Bone Health for Kids

Brittni Reum's first broken bone happened in her right heel at age 10. She suffered four more fractures over the next three years in her arms and knee—all from seemingly minor mishaps while playing on the monkey bars or shooting hoops in gym class. "Brittni seemed so fragile that I was afraid to let her go outside or play sports," says her mom, Michele, an accounting manager in Jacksonville, Florida.  Read More ›

Your Excuse-Proof Workout Plan

Hey, we're all busy. But that’s no reason to let your workouts get away from you. Next time you feel like skimping on exercise to watch TV or meet your friends for Happy Hour remember this: It doesn't take much to get a great workout.
 
That's why I designed this excuse-proof workout. You can do this simple, 6-minute circuit anytime (it's whisper quiet), anywhere (no gym required) and without any equipment.  All that and it'll sculpt your body from head to toe, too. Read More ›

The Towel Workout Makes Toning Easy!

There’s no need for special equipment for a great workout! A good old beach towel can be just as effective at working your muscles as dumbbells, resistance bands or expensive machines. Want proof? Meet "The Towel Workout."
 
All of these moves can be done with just a towel, which is great because you’ll probably need it to wipe up your sweat after you are done. Read More ›

6 Kettlebell Workout Routines

Just like fashion trends come and go, same can be said about workout trends. Hundreds of years ago Russian bodybuilders were using cannonball-like equipment for strength training. Little did they know then that their workouts would be turned into classes in gyms across the globe 300 years later. The reason kettlebell workouts are so popular is they provide strength training, cardio, balance and flexibility all in one short workout.

In the January 2011 issue of Fitness magazine, John Porcari, PhD, an exercise researcher at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, stated that "an intense 20-minute workout with kettlebells burned on average, an astonishing 400 calories, or 20 calories a minute."

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The Top 5 Exercises You're Doing Wrong

For some people, safety and form during a workout is a huge priority. For others, it's an afterthought. If you work out without the careful eyes of a trainer or instructor watching your every move, it can be difficult to know if you are exercising with proper form—even when you're really trying to.
 
Learning how to move with correct alignment isn't just about looking good; it can mean the difference between muscle activation and joint strain—or even injury.
 
Here are five exercises that are common—and may even seem simple—but are most often performed incorrectly by people of all fitness levels. Read More ›

8 Amazing Exercises for the TRX

If you haven't been in a gym recently you may be surprised to see trainers and fitness enthusiasts incorporating many new gadgets into their workout routines to help keep their training fresh and challenging. Having covered kettlebells, BOSU trainers and Body Bar workouts in previous Fitness Round-up blogs, now seemed an opportune time to introduce the TRX Suspension System.
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10 Body-Weight Training Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

A few weeks ago I was reading through the message boards when I came across a post from Chris 'SparkGuy' Downie to a member who was asking about what type of strength training activities he could do without access to a gym or weight training equipment.  Chris did not let that deter him from offering some great recommendations of performing body-weight exercises--exercises such as push-ups and squats which can be done at home or when traveling when access to resistant training equipment is not at your disposal.

This gave me the idea to link examples of body-weight exercises for you to refer to as the busy holiday travel season rolls around. Hopefully you will can take this with you when traveling and access to weights or machines is not an option. Read More ›

10 Exercises That Target the Triceps

Spring is around the corner, which means you'll be bringing your short sleeved and sleeveless tops out of storage in no time. Speaking of baring your arms: Are yours in tip-top shape? If not, you could help build strength and muscle tone in the most common problem area of the arms—the triceps—by adding some additional triceps exercises to your workout plan. Read More ›

5 Full-Body Exercises That Save You Time

When you work out smarter, you don't necessarily have to exercise longer or harder in order to get results. "Lack of time" is the most common reason why people don't exercise, but is that really a good excuse? Truth is: You don't really need a lot of time to get a great workout. Short bouts of exercise—when done right—can give just as much benefit as longer workouts. Don't believe me? Try these 5 moves for just one minute each for a 5-minute workout that has full-body benefits! Read More ›

DVD Review: Dr. Lisa's Yoga Blast

You may know Dr. Lisa Masterson from The Doctors TV show, and now she is coming to DVD with a fun and effective yoga-based workout DVD with her trainer, Elise Joan. This DVD is packed with three separate yoga workouts that are great for both beginner and intermediate exercisers. Both Dr. Lisa and Elise do an excellent job of providing a fun and entertaining way to work out!

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The SparkPeople Commercial Break Workout

Americans watch, on average, almost five hours of television per day, according to the Nielsen Corporation.  Actual programming only accounts for 42 minutes of every hour, meaning that as part of our time in front of the tube, we see nearly 90 minutes of advertisements. In addition to being exposed to ads for things we don't need or want--like double bacon cheeseburgers and soda--it's taking time away from the shows we tuned in to see.
You've probably heard the tip to fit in a workout during commercial breaks, but what should you do? It can be hard to spontaneously decide which exercises to do, so we decided to take the guesswork out of it. We created a workout game of sorts that you can use when you're watching TV. Each time you see one of the commercials listed below, do the exercise that corresponds to it.
If you already work out while watching TV, consider shaking up your routine by jumping off the elliptical or recumbent bike during commercials and fitting in some strength training.
Enjoy! Read More ›

What’s Your Bone Health IQ?

Even if you didn't drink your milk or exercise as much as you should have when you were younger, you can still strengthen your frame. Take our quiz and learn the simple secrets to staying structurally sound.

1.    Getting enough calcium and vitamin D matters most:
 
A. before your 20s
B. by your 30s
C. during menopause
D. after menopause

Answer:

B. By about age 20, you'll have built up to 90% of your skeletal mass. But there's still time to get the recommended daily intake of 1,000 mg of calcium and the 600 IU of vitamin D women 19 to 50 need. "It's all about getting to the maximum level by 30," explains Michael Marks, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut. "After 30, it's about minimizing bone loss."  Read More ›

5 Must-Do Exercises for Moms

Although I’ve always been physically active, I’ve had to force myself to focus more on strength training over the past few years.  My preference has always been cardio exercise (just because that’s what I like to do), but trying to keep up with my kids and carrying little ones around all day made me realize I needed to get stronger.  My youngest is now 10 months old and weighs over 20 pounds.  She’s not walking yet, so I still carry her on my hip for a lot of the day.  Since I don’t have lots of free time to head to the gym for long workouts, I’ve had to create my own programs that are time-efficient but still challenging.
 
My favorite workouts involve compound exercises, which combine two movements into a single exercise.  There are a number of benefits to these types of exercises:  they more closely mimic real- life movements since you rarely use muscles in isolation as you go about your day.  They also save a lot of time since you’re getting two exercises done at once. 
 
Here are 5 of my favorite exercises that target the muscles I’m using all day long, as I put one of my children down and pick up another: Read More ›

5 Reasons I've Never Tried CrossFit

During the last few years, ultra-intense workouts have been gaining popularity—and not just among athletes or hardcore exercisers who are gluttons for self-punishment. Even the relatively unfit and overweight are jumping at the chance to push their bodies to their limits. Why? Some consider it fun. Others feel that is the best (or only) way to really get in shape. Whatever the reason, intense workout programs are attracting a wide variety of participants who have a variety of different goals (whether strength, speed, power, health, muscle tone, weight loss, or looking better naked).
 
By now you've probably heard of CrossFit (the "sport of fitness") or know someone who has tried it. I stumbled upon CrossFit videos on YouTube a few years ago and was immediately intrigued. I would spend hours a night watching people work out competitively and was in awe of their strength and capabilities—not to mention their physiques! I've learned a good deal about CrossFit since then, through my husband and sister-in-law (both of whom are certified CrossFit trainers), friends who do the workouts, and my own research and reading.

As a certified fitness professional with a traditional background (and without any firsthand experience in an actual CrossFit gym), I can certainly tell you that CrossFit is unlike most other workouts and workout programs out there. It strives to be the total fitness package—to help people achieve optimal health and fitness across all measures of strength, agility, speed, power and endurance. (Read CrossFit's full description here.) It combines Olympic powerlifting + gymnastics + plyometrics + speed work + weights + time + competition in a way that continuously challenges one's body in new ways. And although it has a reputation of being intense (which it certainly is, no doubt about it), proponents also claim that it's completely "scalable" to every individual's fitness level.  
 
Sounds great, right? Well, could it be too good to be true? Read More ›

CONTEST CLOSED: Giveaway: Les Mills PUMP Strength Training Set

Contest closed! The winner is:

KHTERRY

Congratulations!

Are you still dragging your feet on strength training? You're not alone--many people tend to skimp on the weights in favor of calorie-torching cardio. However, while cardio is excellent for weight loss, strength training is just as important since lean muscle mass burns more calories than fat mass, even when you're at rest. So by lifting weights, you'll transform yourself into a more efficient calorie-burning machine while changing your physique from the inside out! Plus, strength training helps to increase bone density and maintain joint flexibility, which is crucial as you age.

You might feel that strength training sounds good in theory, but don't know where to start. You may lack the motivation, or need some help structuring an effective plan. Or, you might not feel comfortable working out in the weight room just yet. Do any of these excuses sound familiar? Look no further: we've got the strength training solution for you!
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