December 23, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG7cJvXZomk] Adding a kettlebell to any workout is a surefire way to make it more intense. Case in point: This seemingly simple, six-move lower body series might look easy at first glance, but it’s anything but a piece of cake. In her final week as our Trainer of the Month, Roxie Jones shows us how to amp up a lower body workout simply by bringing two kettlebells into the mix. First things first: For this lower body kettlebell workout, you’ll want to grab one light kettlebell (ranging from five to 15 pounds) and one heavier kettlebell (ranging from 20 to 40 pounds). To determine if you’ve got the right bells before you get into the workout, make sure you can rack them correctly. “The most important thing is to do this with correct form above anything else,” says Jones. “So if you feel like your form is starting to crumble, take it down to a lower weight. That’s how we get stronger.” Despite the fact that you’ll be holding the kettlebell with your hands, nearly all of the actual work in this workout will come from your lower body—so be sure to focus on squeezing your glutes and holding your core tight throughout every move. Follow along with Jones in the video above, and be sure to check back next week (or should we say, next year!) to meet our first trainer of the month for 2020. The lower-body kettlebell workout that’ll
Category: Fashion
The best podiatrist-approved stretches to help you recover from a ‘high heel hangover’
December 22, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC High heels give you a few inches of extra height, but a night out in your favorite pair often results in sore feet the next day—or as one expert perfectly puts it, a total high heel hangover. According to Jacqueline Sutera, DPM, a New York City-based podiatrist and Vionic Innovation Lab member, your feet are in need of some serious TLC after wearing heels. “The next day, there are certain things you must to reverse the effects of wearing high heels, and that involves doing some high heel rehab,” she says. And one of the most important parts of that self-care routine is stretching—something that helps with in-the-moment pain, as well as long-term damage. “When you wear heels, the Achilles tendon—which is attached to the calf muscle and heel bone—tightens up over time. This tightening can be permanent and long-term, and the Achilles will actually shorten,” Dr. Sutera says. “Stretches can restore the length and improve tightness and soreness in the legs and feet.” The next time you need to help your body recover from a high heel hangover, do these podiatrist-approved stretches. Dr. Sutera’s stretches for sore feet before and after wearing heels 1. Yoga band stretch With your legs together in front of you, wrap a yoga band (or towel) around one foot. Gently pull your toes back and your foot up while keeping your leg straight. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds and switch sides. 2. Downward dog Get into
The most common mistakes people make in down dog—and exactly how to fix them
December 21, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Downward dog seems simple enough. It’s typically one of the first poses you learn, and you do it in pretty much every class you take. But even longtime yogis might be making some of the most common down dog mistakes. “At first glance, the down dog seems super easy and straightforward, but in truth, it’s a pretty technical pose when you practice yoga. Whether in a class or solo, you spend a fair amount of time coming in and out of a down dog, so it’s super important to master it,” says Corey Phelps, a yoga instructor and personal trainer. “When done properly, it stretches the hamstrings and calves, strengthens the arms, legs, back, and deep abdominal muscles that help stabilize the spine, and it can help relieve back pain.” Little tweaks can help improve your alignment, make poses more comfortable, and make them easier on your body, and these are the most common mistakes to avoid in down dog—and how to fix them. The most common mistakes you’re making in downward dog 1. Trying to force your heels to the ground One of the biggest goals of down dog is getting your heels to the ground, but you shouldn’t ever force it. Instead of trying to get on the same level of that super-bendy girl in your class, instead focus on what feels good to you. That’s when you’re going to reap the most benefits. “If you find that your heels are
Have flat feet? Pros say you might want to try a pair of stability running shoes
December 21, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Attention, runners: It’s time to take a look at the sneakers you’ve been wearing to log your miles these last few months. Are they worn in at the top inner edge? Congratulations, you’re a over-pronator. And it’s time to trade them in for a pair of stability running shoes. Over-pronation—often also referred to as “flat feet“—means that your feet collapse inward when you walk and run, and the best way to correct the problem (and to keep you from foot pain and potential injury) is with the right sneakers. Stability running shoes offer additional cushioning and support to keep your feet from rolling inward, making them better aligned with your legs. That’s why podiatrist Miguel Cunha, founder of Gotham Footcare, recommends them for people who pronate. “Shoes that are made for pronators consist of a medial post support, a wedge that is built into the shoe under the arch to prevent the arch from collapsing or rotating inward,” he says. “By minimizing pronation, this construct helps distribute the impact of running more effectively.” Flat-footed friends aren’t the only ones who could benefit from having a little bit more support in their shoes when they run. “Some runners are able to maintain their preferred motion path when going from walking to running, but some runners deviate from their preferred motion path when going from walking to running,” says Jon Teipen, senior manager of footwear at Brooks Running. “The runners that deviate more will benefit
The ‘bear complex’ makes your whole body roar with one rep
December 20, 2019 at 08:35PM by CWC Working every last muscle group at the gym usually requires hopping from machine to machine. The CrossFit bear complex, a combination of four movements torches your body from head-to-toe using only a barbell. So not only will you feel strong; you’ll feel efficient, too. Maillard Howell, owner of CrossFit Prospect Heights and founder of The Beta Way, deems the bear complex “a hell of a lot of workouts in one”—and that’s very accurate. The move combines a power clean, front squat, push press, and back squat for a no-muscle-left behind kind of trip to the gym. Since the bear complex is a mash-up of four different moves, you’ll want to make sure you’re adept at each one before putting them together. And, when you do so, you’ll need to use a weight that you’ll be able to sustain for the entire movement. For example, if you push press 50 pounds and use 75 pounds for the other three movements, you’ll need to stick with 50 for the complex until you can work your push press up to a higher weight. “From the first set, you’ll be sweating and you’ll be taxing all of your muscles,” says Howell. “There’s nothing like it. If you’re really comfortable with a barbell, it’s a great tool for adding strength.” Let’s go! How to perform the CrossFit bear complex from start to finish [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOd_VaYDFSw] Complete 2 sets of 10 reps if you’re using an empty barbell. For higher weights,
How to create an ‘earscape’ with earrings that look cute together, because decisions are hard
December 20, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC I’ve always envied the people who can pair and layer jewelry together effortlessly, without looking like they just threw on every single bauble that they own. When it comes to accessories, actually, I’m definitely in the “less is more” camp, unless it comes to my earrings. My ears weren’t pierced until I was 20, and then after that I wasn’t happy with just the lobes. No, I wanted all the piercings. My ears are adorned with about 10 piercings, but the tricky part lies in creating the earscape—aka finding out how to pair earrings and selecting the perfect constellation. I tend to get overwhelmed by all the options out there and then just end up in a spiral of indecision (also an accurate description of my life in general heyo). “A good way to start is to pick a theme,” Lisa Bubber, co-founder and CMO of Studs in NYC, says. They put together different cohesive looks to make the process easier for customers. “Constellation piercings custom-designed to your ear that are decorated with gold, pave, CZs, zodiac signs, geometric shapes, and stars are really popular right now,” she says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Studs (@studs) on Nov 22, 2019 at 2:06pm PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js If you’re the kind of person who takes 10 years to decide on a polish color at the salon before settling on the same pale pink shade you always go for, consider trying
“Rocker sneakers” are built to help you move faster and go farther than ever
December 19, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC For years, it’s seemed like running shoes were getting smaller. It was all about minimalism—the fewer bells and whistles (and weight) on the shoe, the better. But the running sneakers you’ll be seeing everywhere are going in a totally different direction, adding foam to the mid-sole to create a U-shaped curve (versus a flat one) that aims to help your stride get faster and make miles feel easier than ever. Meet: The rocker shoe. HOKA, which was one of the first to bring the technology to market, uses a cambered midsole in their shoes “to help propel a runner or walker forward by enabling them to roll easily from impact to toe-off,” says Gretchen Weimer, global VP of product at Hoka One One. “It’s designed to create a smooth ride and provide the feeling that the shoe is working with, rather than against, one’s natural gait cycle.” ASICS released their Glide Ride shoe in late 2019, which features an ergonomic curved sole. Testing conducted by the brand found that the shoes reduce total energy loss at the ankle joint, which is where runners expend the most energy, and reduce weight in the foot while maintaining stability. The increased cushioning at the sole provides more comfort during long runs, and the shoe offers a shock-absorbant landing zone to lessen the fatigue in your leg muscles. Nike has also introduced similar technology into their latest line of runners. The Vapor Fly 4% Flyknit and soon-to-be-released
Nike just launched a shoe to help you stabilize your plank for (much!) longer
December 09, 2019 at 09:00PM by CWC Our sneakers used to have one job to do. If you were a runner, that job was to help you log injury-free miles; if you were more into strength training, it was to keep you grounded for your lifts. But with the rise of boutique fitness, and more specifically of HIIT workouts, our sneakers are now forced through dozens of different movements in the course of a single session—from sprints to burpees to jump lunges. And so, Nike set out to develop a shoe that could do it all. The brand created their latest SuperRep family of shoes specifically with today’s fitness classes in mind. “Fitness classes are booming around the world,” Jamie Jeffries, VP and GM of Nike Training said in a statement. “Working out is its own sport, and Nike’s SuperRep shoes are designed to deliver on the performance needs [that are] specific to these activities.” The first shoe in the collection, the Nike Air Zoom SuperRep ($120), is meant to make HIIT workouts easier on athletes’ bodies. The diverse movements performed in these types of routines put forth a lot of impact on your joints (think: jump squats and high knees), which means that the right sneaker needs to have cushion and support. But Nike noticed that most of the options out there only offered one or the other, forcing people to choose which was most important to their movements. And so, the Nike Air Zoom SuperRep has air pockets
Curious about sound baths? Here’s what happened when I took a sonic soak
December 09, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Before one recent Saturday, I’d never before participated in a sound bath, but having read about the ancient practice before, I’d been intrigued for quite some time. And, based on a colleague’s rave reviews, of her experiences, I decided I could certainly stand to try out the meditative ritual meant to facilitate a deep state of relaxation for stress relief and healing. Sound baths aim to put you on a different plane, away from the mile-a-minute stressors of everyday life. But as the patron saint of Those Who Suck at Meditation, I was worried about whether I’d be able to do it. And, perhaps more importantly, whether I’d be the same when I emerged. So, I sought to find out by signing up for a group session with Sara Auster, sound therapist, meditation practitioner, and author of Sound Bath: Meditate, Heal and Connect Through Listening. She wanted us to put our phones on airplane mode, be comfortable, and listen. So far, so good—I felt ready for the main event. But first, what exactly is a sound bath—and what happens, therapeutically, during it? No two people will necessarily experience the same thing—just like with any other meditative practice. Generally speaking, though, using a combination of singing bowls, tuning forks, gongs and other overtone-emitting instruments, your alpha and theta brain waves are stimulated. And this is what can lead to those good-for-you benefits. “These waves are associated with deep, meditative, and peaceful states that are highly
I’m going to a million holiday parties—here’s the one thing I’m wearing to all of them
December 09, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC I love the holidays. Aside from my birthday (week), the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve is basically my personal brand. The fact that it’s an entire month dedicated to spreading kindness, spending time with your favorite people, and wearing sparkly everything means it really is the most wonderful time of the year to me (as any of my co-workers can attest). But as much as I enjoy the social elements of the season, one thing I am not a fan of is in-person shopping. Online shopping? Sure. I have a close relationship with my doorman because I get everything—from shampoo to healthy groceries—delivered to my apartment. Shopping in crowded stores? No thank you. That’s why I was so thrilled when I discovered the wardrobe treasure that is this versatile-yet-statement-making skirt from Target. I saw my whole holiday season unfolding before my eyes: Nearly a dozen different parties, multiple outfit changes, and blessedly only one stress-free shopping trip (online, of course). Here’s how I made it work, Project Runway style. Scroll down to see how I turned one skirt into three holiday party outfits (with lots more possibilities). The office party The dress code at the Well+Good office spans from business casual to athleisure (#blessed), so for our holiday shindig I wanted to pull together something that complemented the chill vibe, with a classed-up twist—because it is a party, after all. I went for a winter whites look with my newly beloved accordion-pleated skirt,