleasure of eating junk food or the long-term satisfaction of being truly happy and healthy? But I do believe in allowing yourself to feel what you feel. If you’re having a bad day, it’s OK. If you feel like crying, then do it. If you want a chocolate bar, have it. Just don’t allow yourself to stay there.

How do you maintain your body-positive attitude?

The only way we can truly be happy is to stop comparing ourselves to other people, to appreciate what we’ve got and to believe being unique is awesome.

Emily Skye on Her Go-To Snacks, Favorite Mood-Boosting Workout, and Daily Fitspiration

The Life-Changing Travel Adventure That Pushed Me Out of My Comfort Zone

So here I am—somewhere in the middle of hiking up the Vertical KM in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in the French Alps, and I'm really frustrated. It's chilly and raining, and the elevation is challenging my breathing and causing me to move like a turtle. Oh, and I'm using trekking poles—for the first time ever. The Life-Changing Travel Adventure That Pushed Me Out of My Comfort Zone

lundi 19 décembre 2016

Pokemon Go Increased Physical Activity Levels, But Not for Long

THURSDAY, Dec. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For a short while, Pokemon Go seemed to capture everyone's attention. And this left public health experts wondering if the game that encouraged players to "Catch 'em all" actually got people moving more.

Researchers from Harvard University did find that the virtual reality game gave a slight, short-term boost to adults' physical activity levels, but it didn't last.

Pokemon Go is a location-based game played on a smartphone, where a player must physically walk to sites to collect virtual Pokemon characters and prizes. The game was launched July 2016.

The researchers conducted an online survey of nearly 1,200 smartphone users, ages 18 to 35, during August 2016. The study found that about 47 percent of the respondents played the game at "trainer level," which is reached after walking around for about two hours.

Players' average daily steps in the first week of using the game increased by 955. That translates into 11 minutes of additional walking daily, bringing participants' total to about half of the World Health Organization's recommendation of 150 or more minutes weekly.

But, the number of steps gradually decreased over the following five weeks. By the sixth week, the players' numbers had returned to where they were before they started playing the game, the study showed.

The new research was published Dec. 15 in BMJ.

"Our results indicate that the health impact of Pokemon Go might be moderate. Even if smaller amounts of physical activity might also be important for health outcomes, the increase in steps from Pokemon Go, as with many physical activity interventions, was not sustained over time," wrote the researchers, led by senior author Eric Rimm.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers a guide to physical activity.

Pokemon Go Increased Physical Activity Levels, But Not for Long

This Martial Arts Workout Will Strengthen and Tone Your Entire Body

Whether or not you ever plan on taking your moves to the ring, martial arts training is one of the most intense workouts you can do. This calorie-torching form of exercise challenges and tones every part of your body—and mastering a fierce uppercut or switch kick is incredibly empowering! This Martial Arts Workout Will Strengthen and Tone Your Entire Body

The Top 20 Fitness Trends For 2017

An annual survey reveals the new year’s biggest fitness trends, from high-intensity interval training to wearable technology and yoga. The Top 20 Fitness Trends For 2017

Finally, the Perfect HIIT Yoga Workout You’ve Been Waiting For

In this video, expert yoga instructor Lauren Taus shows you how to add HIIT to your yoga routine by integrating calorie-blasting plyometric moves, like jump lunges, into your sun salutations and beyond. Finally, the Perfect HIIT Yoga Workout You’ve Been Waiting For

vendredi 16 décembre 2016

4 Best Self-Defense Moves Every Woman Should Know

News flash: Self-defense is an essential skill to have. Whether you live in a big city or small town, knowing how to protect yourself is a potentially dangerous situation is important—and there’s research to back it up. Studies suggest that women with self-defense training may be less likely to experience unwanted sexual advances. 4 Best Self-Defense Moves Every Woman Should Know

7 Expert Tips for Pacing Yourself on the Run

Why does running have to be so damn hard? You head out the door with a spring in your step but five minutes later, you’re huffing and puffing and ready to quit. Or maybe you check your watch all the time, relying on it to tell you precisely how fast you’re running and how many miles you have left to go. (Been there, done that!) One reason for your burning lungs? You have trouble pacing yourself. Here’s your guide to learning how to set yourself at a challenging yet doable pace on your next run.

Why Is Pacing So Difficult?

When you start your run, it can feel like your breathing rate skyrockets after just a few steps. That’s because your cardiovascular system isn’t warmed up yet, says New York City-based running coach Jess Underhill of Race Pace Wellness. “When someone breathes heavily, it confuses them and they don’t know how to regulate their breath,” she says. “They either quit or think they aren’t cut out for running, thinking they can’t even make it down the block.”

Group fitness habits might be to blame, too. According to Underhill, our approach to spin and HIIT classes and AMRAPs (as many reps as possible) can influence the way we prepare ourselves for a run. “It’s a different mindset. In classes, you go all out and push yourself to the extreme. You can’t do that when you’re just starting out running or else you won’t go very far.”

7 Ways to Learn to Pace Yourself

Whether you’re a marathon maven or a newbie seeking to cross your first finish line, pounding pavement at a consistent pace is not as intuitive as it may seem. Like any skill, you have to practice tuning into your body and learning how different paces feel.

1. Slow down.
It may seem counterintuitive, but taking it down a few notches is the first step to getting a grip on your pace. “Learning how to run at a truly easy intensity is one of the hardest things for people, whether they are just beginning to run or trying to run faster times,” says Caleb Masland, a North Carolina-based USATF-certified running coach. “Starting out too hard can quickly turn running into a frustrating versus a rewarding experience.” Underhill advises her runners to start slower than you think. That way, you finish feeling like you could keep going. Another way check yourself? Run at a pace where you can easily carry on a conversation.

2. Check your breath.
Paying attention to your breath is one of the best ways to measure the pace, effort and intensity of your run, says Masland. Your breathing shouldn’t be labored. Think easy breaths in every three to four steps, and easy breaths out every three to four steps, he says. Also take note of your breathing changes — from uphills to downhills, or when you’re running slower versus faster —suggests Underhill. “Pay attention to your personal nuances and what those feel and sound like,” she says.

3. Tune into your body.
Underhill recommends doing a full body check while you run. This includes your breathing rate, arm swing, stride length and hitting the ground. “Start by listening to the sound of your feet, then your breath and see what these sound and feel like at an easy pace,” she says. “When those change, your pace has changed.”

Keep in mind, this means you need to leave the headphones at home since jamming to your favorite tunes makes it difficult to pay attention to your breath and body. Plus, most people naturally speed up or slow down during the course of a song, Underhill explains.

50 Running Resources for Speed, Strength and Nutrition

4. Don’t be afraid to run-walk.
Instead of focusing on building overall running mileage, Masland says, “Think in terms of increasing your total training time.” That may mean you start with a run-walk method so you can spend more time on your feet. “The reason for that is so you make sure your running stays in the aerobic intensity range. That will build your capacity to run longer in the future.”

Masland suggest walking for five minutes and running for one minute, repeating that cycle for 30 to 40 minutes, three times a week. The following week, increase the ratio so you’re running two minutes and walking for three minutes. “If you take it nice and easy, your body will start to adapt,” he says.

5. Try a prediction run — and repeat.
This is one trick Underhill likes to offer runners: Guess how long it will take you to run a mile (not your fastest mile!) and then run at that pace. “Tune into all your body’s cues that tell you how hard you’re working and repeat,” she says. “Keep doing this over and over and try to hit the same effort each time,” says Underhill.

6. Let go of expectations.
It’s no secret that we’re a numbers-oriented and data-obsessed society. But instead of chasing your next PR, focus on the quality of your run. After all, how well you run is influenced by what’s going on in your life, from stress to sleep to major life events. “These factors are going to impact how your feel when you run,” she says. If you let go of your expectations, you can better tune into how your body feels and how to pace yourself.

7. Don’t compare yourself.
While running groups are a great way to get into running and motivate you, there’s a danger in sticking with the crowd when you’re learning how to pace yourself. “It’s OK if you need to run less or run slower. Other runners in the group may have been running longer than you,” Masland explains. If you follow the pack, you may end up running too fast or too many miles, which can lead to common running injuries. “At the end of the day, it only matters how you compare to yourself. The only person you’re ultimately trying to do better than is yourself,” he says.

This article originally appeared on DailyBurn.com.

7 Expert Tips for Pacing Yourself on the Run

mardi 13 décembre 2016

Work Out With a Friend Using This Fun Partner Routine

When exercising alone just doesn't seem to cut it, try this partner workout, which includes seven total-body moves. To learn the steps, watch this video and follow along with Health’s associate editor Jacqueline Andriakos and rising fitness star Katie Austin, daughter of fitness legend Denise Austin. Then, grab your workout partner-in-crime to get sweating through three circuits of the moves. Work Out With a Friend Using This Fun Partner Routine

3 Exercises High Heel Lovers Should Do to Avoid Foot Pain

Anyone who’s ever squeezed into a pair of sky-high shoes knows heels can be hell on your feet. But the problems may not stop there. Wearing heels regularly can also affect your leg muscles over time, says podiatrist Bobby Pourziaee, a Los Angeles-based foot and ankle surgeon and the founder of the Spa on Rodeo. When you’re walking on tiptoes, your calf muscles are shortened—“and they can stay that way if heels are the only shoes you wear,” he explains.

But that doesn’t mean you have to toss your peep toes for good. Try to alternate between heels and supportive flats, says Dr. Pourziaee. “When the foot is in a non-heel shoe, it’s allowed to stretch and recover.”

Another simple way to stem the damage: Add these three easy exercises to your regular workout routine. They're designed to target muscles in the calves and feet and around the ankles that can help protect against pain. Your tootsies will thank you.

Seated calf stretch with resistance band

Recovery from a long day or evening in heels starts with calf stretches: “Doing this will decrease the chance of the calf muscles shortening,” says Dr. Pourziaee. Start in a seated position with your legs extended, heels on the floor. Wrap a resistance band around the ball of one foot and pull the band toward you, keeping the leg straight. Hold for 30 seconds; then switch sides. Repeat three times.

Standing calf raises

To avoid a sprain from teetering around in stilettos, building up ankle strength is key, says Dr. Pourziaee. A study published last year in the International Journal of Clinical Practice found that over time, wearing heels regularly actually weakens the muscles around the ankles (and also leads to dramatically worse balance). To project your ankle joints, Dr. Pourziaee recommends doing standing calf raises every day. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart; slowly rise onto the balls of your feet, then lower your heels back to the ground. Do three sets of 20 reps.

Towel scrunches

Heel lovers shouldn't forget about the intrinsic foot muscles, says Dr. Pourziaee. These are the small muscles that start and stop below the ankle. One great way to target them involves a paper towel: Place it on the ground, and using only your toes, grab it and release for about 30 seconds. Then switch feet. Repeat three times. "Stronger toes will help with balance, and also reduce the effects of having them smashed into a narrow [shoe]," Dr. Pourziaee says.

RELATED: Are Your Shoes Killing You?

Treat soreness with TLC

If your feet are in pain, soaking them in a tub with warm water and Epsom salt for 15 minutes may help reduce any inflammation, says Dr. Pourziaee. And if you don't have time for that, a five-minute foot massage with your favorite cream should offer some relief, he adds.

3 Exercises High Heel Lovers Should Do to Avoid Foot Pain

lundi 12 décembre 2016

Here's One Way Women Are Fitter Than Men, According to Science

Ladies, you now have some science-backed bragging rights: Women can exercise for longer than men before getting tired, according to a new scientific review.

It’s not because women are stronger; men are generally more powerful than comparably fit females. But here’s the catch: Women’s muscles tend to be more resistant to fatigue than men’s, which means they can perform at the same relative intensity for a longer duration.

“I may not be able to bench-press the same amount of weight as a big muscle-bound guy, but if you ask us both to perform a contraction at 100% of our maximum strength and sustain it as long as we can, I should be able to outperform him," explains study author Sandra Hunter, PhD, associate professor of exercise science at Marquette University.

The new paper, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, highlights a big problem in the scientific community: Many studies—including many studies on physical activity and performance—are only done on men.

But exercise routines designed for best results in men may not be as well suited for women, suggests the small number of studies that have involved both genders. Hunter reviewed these studies in her paper and encouraged scientists to add to them with their future work.

“The bottom line of training or rehab is that you have to fatigue a muscle in order to increase its strength,” Hunter told Health. “So if men and women fatigue differently, they should be treated differently.” This is especially important during physical therapy after injuries, surgery, or a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, she adds.

Research has shown, for example, that women retain more strength in their legs after running a marathon or cycling for a long period of time. In other tests, women have been able to hold isometric contractions (think making a fist or flexing a bicep) for longer durations than men, when performed at the same percentage of their maximum strength.

These measures aren’t just relevant in lab settings. “We perform these types of subtle, static contractions all day long,” Hunter says. “They’re important for holding us up, for example, while we’re standing or sitting upright. And we know women can essentially do them for longer than men.”

Gender advantages vary by activity, as well. Women burn more fat and fewer carbohydrates then men during sustained exercise, "which sets them up to perform, potentially for longer periods of time, if they’re going at the same intensity as men," Hunter says. But they have smaller hearts, smaller muscles, and more body fat than men, so it can be hard for them to keep up with men in a sport like running.

In an activity like swimming, those differences matter less. “Look at Diana Nyad,” Hunter says. “The first person to swim from Cuba to Florida [without a protective cage] was a woman.”

So does that mean we can declare women the tougher sex? “It’s very tempting to say that, isn’t it?” says Hunter. But toughness can be measured in a lot of different ways, she adds, and ladies certainly don’t come out on top of all of them.

There’s also plenty that science still doesn’t know, which is one of the main points of Hunter’s new research. Existing studies do show that women have the upper hand when it comes to fatigability. But they’ve only looked at very specific tasks or specific limbs, she says, and it’s hard to take those findings and make broader assumptions.

The answer, says Hunter, is that more research is needed. Significant progress has been made in the last 20 years, and women are certainly better represented now than they used to be—both in scientific studies and in real-world athletic arenas.

“To be clear, the best woman probably won’t ever be able to outrun the best man, simply because of physiological differences,” Hunter says. “But for many years those differences have been overestimated because we haven’t had the best genetic pool of women competing against the best genetic pool of men.”

Hunter is confident these performance gaps will continue to narrow as women’s sports programs grow and improve. She also hopes her research encourages a future where each gender’s strengths and weaknesses are taken into account by scientists, coaches, and health professionals. “If we can give women care that’s tailored to them,” she says, “we can really help them reach their full potential.”

Here's One Way Women Are Fitter Than Men, According to Science

vendredi 9 décembre 2016

The Fitness Machine That Shook Up My Pilates Routine for the Better

I’m taking an exercise class at Moving Strength, a boutique Pilates studio in New York City, and, well, I’m struggling. My body feels like it’s buzzing with electricity. My triceps are burning, my quads are shaking, and my heart rate is growing quicker. Don’t get me wrong—this isn’t my first time trying the core-strengthening workout; I’m actually a Pilates devotee. But most of the time, I know what I’m getting when I take a class. I expect the Hundred series and some Reformer-supported leg circles. Now, my go-to routine is suddenly getting shaken up—literally—with the help of the Personal Power Plate.

The Personal Power Plate, which launched this past January, is a smaller, more portable version of the Power Plate. Both machines feature a vibrating platform that’s meant to amplify any type of workout, not just Pilates, by challenging one’s strength, balance, circulation, and flexibility. It’s almost like an electronic version of an old-school step (yes, the kind used for 80s-style dance aerobics).

According to the tool’s makers, research has shown that whole-body vibration exercise offers a wealth of health benefits, from improved body composition and bone metabolism among postmenopausal women to reduced pain and fatigue in female fibromyalgia patients.

Still, I wasn’t totally convinced that my workout would benefit from the addition of an unstable surface. After all, aren’t planks tough enough already? Spoiler alert: The Personal Power Plate made them (and a slew of other classic Pilates exercises) tougher.

My one-on-one session with Moving Strength founder Patricia Ruiz began with a quick stand on the plate to get a feel for the way it vibrated. From there, we graduated to a core series. I sat on the edge of the machine with my feet placed flat on the floor and a squishy ball propped between the plate and my lower back to create a standard Pilates C-curve in my torso.

power-plate

Only it wasn’t so standard once we pressed the start button and the machine started to shake—my abs had to work so much harder than usual to remain stable, especially as we added variations to the mix, like leg lifts and cross-body reaches.

Other seemingly simple exercises were also amped up when we added the Personal Power Plate to them. Side lunges done with one foot resting on the shaky platform challenged my balance. Mountain climbers performed with my hands placed on top of the plate required extra activation in my upper arms.

For me, the 30-minute session was just enough to get my heart rate up and my muscles fatigued, which is precisely Ruiz’s intention for the Power Plate Pilates class.

If you encounter a Power Plate product (either the larger version that comes complete with handlebars, or the scaled-back platform model I tried) at your gym, don’t be intimidated. While elite athletes and fit celebs are fans of the machine (Serena Williams and Sting included), you don’t need to be cut to cop their benefits. Even just resting your calves on top of the platform while it vibrates is a great way to massage muscles and speed recovery, said Ruiz.

While I may not integrate the Personal Power Plate into every one of my Pilates workouts moving forward, there’s no question that the tool put a spin on my sweat session. For fitness buffs looking to shake up their routine, I think you’ll get good vibrations from the gadget.

The Fitness Machine That Shook Up My Pilates Routine for the Better

This Barry’s Bootcamp Workout Will Strengthen Your Core In 20 Minutes Flat

Pressed for time? This 20-minute workout from Barry’s Bootcamp will maximize your limited schedule and leave your abs on fire. To perform the exercises demonstrated in this video by Rebecca Kennedy, all you need is a mat, a little space, and some motivation (you can even do it in your own home!). Watch the video to get a walk-through of each move and its benefits. This Barry’s Bootcamp Workout Will Strengthen Your Core In 20 Minutes Flat

5 Yoga-Inspired Shoulder Openers

Feel like you’re forever tightly wound? We feel you. You have a good reason to crave that deep-tissue massage after a stressful day at work. Research shows that we carry certain emotions, like anger and anxiety, in our head, neck and shoulders. Over time, that chronic stress leads to tense knots in our upper body.

That’s why we designed this shoulder-opening yoga sequence to help you relieve stress and set the tone for your day. Amanda Valdes-Mosier, a head yoga instructor at Laughing Lotus in New York City, breaks down five different tension-taming asanas (poses) so you can have a soothing reset to your day.

5 Yoga-Inspired Shoulder Stretches

Photo: Tiffany Ayuda / Life by Daily Burn

1. Cat and Cow

This restorative asana is a great dynamic stretch for opening your chest and shoulders. Valdes-Mosier recommends the pose for warming up the body for future yoga exercises and for creating mobility in the traps, deltoids and biceps. Here, Valdes-Mosier turns one of her wrists out; this can help relieve tension after sitting at your desk and typing for hours. “In addition to opening your shoulders, this pose also strengthens your sides and mid-back. Stacking your shoulders provides stability,” Valdes-Mosier says.

How to: Get into a tabletop position with your hands and knees flat on the floor. Keep your neck in a neutral position with your eyes looking at the floor. One of your wrists can be facing out toward the wall in front of you (a). Take a deep inhale. As you exhale, round your spine and scoop your abs upward. Keep your shoulders and knees in the same position. Release your head toward the floor (b). As you take another deep inhale, reverse the curve in your spine by lifting your sitting bones and chest toward the ceiling. Your tummy should sink toward the floor (c). Exhale and return to the neutral tabletop position. Repeat for 10-20 breaths (d).

Photo: Tiffany Ayuda / Life by Daily Burn

2. Gomukhasana

Also known as the cat face pose, Gomukhasana stretches your shoulders, triceps, hips, thighs and ankles. While this yoga pose is a bit advanced, you can modify it by using a strap (see below).

How to: Sit on a yoga mat with your knees bent and both feet on the floor. (If you have trouble sitting with your knees stacked, you can sit on a folded blanket or block for support.) Slide your right foot under your left knee, so your left leg is crossed over the right and your knees are stacked (a). As you inhale, sweep your right arm behind you, rotating your arm inward so your fingers point toward the floor, and your right hand is between your shoulder blades (b). Next, stretch your left arm forward. Then, turn your left palm up and bend your left elbow behind you with your left hand reaching for your right (c). If you can, hook your right and left fingers together, or hold onto a strap on both ends. Hold this pose for about a minute or 10 to 20 breaths (d).

If you need the assistance of a strap: “Begin the pose with a strap draped over the shoulder of the bottom arm. As you swing the bottom arm behind your back, slide the forearm on the back torso as high as possible. Remember to keep the elbow close to your side to grab the bottom end of the strap,” Valdes-Mosier explains.

Photo: Tiffany Ayuda / Life by Daily Burn

3. Devotional Warrior

You can clasp your fingers together behind your back and lean forward or extend your arms straight behind you. “Bringing your hands together helps you engage the shoulder blades and open the pectoral and deltoid muscles,” Valdes-Mosier says.

How to: Stand hip-distance apart on a yoga mat, then step your left foot back with your toes flat and slightly turned out. Your right heel should line up with your left arch (a). Lower your chest toward the floor with your right shoulder resting on the inside of your right knee. At the same time, extend your arms behind you with your palms facing the floor (b). Open your chest and shoulders as much as you can and hold this pose for 10-20 breaths (c). Lift your chest, and as you exhale, release your hands and return to the starting position (d).

Photo: Tiffany Ayuda / Life by Daily Burn

4. Scorpion Stretch

As much as this pose is a stretch for your shoulders, it’s also good for releasing tension in the lumbar and thoracic spine, Valdes-Mosier says. “This pose directly rings out tension in fascia (connective tissue fibers under our skin) around the shoulder.” If you don’t feel comfortable with your knees bent in front of you, Valdes-Mosier says you can stack them to one side, like a supine twist.

How to: On a yoga mat, lie on your back with your knees bent in front of you and your hands at your sides (a). Twist the right side of your body, and sweep your right arm across the left side of your body. Bring your gaze to the left side of your body with your right hand flat on the floor to deepen the stretch. Your left shoulder should rest on the floor (b). Your lower body should remain squared and rooted on the floor (c). Hold this pose for 10-20 breaths (d).

Photo: Tiffany Ayuda / Life by Daily Burn

5. Dolphin

Unlike a high-plank or downward dog, the dolphin pose can help take pressure off of your wrists, which sometimes transfers up to your arms, Valdes-Mosier says. “This pose is a great way to stretch the outer bicep, deltoids and triceps. It creates openness in the heart space and shoulder blades,” Valdes-Mosier says. “This pose also creates stability in the shoulder girdle.”

How to: From the downward dog position, kneel and bring your elbows down to the floor with your hands flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart (a). Keeping your arms parallel, curl your toes under to lift your legs off of the floor (b). Bring your shoulders over your elbows and press down on your forearms to lift your shoulders away from the elbows. Your shoulders should stack above your elbows, not behind them (c). Press down on your heels to engage your thighs and stretch the hamstrings. Hold for 10-20 breaths (d).

This article originally appeared on DailyBurn.com.

5 Yoga-Inspired Shoulder Openers

jeudi 8 décembre 2016

The Olympics Have Finally Recognized Cheerleading as a Sport

How Exercise Makes Your Job Less Stressful

Stress can be detrimental to your health, contributing to everything from higher blood pressure to nausea. Now, a new study zeroes in one of the the biggest sources of stress—our jobs—and suggests that exercise may be an effective way to ease the health problems sometimes caused by work stress.

In a new report published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers looked at 200 Swedish workers and assessed their stress levels using the Nordic Questionnaire for Psychological and Social Factors at Work. The people were also evaluated for heart health by blood pressure, weight and cholesterol, and they also had their fitness levels assessed.

Researchers found that the people who were more stressed had higher levels of risk factors for heart disease. But the people who were more fit were less likely to have these risk factors. That mean people with high stress levels had higher levels of unhealthy cholesterol compared to stressed people who were more fit. Exercise may act as a buffer against some of the health risk factors that are known to be caused by too much stress, the authors argue. Since the people in the study were asked about their stress levels in general, and not work stress alone, the study also speaks to exercise’s ability to combat the overall effects of stress.

The researchers didn’t ask the people in the study whether exercise relieved their stress, but other studies suggest it does. “However, the paradox is that after a stressful day, people are more prone to engage in sedentary activities—most likely because these activities need less self-regulatory resources than exercise,” says study author Markus Gerber of University of Basel in Switzerland. “Thus, although exercise might be a good medicine against stress, it will only have an impact if ‘the pill’ is taken.”

More research is needed to determine whether there’s an ideal time to exercise for stress relief, but Gerber says some evidence suggests that the four-hour window after exercise is when fitness provides the most protection against stress.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

How Exercise Makes Your Job Less Stressful

mardi 6 décembre 2016

The Best Quick Workouts You Can Do in Just 60 Seconds

We get it: Sometimes you just don't have enough time in the day for a 60-minute spin class or lengthy session at the gym. The good news, though, is that you can still work up a sweat even if you're traveling or having a crazed week at work. These super-quick moves from Alonzo Wilson, founder and director of training at Tone House in New York City, are designed to deliver maximum calorie burn in a short amount of time (think: less than a minute) so you can fit in a workout even on your busiest days. And as an added bonus, each of these challenging HIIT-inspired exercises can be done right in your living room and don't require any gear. Do just one or complete them in a sequence.

High Knees

For this move, simply run in place quickly, bringing right knee toward chest (A), then left knee (B). Continue for 60 seconds.

Butt Kicks

Run in place, kicking right heel up toward butt (A), followed by left heel (B). Continue for 60 seconds.

Hand-Release Push-Ups

Lie facedown; extend arms out (A). Pull hands in toward armpits (B), then place on floor near chest. Press up into a push-up (C). Lower back to "A" and repeat for 60 seconds.

Plank to Tuck Jump

From plank (A), bring left knee toward chest (B); return to plank. Jump legs forward into a squat (C). Jump up, bringing knees toward chest (D). Land in squat, then jump out to plank. Repeat move with right leg and continue for 60 seconds.

Pin all of these workouts for later:

one-minute-workouts

Illustrations by Jess Levinson

The Best Quick Workouts You Can Do in Just 60 Seconds

lundi 5 décembre 2016

Try David Kirsch's 10-Minute Butt Blasting Workout

Who doesn’t want to build a more toned, sculpted, and perky backside? Luckily, we’ve got the butt workout you need. David Kirsch, celebrity trainer and author of Ultimate Family Wellness has trained countless stars over the years, from Kate Upton to Jennifer Lopez, so he knows the best booty-boosting exercises. However, he points out that rather than strive for a body like your fave celeb, focus on becoming your best self instead. Try David Kirsch's 10-Minute Butt Blasting Workout

vendredi 2 décembre 2016

5 Streaming Workout Programs You Can Add to Your Amazon Prime Membership

Getting in shape from home is easier than ever with subscription services that let you stream workouts from your TV, smartphone, or tablet—and five of these services are available as affordable add-ons to an Amazon Prime membership. (And you thought free two-day shipping and Transparent were the only reasons to subscribe to Prime!)

Each of the five channels has a unique mission, and targets different types of exercisers. You can try before you buy with a seven-day free trial—or you can read about my experience testing out one class from each channel.

Acacia TV

The first add-on subscription I tried was AcaciaTV ($6.99 per month), which offers a massive number of videos broken down into a diverse set of categories: Interval Training, Pilates, Cardio, Core, and Dance, to name a few. The videos can also be broken down by ability level. Within each category there are a number of different classes that vary by instructor and type.

For my first class, I chose Body Weight Strength Training for Beginners. The class wasn’t nearly as easy as the "beginner" rating would lead you to believe— I was sweating in the first five minutes. But the trainer was precise, clear, and encouraging, making the experience feel as engaging as a fitness class you'd take in person at a studio or gym. But unlike a typical class, we didn’t use any weights or gym equipment. Instead, the instructor took advantage of things everyone has at home, like a chair, to assist with exercises. By the end of the half-hour session, I felt the burn in every part of my body, and realized it's definitely possible to get an equally tough workout from a video as an in-person group class.

BeFit TV

After a great experience with my first video workout class, I was pumped to try the next subscription option: BeFit TV, which costs $6.99 per month. I'll be honest, though—I wasn’t so crazy about the one class I tried: Brazilian Booty Burn. It had a Zumba feel to it, with an extremely energetic instructor. The class got my blood flowing, sure, but when I take a dance cardio class, I want to feel like I'm getting a challenging cardio workout. This class mostly consisted of hip and butt movement (and, to be honest, I was nervous my roommate would walk in and wonder why I was swinging my hips around in front of the TV), and it never really got my heart pumping fast.

All that said, there are plenty of other exercise categories available on BeFit TV. In fact, it has a much more robust selection of categories than Acacia TV, including Cardio, Abs & Core, Dance Fitness, Body Sculpting & Strength, HIIT, Pilates & Barre, 10 Minutes or Less, and Beginner Workouts. Basically, there’s something for everyone—and there's a good chance that I just hit a stroke of bad luck with the one class I tested.

Gaia

The next subscription I downloaded, Gaia ($9.95 per month), was very different from the first two I tried. The only exercise videos offered are yoga and Pilates, but it also has guided meditations and documentaries. Categories include Inspirational Movies, Health & Longevity, seeking truth, 5-20 Minute Workouts, and 30-60 Minute Workouts.

I tried Gaia's Yoga Everyday class, which placed more emphasis on spirituality than fitness. I finished my class feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

iIf you're looking for a variety of fitness content and at-home workouts, I’d definitely skip Gaia. But if you want to participate in meditative practices and learn more about health and wellness, it’s the perfect program.

Grokker Yoga + Fitness

The following week I downloaded Grokker Yoga + Fitness ($6.99 per month), which focuses on both fitness and nutrition, with simple categories like Yoga, HIIT, and Healthy Eating. I loved that unlike the other subscriptions, Grokker offers more than just workouts—it also has healthy food and cooking videos.

I was immediately drawn to the food videos because of the many interesting recipes they featured, such as almond acai balls, Korean soft tacos, quinoa muffins, and gluten-free crepes. I decided to try out a recipe for zucchini pasta with basil sauce. After gathering all the ingredients, I flew through the video with ease, since the instructor was so clear with directions. I actually enjoyed the cooking process and the zoodles turned out delicious!

As a twenty-something trying to learn how to cook more nutritious and fun dinners, I was a big fan of this subscription. That said, I think Grokker is also a great option for people of any age looking to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle. It’s not a personalized plan by any means, but the combo of healthy eats and consistent workouts is a recipe for success.

FitFusion TV

The last add-on subscription I tried was FitFusion TV ($4.99 per month), which offers hundreds of exercise videos from fitness superstars like Jillian Michaels. The videos are grouped by the celeb instructors, as well as categories like 10 Minutes or Less, 15-30 Minute Workouts, and 30-60 Minute Workouts.

Although this subscription doesn't offer as much video variety as BeFit, Acacia TV, and Grokker, the fact that Michaels is featured makes up for it, in my opinion. I tried her “One Week Shred” class, which proved to be the classic high-intensity Michaels workout I was craving. It was only 20 minutes long, but the heart-pumping cardio and Michaels’ patented tough-but-encouraging demeanor left me sweating through my shirt and feeling the burn in all of my leg muscles (even ones I didn’t realize I had!).

The subscription also features a section of Tae Bo workouts—a unique combination of boxing and tae kwon do, created and taught by fitness guru Billy Blanks. Tae Bo was a huge fitness fad in the '90s, but these workouts really do work up a sweat. So if you want to try a throwback workout, there are plenty of classes available, taught by Blanks himself.

5 Streaming Workout Programs You Can Add to Your Amazon Prime Membership

Why Crawling Is the Ultimate Total-Body Exercise

When you think of crawling, you probably think of adorable little rugrats. But according to Mayo Clinic physical therapist Danielle Johnson, crawling is an essential move for grown-ups too.

She actually does it every day—and she’s not alone. Health and fitness experts are raving about the benefits of crawling, and other so-called fundamental movements.

Squatting, jumping, running, hanging, balancing—they all fall into the same category. Essentially, fundamental movements are things we master as kids, but stop doing as we age. And that’s a shame because these activities engage our muscles in perfectly natural ways.

Despite the recent buzz, crawling and other “natural” exercises shouldn’t be considered a fad or the latest craze, says Johnson. “Instead, they’re a return to some of the most fundamental fitness patterns.” Below, she gives three more reasons to join the rugrats.

Crawling tones all over

It engages your calves, quads, glutes, shoulder girdle, deep abdominal muscles, and muscles in your hips and feet. There are multiple variations on the basic form, too, says Johnson. Aside from crawling on your hands and knees, you can crawl on your hands and toes, or even facing up, in a crab crawl. No matter which type you choose, you'll be working your whole body.

Crawling builds strength for real life

Unlike many traditional fitness moves, crawling actually involves moving—and that’s important. Compare it to the classic plank, for example. Plank is a great way to engage your core, but it’s not something you ever do in the course of an average day. “It’s not as applicable to real life,” says Johnson. “In real life, we move.”

That’s one reason she's been using crawling and other fundamental movements with her PT clients for years: “Getting our bodies to move through full ranges of motion, and getting them to stabilize and hold a movement, is protective against back and shoulder pain.”

What’s more, crawling and other fundamental movements “can help us feel well and whole,” she says. While running on a treadmill is great cardio, being able to support your weight is just as important. “If you can run a six-minute mile, but you can’t play around with your kids because you’re unable to squat down or climb with them, is your fitness regime [helping you] do the things you ultimately want to do?” says Johnson.

“I do [fundamental movements] every single day because I really believe [they] will protect my body as I get older, and let me continue to do the things I love doing,” she says.

You don't need a gym to crawl

Johnson doesn't like to label crawling a "workout"—because it's not something that has to be done at the gym, or during a scheduled block of time. You can crawl around any time (say, when you're playing with your dog or cat on the floor).

This goes for other fundamental movements too: “I always tell people that they can integrate jumping, running, hanging, climbing, or crawling into a very effective workout, but they can also just be done at home," says Johnson. “If you have 10 minutes in your day to get on the floor and crawl, or work on your mobility—even just by jumping up your stairs—it can have tremendous protective value on your body."

Of course, not every activity is for everybody. Modifications can be made to most fundamental movements, but it’s best to skip anything that causes pain. “Listen to your body and make sure that it feels good to you," says Johnson. And if your doctor has advised you to avoid certain types of exercise, check with her before you try a new activity, she adds.

To learn more about fundamental movements, check out this video from the Mayo Clinic's Healthy Living Program.

Why Crawling Is the Ultimate Total-Body Exercise

7 Functional Movement Patterns Trainers Want You to Master

Squat, lunge, push, pull, hinge, twist, and walk: These make up the seven movement patterns that your body relies on to get ish done every day. And not just during a workout. Think about how you pull a box off a shelf, squat down to pick something up, or walk around all day.

But these movements have deeper roots in our wellbeing, says holistic coach and certified strength and conditioning specialist Jator Pierre, CSCS. To get the full picture, you’ve got to go back—way back. “If you look at it from an evolutionary perspective, we’d have to use all of these movement patterns to survive,” he says. Lunging to hunt, squatting to make a fire, or pushing to throw a spear. Today, life looks, well, very different. You probably spend much of your day hunched over at your desk, which compromises your ability to perform these very movement patterns.

“If you can’t perform these movements correctly, your body thinks you have a lower ability to survive,” explains Pierre. Obviously, that’s not the case any longer. No one is asking you to spear your dinner when you could just get Whole Foods hot bar tonight. Still, because your body hasn’t yet caught up to modern day times, the inability to correctly move boosts stress—and thus inflammation. So, yeah, it’s a big deal.

There’s no time like the present to get these movement patterns on point. How do you fare? Try the seven self-assessment tests below, plus get tips to help you step your game up.

7 Functional Movement Patterns to Master STAT

1. Squat

Test Yourself: Lower into a squat, hips back, knees tracking over ankles and heels planted on the ground. Ideally, you would be able to lower into a full squat with your hips almost touching your heels. If you feel joint restriction as you go down, you may have a musculoskeletal imbalance, like tight calves.
Make It Better: Put a stability ball behind your back against a wall for support and lower down (it should feel pain-free). Also, tell yourself to “sit” instead of “squat,” which can help you maintain the right position throughout the move. (Also check out these seven tips to improve strength, depth and mobility in your squat.)

2. Lunge

Test Yourself: For the forward lunge, step forward with one foot and bend your back knee until it’s almost touching the ground. Are your knees and ankles stable—or are they shaking around? Does your knee drop in or out away from your body? Are you hunched over and unable to hold your chest or head up? Those are all indications that something is wrong with your lunge.
Make It Better: Watch yourself in a mirror to look for the deficiencies above, and practice lowering only half way down. Once you’ve mastered that, you can practice the bottom half of the movement—then put it all together. Also, be sure to stretch tight hamstrings, glutes and calves on the regular. (For starters, here are 15 stretches you should do every day.)

3. Push

Test Yourself: Get into a push-up position, lower your body to the ground and push back up. If you crunch over (head jutting out and shoulders rounding over) or your lower back sags, that’s a sign of lack of stability in your core and weakness in the stabilizing muscles of your back and pelvis.
Make It Better: First, work on holding high plank position (the top of your push-up) to build strength and stability. (When in doubt, check out these form tips.) From there, you can progress to a variety of push-up modifications—from wall push-ups to knee push-ups—before moving on to your toes.

Photo: Twenty20

4. Pull

Test Yourself: Now, for the ultimate bodyweight challenge: the pull-up. Find a bar at the gym and try a pull-up (palms facing out) or chin-up (palms facing in). Chances are, if strength isn’t an issue, this movement will reveal some postural issues, too. “People tend to go into a dysfunctional posture,” says Pierre. That means at the top of the movement, shoulders are forward, spine is rounded, head is tucked in. (Not too different than what poor posture looks like seated at your desk.) This, to say the least, is the wrong mechanics, and it can reinforce this “hunching” position in your everyday life. Not only can that contribute to back pain, it can also inhibit breathing.
Make It Better: Start with other pulling exercises to build strength. For example, do horizontal bar reverse pulls (also called an inverted row). Using a bar that’s close to the ground, lie under the bar with feet straight out in front of you. Grab the bar and pull your chest up to the bar.

5. Hinge

Test Yourself: It’s one of the toughest movements to master, but for that reason it can be the most rewarding. Grab a weighted bar or a dumbbell in each hand and attempt a deadlift (here’s how). Your feet should be wider than shoulder-distance apart as you hinge forward from your hips with a straight back to pull the weight up from the floor. Many people perform this with straight legs, but your knees should be bent 15 to 20 degrees in order for glutes to turn on and support your pelvis and spine, says Pierre. If you don’t feel this move fire up your glutes, your knees aren’t bent enough. It can also reveal a muscle imbalance, most commonly too-strong quads and weak glutes.
Make It Better: Start by practicing hip extensions on the floor (get on your hands and knees and raise one leg up behind you) to build up glute strength. These five glute bridge variations are also worth working into your routine.

6. Twist

Test Yourself: To assess your trunk rotation, start with a bodyweight wood chop. Stand with feet a bit further than shoulder width apart, bending knees slightly and keeping your chest up. Lift arms diagonally across your body toward the ceiling and bring them down to the opposite side of the body. Look at your ankles: Are they stable with feet flat on the floor or does the ball of your foot roll up? Can you maintain proper posture (chest up, spine straight) throughout the move? Do you feel any pain? (You shouldn’t.) If any of these issues rear their ugly heads, a rotational deficiency is likely to blame.
Make It Better: First, go for a lateral ball roll. Lay with your back on a stability ball with feet wide on the ground, holding a very lightweight bar across your chest. Take one step to the right with your right leg and step in with your left (you should roll slightly to your right). Repeat on the left side. If you feel the stabilizer muscles in your core light up, you’re doing it right.

7. Gait

Test Yourself: Sure, you walk every day—but how’s your posture while you do it? Is your head pushing forward from your collarbones? Are your shoulders rounded forward? Walk forward in front of a mirror. Does one foot flare out to the side just a bit? Or do your hips shake from side-to-side (particularly when you run)? That can signal an imbalance, a problem with hip mobility or a dysfunction in your core.
Make It Better: Awareness is half the battle with this one. As you move through space, draw your attention to bringing your shoulders back, chest up and feet pointed forward with each step.

Making Every Movement Count

Since these essential movement patterns have such deep roots in your health and how you feel every day, Pierre suggests going back to the basics. He recommends Paul Chek’s book, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! because it provides additional tests you can take, such as a stretching and core test. By relearning how to move properly, not only will you help protect your body from injury, you’ll take strides toward reducing undue stress and inflammation. We’ve only got one body—so why not make moves to treat it right?

This article originally appeared on DailyBurn.com.

7 Functional Movement Patterns Trainers Want You to Master