Self Care

понедельник, 8 августа 2011 г.

Christine Bullock’s guide to getting the best workout (and it might surprise you)

When Christine Bullock, our resident Fitness Guru, shared her favorite daily yoga flow sequence this month, we have to admit we were a little surprised. “But you’re invincible!” we said, wondering about tips for our tummies, butts and thighs. Turns out Christine’s approach is not only about cultivating a killer body, but a beautiful heart that radiates warmth and vitality throughout the day.

The once professional ballet dancer explained:

“My daily yoga practice helps me to cultivate an attitude of renewal and center myself for the day. A tired, stiff body cannot grow and adapt to your workouts, so it’s important to spend time daily on nurturing your body and preparing yourself for the day.”

So here you have it, folks. Enter Christine with her daily, pre-workout routine to get you reenergized and ready for more.

Did you know that women hold many of their emotions in their hips? Use these first three hip opening poses to clear out the stale emotions that you may be unknowingly holding onto as tension in this area. Resist the urge to force yourself into the poses, instead deepen slowly with your breath.

Pigeon

Begin in a seated position with your hands planted shoulder width apart on the mat in front of you. Extend your left leg straight behind you, while using your hands to support your torso as you keep your right shin on the mat in front of you. Encourage your shin to lie parallel to the front of your mat. Square your hips to the front and balance your weight in the center of your body. Sink deeper into the pose for three breathes. Switch sides.

Begin in a lunge with your right leg forward and left leg back. Using your hands for support, glide your left leg back to deepen the lunge so that you can place your forearms on the floor inside of your right ankle. Keep your right knee directly over your right ankle and continue to push out of your left heel to straighten your left leg. Relax and release through your right hip for three breathes. Switch sides.

Modification: If balancing is difficult, lower your left knee to the mat to keep the focus on the stretch in your hips.

Stand with your feet as wide as the mat. Lower into a deep squat. (Keep your heels on the floor if you can; otherwise, support them on a folded mat.) Press the palms together into prayer and open elbows wide, pressing them into your thighs to assist in hip opening. Lengthen your torso and sit up tall. Hold the position for three breathes, then come to standing.

Modification: If squatting is difficult, sit on the front edge of a chair seat, thighs forming a right angle to your torso, heels on the floor slightly ahead of your knees. Lean your torso forward between the thighs.

I use these twisting poses daily to wring out stagnant emotions and negativity. Be sure to lengthen your torso as you twist to create new space for growth.

Twisted Wide Leg Forward Fold

Begin standing with feet wider than hip distance apart. Fold forward at the waist and reach your left hand to the outside of your right ankle. Rest your right arm gently across your lower back. Use your left arm to encourage your left shoulder towards your right side and open your chest to the right. Hold the pose for three breathes. Switch sides.

Begin lying on your back with your arms by your side and your legs zipped together. Use your core to draw your legs up overhead while you shift your weight to your shoulders. Hinging at your waist and keeping your knees straight, bring your toes to touch the ground above your right shoulder. Push through your heels to intensify the stretch. Keep your chin down and gaze forward to protect your neck. Breathe into the stretch for three breathes. Switch sides.

Embrace the vulnerability of these heart opening poses. Focus on opening your chest and heart to graciously receive whatever opportunities and challenges are coming your way.

Bow

Begin face down on the floor with arms extended to a T, legs hip distance apart and tops of feet resting on the ground. On an inhalation, use your back muscles to lift your chest and arms off of the floor keeping the neck relaxed and drawing shoulder blades and elbows back; engage your glutes and thighs to hover your legs off of the floor. Then bend your knees and draw your arms back to capture your feet in your hands. Roll to the soft part of your belly. Breathe into the pose and lift up high through your hands and feet.

Flip Dog

Begin in Downward facing dog with your body in a pike position, hands shoulder distance apart, feet hip distance apart, hips lifted high. Bring your weight into your right hand and shift onto the outer edge of your right foot. Lift your left leg high and begin to rotate your left hip open towards the sky. Bend your left knee and allow your left foot to find the ground. Open your chest to the sky and extend your left arm overhead. Hold the pose for three breathes.

Begin by kneeling upright with your knees hip width apart. Rotate your thighs inward and press your shins and the tops of your feet into the floor. Rest your hands on the back of your pelvis, with your fingers pointing to the floor. Lean back, with your chin slightly tucked toward your chest. Beginners can stay here, but if you would like to take the pose deeper reach back and hold onto your heels. Hold the pose for three breathes.

Daily renewal is all about clearing out the old and starting fresh — new opportunities, new adventures, new habits. Habitually performing a morning yoga sequence can have an awesome impact on your attitude and mentality for your day and your life.

Join The Flexible Chef Tribe to get flexible workout routines and fitness motivation sent straight to your inbox!

Original article and pictures take theflexiblechef.com site

понедельник, 1 августа 2011 г.

Cat Stretch

Come to hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart, knees hip-width apart, abs engaged, and back flat (spine neutral).

Engage your abdominals as if pulling your navel towards your spine and round your back towards the ceiling. Allow the head and neck to fall naturally between the arms.

Breathe deeply and hold for 10-30 seconds.

Stretch to the point of "mild discomfort," not to the point of pain. Never bounce. Keep the abdominals pulled in tightly and your pelvic bone slightly tucked under. Pull your shoulders away from your ears. This is a good compliment to the "Camel Stretch."

Muscles Stretched: Back

Original article and pictures take www.sparkpeople.com site

четверг, 21 июля 2011 г.

Calves

Original article and pictures take www.womenshealthmag.com site

четверг, 7 июля 2011 г.

Burn Fat With Ballet

Join the barre hop

Everywhere you look, folks are bellying up to the barre. And no wonder: Ballet-inspired workouts blast fat, focusing on lower-half results such as ab-, bum-, and leg-shaping. Get slim and trim with this 30-minute routine.

Here's the secret: Most exercises involve "micro-movements," in which you move just an inch or two. "They take out the momentum, forcing you to stay in the contraction, which tires muscles faster, giving you faster results," says former dancer Carrie Rezabek Dorr, the woman behind the superhot Pure Barre class and this 30 minute workout.

Hundreds

Warm up first with 2 minutes of standing knee lifts. Next, lie on your back, draw knees up, lift head and shoulders, and bring chin to chest, coming into a tight ball.

Keeping your upper body lifted, extend legs toward ceiling, or, for more of a challenge, at a diagonal; extend arms (as shown). Pump arms up and down 4 times, then hold arms still and curl torso a tiny bit up and down twice. Repeat series 10 times.

Push ups

Get on hands and knees, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Bring feet toward your seat and tuck tailbone under. Bend elbows out to sides, lowering chest toward floor, then push back up; repeat 15 times.

Next, lower halfway down and hold; do 15 little pulses (pushing up and lowering down an inch) before coming all the way back up.

Extension parallel

Stand with back at fist's distance away from barre, feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent; reach back with wide arms and grab barre. Extend left leg (knee toward ceiling) and flex foot (as shown). Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Lift and lower leg a couple of inches; make small circles as if tracing a dime in the air with heel.

Repeat circles in other direction, and point toes and do small leg lifts. Repeat series on opposite side.

Plie & releve

Stand with one hand on barre, the other on hip. Bring feet wider than hip-distance; turn toes out slightly and bend knees (keep knees behind toes), pushing hips back to sink seat to knee level.

Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Bend knees a bit more, lowering then raising an inch; lower again and hold, slightly pressing knees back then releasing (as if pulsing).

Rise on toes, then lower and raise an inch; lower an inch and hold, pressing knees back, then releasing them.

Standing straight leg

Stand with right hand forward on barre, knees slightly bent, heels together, toes apart. Wrap left arm around waist and grab barre. Extend left leg diagonally back with toes pointed; tuck tailbone. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Lift and lower left leg a couple inches; hold left foot a few inches off floor and make dime-size circles with leg.

Circle leg in opposite direction; flex foot, then lift and lower a couple inches. Make dime-size circles; reverse direction.

Repeat series on opposite side.

Semi-fold over

Face barre, feet hip-width, knees slightly bent; stack bent forearms on barre. Walk feet back until body is folded 90 degrees at waist; rest head on arms. Keeping hips level, extend right leg straight back with foot flexed (as shown).

Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Raise and lower leg a couple inches; make dime-size circles with leg. Reverse circle direction; point toes, then lift and lower a couple of inches. Make tiny circles with leg; reverse circle direction.

Repeat series on opposite side.

Tap & curl

Sit with knees bent, feet hip-width on the floor. Grab beneath thighs with elbows wide, then round back, bringing lower back toward mat; tuck tailbone. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Extend arms straight by hips, tap fists twice against mat, then lift fists.

With arms still, lower and raise upper body an inch; with upper body still, tap fists twice against thighs, then open arms out. Lower and raise upper body an inch; extend arms up and tap fists toward each other twice, then open. Hold arms still and lower and lift body an inch.

вторник, 28 июня 2011 г.

Branch Out With These Tree Stretches

← Use Arrows Keys →

Backbends aren't just for yoga class. This gentle move will stretch through your abs and chest as well as increase flexibility in your spine and shoulders.

Stand with your back about three feet away from the tree. Lift your arms above your head, gently look behind you, and reach for the trunk. You might need to step closer to the tree if you're having a hard time making contact with the tree. Walk your hands as far down as you want, pressing into the bark to help your hips and ribs move forward, stacking them over your feet. Stay here for 30 seconds, and then slowly stand up.

Original article and pictures take media1.popsugar-assets.com site

четверг, 23 июня 2011 г.

Boost your strength with stretching

It’s a common misconception that stretching after a workout alleviates muscle soreness. It doesn’t. But what it actually does, according to a recent study in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, is make you stronger. An increased range of motion – best achieved through effective stretching – allows your muscles to lengthen, catalysing faster growth.

Do this 10-minute stretching routine, designed by celebrity PT Ramona Braganza, after every workout to speed up your strength gains, increase your agility and injury-proof your body.

Reps 2

Hold the pose for 10 breaths – or around one minute.

How to do it Begin on your hands and knees with your fingers spread wide and toes curled. Exhale as you lift your pelvis up and backwards, straightening your arms and legs to form a wide inverted ‘V’ position. Keep pressing into the ground with your hands while simultaneously reaching your pelvis up as far as you can. Feel the stretch in your calf muscles, hamstrings and your back as you take long slow breaths while raising and lowering your heels to the ground.

Why “This increases flexibility and range of motion in your hamstrings and hips, and relieves muscle tension in your lower back,” says Braganza.

2. Lunge

Reps 2 each leg

Hold the pose for 10 breaths – or around one minute. Repeat with both legs

How to do it From a standing position, step backwards with your right foot as far as feels comfortable, landing with your back leg straight, your weight on the ball of your foot, and your front knee slightly bent. Keep your hips forward as you press your heel back towards the ground while lifting your pubic bone. Feel the stretch in your quads and hip flexors. Repeat with the other leg.

(Watch: Ape to gorilla mobility matrix)

Why This improves your balance – often overlooked in a workout program. Also, holding in the pose will help strengthen and correct any muscle imbalances, says Braganza.

3. Triangle

Reps 2

Hold the pose for 10 breaths – or around one minute. Repeat with both sides

How to do it Begin standing with your legs around 3-4 feet apart, body facing forward, and arms stretched to make a capital ‘T’ at shoulder level. Turn your right foot out while keeping your hips facing forward and turn your left foot in from 90 degrees to 70 degrees. Make sure your base is strong by lining up your right heel with the instep of your left foot.

As you exhale, reach your right arm past your right toes, then slowly begin to bend to your right, pushing out from the hips and taking your right arm to a comfortable position on your leg, with your left arm continuing to reach up towards the ceiling. Do not roll your hips or torso forward. As you hold the pose, slowly allow your supporting hand to move further down your leg. Keep your head facing forward – or to make it more challenging look up at your left arm. Repeat on the other side.

Why This move is tough. It will increase tax your core, as well as improve your flexibility and balance. “The isometric contractions that this pose forces are a nice change-up from machine-based resistance workouts,” says Braganza.

Original article and pictures take www.menshealth.co.uk site

пятница, 10 июня 2011 г.

Best Pre- and Post-Workout Snacks for Any Type of Exercise

It's important to nourish your body when you ask a lot of it. Prepare for your next workout by eating a great pre-workout snack and then reward it for its hard work afterwards. We've found the best foods to eat before and after your favorite workouts to help you get the most them.

1. YOGA

Before: Yoga instructors recommend avoiding eating a large meal before yoga class. Trying to flow through poses is harder on a full stomach. Try eating a banana, apple or a small handful of nuts an hour before your yoga practice to give you energy and hold you over until you've finished.

After: Once you've finished yoga, treat your muscles with some protein. If it's a morning yoga class, an omelet with spinach is a great meal. For an evening class, prepare some salmon with a side of veggies.

2. RUNNING

Before: Before hitting the pavement (or treadmill) you'll want to fuel up! Runner's World suggests a snack that is higher in carbs but low in fiber and fat. Try some graham crackers with honey, a peanut butter and banana sandwich or some low-fat yogurt with fruit!

After: After running, make sure you get some water and electrolytes. After you've cooled down, giving your body some carbs and protein is a great idea. Try a tasty quinoa salad, chicken breast or a turkey sandwich!

3. LIFTING

Before: Going to a workout hungry means your muscles have nothing to build on. Before lifting weights, try to consume a snack with protein and carbs to give your body the fuel it needs. A salad is a great low-cal meal, but won't help you when you lifting!

After: Post-lifting, the obvious answer is to eat protein so you can sustain the muscle you're building. However, before you blend together a delicious Brownie Batter Protein Smoothie, add a little carb to your diet to get your insulin up. A piece of fruit should do the trick!

4. CARDIO

Before: When you pack your gym bag before Zumba, try grabbing an apple! A small dose of carbs will give your body the energy it needs. If you're going for a longer cardio workout, a bit of protein, like an egg or a small piece of meat, is a good idea, but give yourself a little over an hour to digest it.

After: According to Shape, if you've just completed a typical cardio workout, you don't necessarily need to eat right after because you've been burning calories thanks to an accelerated heart rate, but haven't used up much fuel. However, if you had a long workout, like when training for a race, or did a HIIT, high intensity workout or a lot of sprints, eating a snack with carbs and protein is a good idea.