September 05, 2019 at 12:01PM by CWC If you thought you knew what the perfect sit-up looked like, you’re probably wrong—at least according to the military. The general technique for the U.S. Army sit-up standards are familiar—knees bent, feet on the floor, and a continual up-and-down motion—but a few adjustments make this the move of a soldier. The U.S. Army sit-up is slightly different in that with the military-approved technique the only part of your foot in contact with the ground is your heels and your feet should be 12 inches apart. The standards also require a very specific position body position at the top of the sit-up—or it doesn’t count. The changes might seem small, but once you perform the exercise like a soldier, the difference is very clear. How to perform proper U.S. Army sit-ups Lie down with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle and only your heels touching the floor. Keep your feet 12 inches apart. Lock your fingers behind your head and keep your elbows down. Raise your body up into a sit-up, hovering your elbows above your knees. Don’t allow them to touch. Make sure the base of your neck passes the base of your spine. Lower back down until the bottom of your shoulder blades touch the ground. Keeping your form—and without cheating!—see how many sit-ups you can perform in two minutes. To meet U.S. Army sit-up standards, you must score at least 50 points (as part of the Army Physical Fitness Test
Category: Yoga
The 3 most common mistakes this trainer sees people make in tabletop position
September 04, 2019 at 12:04PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBdY96ZoOgM] As incredible as yoga makes me feel, there’s a decent portion of the flow in which it feels like all I’m doing is trying not to fall. Between balancing poses like tree, single-leg asanas like warrior three, and gracefully moving between each position, yoga definitely challenges stability. This is why it’s so, so key to nail the most basic, foundational poses. One such important pose? Tabletop. Mastering tabletop, which is essentially quadruped position, means that you’re well-primed to move more solidly through your practice—especially since it’s the base of other poses like cat and cow and bird dog. “What happens with tabletop is that when you’re in the right position, you’re naturally able to support any instability,” says trainer Rahel Ghebremichael, a fitness pro who teaches at Modelfit. So getting your tabletop down means being better able to flow on more stable footing, whether you’re moving into downward dog or priming for something more advanced. Not only that, but doing tabletop the wrong way can mean not-so-comfortable consequences on your body (think back pain and unnecessary tension). Ghebremichael sees three main mistakes in tabletop form that can lead to this (check out what they are in the video above). But not doing tabletop the right way doesn’t just sabotage your yoga posture—it will also take away from having your core properly engaged… which you really want to be working in all of the tabletop-based yoga positions like bird-dog. In need of a
WTF is trigger point therapy and how can it help your bod feel better?
September 03, 2019 at 11:33PM by CWC Even if you haven’t heard of “trigger points,” you probably still know what they is. Basically a fancy way of saying a muscle knot or kink, trigger point therapy refers to easing pain in an area on your body where you’re dealing with muscle spasms. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to alleviate that discomfort. Before you learn how to treat your trigger points, it’s important to know why they come about in the first place. And there’s one prime cause: repetitive activity. For adults who aren’t playing sports after school on a regular basis anymore, that mostly means being hunched over your laptop nearly every day, which causes your muscles to tense up. That’s where trigger point therapy comes in, which can safely get rid of those distracting aches and pains. Common trigger points are found in the neck and lower back. They feel like a small nodule that’s sensitive when you apply even gentle pressure. “There are many different techniques for trigger point therapy, including rubbing, massaging, and pressing, which help alleviate the symptoms,” says Roy Nissim, DC, a chiropractor at Active Therapy Center in Santa Monica, California. “Receiving trigger point therapy can help by alleviating pain, tension, and stress. This is because the tissue is able to glide more efficiently, and more blood flow is distributed to that tissue. The therapy can make you feel mentally and physically recharged.” While trigger point therapy sounds incredible, there’s one thing you should know
5 trainer-approved stretches that (quickly) help to ease that holiday weekend bloat
September 03, 2019 at 05:28PM by CWC As if the Tuesday after Labor Day wasn’t already the most mehhhhhh day of the year, if you (like me!) spent the weekend consuming enough rosé and BBQ to last you through the winter, you’re also probably feeling bloated as hell this a.m. (in addition to feeling tired and bummed out, of course). How fun! Luckily, whilst scrolling through Instagram as a means of avoiding facing the world this morning, I stumbled upon a series of stretches that are meant to help with this sort of Impossible Burger-induced bloat situation. Fitness trainer Johanna—who you might know by her handle, @growwithjo—shared a five-move yoga-inspired flow that will get rid of that gross gassy feeling and leave you with nothing but fond memories of those final summer beach beers. Hold each move for 60 seconds, and you’ll be bloat-free in five minutes flat. Now, if only we could find a stretch sequence that would help us cure that end of summer sadness… ad_intervals[‘420151_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘420151_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); View this post on Instagram ELIMINATE BLOAT🤰🏽with these 5 stretches 🙌🏽💪🏽 . Often times for what seems like no reason at all we get bloated. First it is important to check for food intolerances and for anything that may be primarily causing the bloat, then as a way to relieve the stomach pain and discomfort try these 5 Stretches for 60-70 seconds each! . 🙋🏽♀️tag a friend who would appreciate this post🙋🏽♀️
This is the one thing to remember when you’re working on your self care
September 03, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC https://content.jwplatform.com/players/ZCY1Esoj-AjgxWzQ7.js Meet Wellness Collective, our immersive curriculum with Athleta that hooks you up with actionable advice from the smartest experts and brand founders in wellness right now. Get the goods at our monthly event series in New York City and upcoming events in Los Angeles and San Francisco—plus dive into our online one-month wellness plans. Take some notes on self compassion from Rachel Drori below. How many times have you felt guilty or ashamed that you didn’t wake up early for that workout class or skipped out on your few minutes of your regularly scheduled evening meditation? It’s totally understandable to feel this way (we all have), but guilt-tripping yourself isn’t the path toward true self care. Part of the bigger picture is accepting balance and meeting yourself where you are right now, no judgement. ad_intervals[‘414914_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘414914_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); For Rachel Drori, founder of Daily Harvest—a meal delivery service that provides chef-crafted meals using only organic fruits and vegetables—food and exercise are her two primary modes of self care. But guess what? She has off days too. “Have self compassion and say I am not going to make a home-cooked meal for myself or I don’t have time to work out,” Drori says. Drori also reinforces that just because you didn’t make it to yoga or cook dinner for yourself today doesn’t mean you can’t start over tomorrow. Your self care hinges on you and nothing else—so showing a bit more empathy toward yourself is
Hit the snooze button! These exercises in bed count as a full-body workout
September 02, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC You know those mornings when you straight up just don’t want to get out of bed for the sake of getting a workout in? Same. But in what might just be the best news ever, you actually may not have to, because we found a workout you can do entirely from under the covers…and no, I’m actually not talking about sex. Though, that counts too. While exercises in bed may not be quite as effective as, say, exercises in the gym (I think you probably could have guessed that), there actually are some benefits associated with working out on top of a mattress. “You will naturally be slightly off balance which will force you stabilize through your core, which is a great way to work on your balance,” says Jackie Vick, CSCS, a trainer at Gold’s Gym. If you generally have a hard time getting up and down off of the ground, she adds that a bed can be a great option. Vick recommends doing the below circuit training series that involves 30 seconds of movement on followed by 15 seconds off. After you complete one round, rest for 30 to 45 seconds and repeat for four rounds total. Seriously, your muscles will be on fire by the time the series is over. ad_intervals[‘419275_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘419275_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); 1. Glute bridge: Begin on your back with knees bent and feet close to your hips. Keep your
This Pilates glutes series sculpts your butt while combatting the effects of sitting
September 02, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZPBLWgh9sA] Welcome to Trainer of the Month Club, our brand-new fitness series, where we tap the coolest, most in-the-know fitness leaders to create a month-long fitness challenge. On Mondays, we have our “sweat drops” where you’ll get access to the week’s workout that you can follow along at home. This week, Kimmy Kellum from East River Pilates is taking you through a sesh that focuses all on the glutes. Walking into a Pilates class, I know that my core is about to be fired up, lengthened, and stretched in all different directions. The workout is often very abs-focused, after all—but for Well+Good’s Trainer of the Month Club, East River Pilates founder and all-around goddess Kimmy Kellum is bringing us a sequence that’s all about your booty. ad_intervals[‘419666_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘419666_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); The perks of this? You’ll be sculpting your glutes, yes, but since it’s Pilates, you’re also still getting that core work, while also strengthening your legs. It’s a sweaty trifecta, and all you need is a mat. “What I love [about this workout] is that you’re tapping your glutes and your hamstrings,” says Kellum. Oh, and another thing? “It’s also awesome to help combat the negative effects of sitting for long periods of time,” she says. Check and check. Ready to try Kellum’s multi-beneficial Pilates glutes workout for yourself? Keep scrolling. The warmup 1. Squat: Take your feet as wide as your shoulders
Neon bike shorts are the summer trend you’ll want to wear well past Labor Day
September 02, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Of all the decades, I’ve always thought the 1980’s would be immune to nostalgic trend recycling if only because the trends were, I thought, exceptionally bad—as evidenced by my mom’s hairspray-heavy Glamour shots from the era. Somehow, though, everything old and cringe-y becomes new and cool again eventually, and the ’80s have not fulfilled my prediction of being an exception. Examples of this abound.’80s workouts are back, and even the people who made them iconic, e.g. Jane Fonda, are experiencing a pop culture resurgence. Shoulder pads, power suits, windbreakers—and, well, duh—off-duty leggings are just a few resuscitated trends that could also be named offhand. Most of these I want nothing to due with, but one fad has surprisingly recruited even a skeptic like me to the cause of 1980’s revival: the neon biker short. I’m not alone, either. Athleisure icon Serena Williams recently wore bold-hued blue bike shorts (which were just shy of electric neon) to the Nike Queens of the Future event in New York, which she actually paired with an aforementioned ’80s-era windbreaker. ad_intervals[‘417170_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417170_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Personally, I became obsessed after seeing a group of friends all sporting a neon pair designed by Carbon 38 (shop the style below), a look which I immediately felt compelled to copycat. My new pink shorts make me feel dorky in a cool way, just as has the entirety of this summer’s long shorts trend.
How I undressed the remarkable power of burlesque
August 30, 2019 at 03:01PM by CWC An average day for me is not particularly glamorous. My muggle job is at a cupcake bakery in New York City, so basically I’m an indie movie cliché. I was an assistant manager at the bakery for a while, but I moved to New York to pursue acting and the arts. Waking up at 3 a.m. stressing out about wedding cakes was not part of the dream. I stepped down from being an assistant manager and now hold a part-time position there. The bakery is where I first came in contact with burlesque. I used to work with a performer who goes by the name of Pearls Daily, who’s been on the scene for years and currently holds the title of Miss Coney Island. She’s fantastic! I went to see her Harry Potter burlesque show, and it struck me that… I could do this. Around the same time, I saw another performer—Rosie Cheeks—who was just phenomenal. She’s classically beautiful—this leggy, fantastic looking woman—but that’s not why she’s good. She’s able to set someone on fire with a look. She’s so precise and choreographed. I remember watching her unlace something with one little finger in one swift move. She didn’t even have her clothes off yet! The specificity with which she was able to do each move made me think, “Oh, I want to be able to do that!” ad_intervals[‘418974_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418974_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); What’s really nice
If you sit all day long, leg flossing will help take the edge off of tight desk hips
August 29, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC My legs are always sore and tight, thanks to all the boot camps, running, and dog walking I task them with. I try everything I can to loosen them up, from taking a Theragun to my quads to stretching in every single position—but I’ve never quite been able to shake the feeling of cement-heavy legs post-workout. In the middle of an at-home yoga sesh, though, Los Angeles-based yoga guru Kyle Miller, co-founder of Love Yoga—who just released her own at-home yoga videos—started flowing through what I can only describe as leg flossing. “This is my absolute favorite thing to do—I do it in just about every class, and I’m sure my students are sick of it,” Miller jokes as she walks me through the feels-so-good movement. “It’s such a great position for opening up the joints of the lower body.” If you’ve ever done shoulder flossing—another yoga-based move that I fell in love with recently—you’ll know that anything dubbed “flossing” really brings fluidity to your body (not to mention, it just feels divine). Miller explains to me that her practice is based off of Taoism, which views the body as its own little universe. “We have our own networks of circulation, land masses—organs and muscles—delicate ecosystems, and homeostasis,” she says. “Joints are like bends in the river, places where garbage collects. We want everything to flow, nothing to get caught and create stagnation.” This is exactly why she’s partial to cleaning out, articulating, moving,