Month: April 2019

April 06, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC If you ever dreamt of being a ballerina—or at least, dreamed of being as strong and/or as flexible as a ballerina—you’re in luck. Instead of having to schlep to (and pay for) a dance class, you can now get everything you need for a ballet-level strength right in the comfort of your living room. YouTube is bursting with barre videos that cost exactly 0 bucks—which is much, much cheaper than the usual 20 to 30 dollars per class that most studios charge—and offer ballet-based workouts that you can do without an actual barre (unless, ya know, you happen to have one of those lying around at home). All you have to do is sub in a chair or table to hold onto in order to keep your form in tact and get to plié-ing. Barre workouts might be light on cardio, but they’re an A-plus way to sculpt and strengthen muscles using teeny, tiny movements that will leave your legs shaking, for real. But instead of trying to first, second, and third-position on your own, here are seven videos worth pulling on some white tights and a leotard for. You’re welcome. Barre3 Body Burner [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zMySjpS6jQ?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281] Even if you don’t have a Barre3 studio nearby (… or just don’t feel like leaving the house to get there), this 45-minute workout is basically the same as taking an actual class. Except that you can do it at home in your underwear.   Holabird Sports

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April 06, 2019 at 08:00AM by CWC The weather is *finally* taking a turn for the better and you can swap out your big puffer coat for a cute denim jacket. You probably have a mental list of everything you want to do now that the weather’s warmer. Yoga in the park! Weekend trip to the shore! Actually leaving the office at lunchtime to go for a walk! So it really sucks when instead of being able to enjoy the great outdoors, you’re stuck inside with what feels like a head cold. Damn allergies. Antihistamines, decongestants, steroid nasal sprays, and eye drops aren’t your only choices for living your best, allergy-free life. There are many holistic, all-natural ways to help manage your symptoms, and chances are you already stock much of what can help at home. Let’s take a look at some of the all-natural alternatives, shall we? 1. Take precautions with a few simple steps. Ready for an easy doctor-approved tip? Block yourself from direct contact with potential triggers by wearing sunglasses and a hat when you’re outside, and wash your hands when you come back inside. 2. Add bee pollen to your smoothie. Bee pollen is made of flower pollen, which bees collect, and then turn it into small particles using saliva and honey. Sure, it may sound a little unappetizing—and counterproductive since it has flower pollen—but according to board-certified allergist Heather Moday, MD, consuming bee pollen is believed to be similar to taking an allergy shot. “The idea

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April 06, 2019 at 06:05AM by CWC I don’t have to tell you how important it is to brush your teeth. It’s something that was likely drilled into your childhood brain by your mom, dentist, and that catchy toothbrushing song from kindergarten and has taken hold in your adult life. But while we’ve always been taught that proper oral hygiene is a necessity for keeping your pearly whites glistening, avoiding cavities, and not scaring away friends and loved ones with bad breath, there’s another reason why you need to be brushing your teeth on the reg: The sake of your gums. I know, I know—it isn’t exactly the sexiest topic, but it is an important one. The American Dental Association  recommends giving your mouth a good scrub down with a toothbrush twice a day and a once-over with floss to keep your teeth clean, which will help you avoid the buildup of plaque and tartar. These “wool sweaters” are packed with bacteria, which can cause gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums, which can lead to more serious gum issues ranging from mild to severe periodontitis. And in case painful, swollen gums (and the potential of loose teeth) wasn’t enough to cause you concern,  periodontal diseases have been linked to more serious issues like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. While the frequency of your toothbrushing is unquestionably critical (yes, your mom, dentist, and kindergarten teacher were right), there are other factors that also come into play. “Some of the best practices that gets overlooked are how you utilize the toothbrush,” says Lawrence Fung, DDS, founder

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April 06, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC When you hit the gym, there are a few muscles that tend to get most of the attention (ahem: abs, butt, and arms). But there’s one body part that gets overlooked as much as Chris Kirkpatrick did when you were deciding which member of N’SYNC you wanted to marry in 2002, and that’s your wrists. I know, I know, “strengthening your wrists” isn’t quite as sexy as, say, building your butt into a perfectly perky peach, but it should still be an important part of your workout routine. Hear me out: Though wrists are a little snoozy to talk about, the strength of your wrists actually impacts the strength of pretty much the entire rest of your body. Like, how can you hold a plank, or even a set of dumbbells, if you’ve got weak wrists on your…hands. LOL. “Having strong wrists is critical for developing upper body pushing and pulling strength—if you can’t grip something, then it is very hard to make gains,” confirms Geoff Tripp CSCS, and head of fitness at Trainiac. Since they’re so crucial to the workout at hand, I reached out to pros to talk about how to strengthen them and nine moves you need to say “bye, bye, bye” to weak wrists forever. Why should you worry about strengthening your wrists? “Wrist strength is extremely important when it comes to injury development and overall body strength,” explains Aaptiv trainer Mike Septh. “Without developing strength in the wrists, overall body

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