January 17, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1124fj0BeQ] In yoga, it’s often the simplest-seeming poses that are the easiest to mess up. If your alignment is off, it screws with the entire functionality of the move. And what’s worse, it puts you at the risk of getting hurt. One such offender? Triangle pose, which might look like a no-brainer way to stretch your legs and wring out your hips, but can get wonky real quick if your form is out of whack. But don’t worry—we’ve got you. In the latest episode of Well+Good’s The Right Way, yoga pro Andrea Russell reveals the three biggest mistakes she sees her students making when they transition into the move, and demonstrates how to do a triangle pose properly. The major offenders that could be getting in the way of a flawless flow form? Pointing your feet in the wrong direction, placing your hand either too far up or down your leg, or bending your arm backward at a not-so-nice angle. The key to success, she says, is thinking about creating multiple triangles with your bodies, and lengthening your muscles to make it happen. This means pointing your front toes forward, twisting your bottom hand outside of your ankle, and reaching your top hand up. Keep your chest in line with your hips, creating a straight line from fingertip to fingertip. To see how it’s done, watch Russell’s step-by-step guide on how to do a triangle pose, so you can wring those hips out the right
Category: Yoga
The 3 lower-body stretches a professional cyclist does every single day
January 17, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Spin class is a reliable killer. Now imagine ditching the stationary bike and doing those tough intervals on the road like a professional cyclist. It’s safe to say that once you’re done, you’ll be feeling it all over… and that’s exactly why having a good stretching routine is more than necessary for the women who ride the pavement every day. Kym Perfetto, aka Kym NonStop, a professional cyclist, founding SoulCycle instructor, and fitness YouTuber, has shown off her cycling skills around the globe. She won the first-ever Red Bull Bay Climb, a super-steep uphill race in San Francisco, and even competed on the hit show The Amazing Race. No big deal. When you’re on a bike this much, you have to take good care of your body and make sure you never skip your stretches. “I always stretch after cycling, not before. Stretching stimulates circulation, which can help rid your muscles of any accumulation of lactic acid, which contributes to post-ride soreness,” she says. “These three stretches help me feel my best. They help me open up the muscles that are being overused every day as a cyclist.” You don’t have to be a pro cyclist to benefit from stretching like one, and these are the best ones to start with. Loosen up like a pro cyclist with these lower-body stretches 1. Hip flexor stretch Take a big step back with your left leg and squeeze your butt cheeks. Slowly bend your right
The 12 most unforgivable gym etiquette offenses during the busiest month of the year
January 16, 2020 at 06:42PM by CWC Growing up, my family never missed church on Sunday. Never. As such devout practitioners (aka helpless charges of a devout mother), we liked to complain about the twice-a-year church-goers, the ones who made it unbearably crowded at Easter and Christmas and who never knew what the hell (sorry, mom!) they were doing. Gym etiquette is a lot like church etiquette. I can’t help but be reminded of those disruptive folks when I visit the gym or take a fitness class in January (the exercise equivalent of Christmas), when all the people who make a yearly pilgrimage flood the territory well-trodden by year-round devotees. It is, of course, an intensely positive phenomenon, as exercise is good for the body and the mind, and therefore the more the merrier for a happy, healthy society. That said, if you are among those who don’t frequent sweatboxes and may not know the proper etiquette within them—or, if you’re a 365 exerciser who needs a refresher on how to appropriately navigate more crowded spaces—there are a few things to keep in mind if you hope to not be that guy/gal. To help all of us avoid such a fate, I polled some gym rats for their etiquette pet peeves. Gym Etiquette 101: What NOT to do in fitness spaces this month and every month 1. Hog the treadmills I feel so seen (and amused) by this one that I have to (anonymously) quote it in full: “When you
This 12-minute butt-sculpting yoga flow will put squats and lunges to shame
January 16, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvwbOYldsFo] People tend to forget that yoga is actually a sneaky butt-sculpting workout. Flowing into various poses helps to mobilize and strengthen your entire body, plus it’s benefitting your mind through mindful breathing, but so many of the moves require a huge amount of glute strength. In our newest episode of Well+Good’s Good Moves, yoga instructor Andrea Russell shares a 12-minute vinyasa yoga sequence that works all your muscles, but definitely puts a special focus on the glutes. “Glutes are super important because they help to stabilize your outer hips, your lower back, and keep you well balanced,” she says. “This is super, super important for a really good yoga practice.” To get your butt burning (in a good way), keep scrolling for Russell’s yoga for glutes workout. Try this yoga for glutes workout for yourself 1. Leg reaches: Start on all fours, shoulders above the wrists and hips above the knees. Tuck your toes and press into your palms as you reach your left leg back. Your ankle should be the same height as your hip. Broaden your collarbones, exhale, and reach your leg out to the side, toes facing the front, ankle in line with the hip. Inhale and reach your leg back, then exhale and tap your toes to the floor just outside of the right ankle. Flow through this sequence three times, making sure the right hip doesn’t pop up too far. 2. Downward dog split: Reach your foot down towards the
Williamsburg is basically ‘Wellnessburg,’ and we have the healthy travel guide to prove it
January 15, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyrxwk3JFsI] Ready to plan your wellness-rich Williamsburg itinerary? Watch the video for inspo. There isn’t much Well+Good video producer and host Ella Dove hasn’t tried in the name of wellness (horseback yoga, anyone?) So naturally, we tend to trust her opinions on what’s worth trying and what’s plain weird—no matter where we are or what we’re considering giving a shot. That’s precisely why we’re taking you on a new adventure: What the Wellness: Travel Guides, where Dove visits her go-to wellness destinations in her favorite cities and neighborhoods across the country, highlighting her favorite healthy locales. In this inaugural edition, we’re touring four places in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which may as well be called “Wellnessburg.” One stop along the way? East River Pilates. Even if you’ve never been to Williamsburg, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of East River Pilates founder Kimmy Kellum and strengthened and toned your body thanks to her tough Trainer of the Month Club sets. If possible, though, swinging by the IRL outpost of East River Pilates for a class is worth your time. And not just because it offers a variety of options for its reformer classes (like springboard classes and privates sessions), but because, as Dove points out, it fosters such an inclusive and uplifting community. “Every time I walk in here, I just feel, like, a rush of good energy,” Dove says. “I just think it’s a really fun place to…torture myself in a Pilates class.”
This interactive graphic shows how music makes you feel 13 distinct emotions
January 15, 2020 at 05:59PM by CWC When I’m feeling angry and need something to match my energy, I turn to Rico Nasty’s special brand of punk rap. When I’m ready to calm down, I’ll switch to a more soothing artist, like Nao or Alina Baraz. I know I’m not alone in this—whether you’re having a party or just want to zen out, you pick a playlist to fit the vibe. The impact of music on emotions isn’t a new field of study, but researchers at University of California, Berkeley, have taken it a step further by mapping how music evokes a range of emotional responses. Led by post-doctoral researcher Alan Cowen, PhD, a researcher at Berkeley Social Interaction Laboratory, the team of scientists asked nearly 3,000 people from the U.S. and China to record the feelings they associated with different songs, examining the responses to see how consistent the emotional associations were across cultures. “We arrived at the findings that at least 13 different emotions were reliably conveyed by the music—more than people have thought,” says Dr. Cowen. The identifiabel emotions include: amusing, annoying, anxious/tense, beautiful, calm/relaxing/serene, dreamy, energizing, erotic/desirous, indignant/defiant, joyful/cheerful, sad/depressing, scary/fearful, and triumphant/heroic. Take for example an instrumental sample of “The Morning” by The Weeknd. Thirty-seven percent of the listeners found it “dreamy,” 33 percent found it “romantic and loving,” 30 percent found it “erotic and desirous,” and 27 percent found it “calm, relaxing and serene.” On the other end of the spectrum, fully 80 percent of
6 luxe African safaris that are making wellness a serious focus
January 15, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC The idea of luxury African safaris most commonly conjures dreams of peeping majestic animals in their natural environment. And, sure, that’s a fair primary focus of such a travel experience, but the trip can be so much more. While offering health-boosting benefits that accompany communing with nature, the pace of a safari also caters to wellness-oriented wanderers who relish rising with the sun, enjoying nutritious meals, relaxing during ample downtime, stargazing, and hitting the sack at a reasonable hour. To that point, many lodges for luxury African safaris have incorporated well-being elements—like yoga classes, in-room massages, and sound healing—into their offerings to provide travelers a more holistic experience, says Rachel McGuire, an Africa and safari specialist at luxury travel agency Scott Dunn. “There are a number of options that do a fantastic job immersing visitors in the wonder of the continent, while delivering a major dose of R & R.” Rounded up below are six of those options. Read on for 6 luxury African safaris embracing wellness in their offerings. Photo: Singita Kwitonda Lodge 1. Singita Kwitonda Lodge Rwanda “Singita Kwitonda Lodge near Kinigi, Rwanda, combines the thrill of gorilla trekking with gracious hospitality and modern accommodations,” says McGuire. Not only do suites come with all the creature comforts you’d want—including private plunge pools and heated floors—but the expansive bathrooms feature massage tables for tension-melting rubdowns in the privacy of your room. So, after being able to watch critically endangered gorillas live freely
Your complete guide to hitting the right boutique fitness class for you
January 15, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Boutique fitness studios are like universes unto themselves. Each has its own distinct brand, from the look of the sweat box to the vibe of its classes to what the workouts are actually like once you’re in them. Because of this, boutique fitness can feel hard to navigate and, let’s be honest, intimidating if you have no clue where to get started. It doesn’t have to be such a scavenger hunt, though. To make finding the right fitness class feel breeze, we’ve broken each out by its very specific specialty. Are you into restorative yoga flows, or do you prefer quick-hit vinyasas? Are you a barre person or a Pilates person? Would you prefer dance cardio over spinning, or would you choose running over anything else? Keep scrolling to find your sweat match, based on your favorite way to get your heart rate up. And hey, maybe you’ll even find a new fave way to sweat at one of these nation-wide studios. View this post on Instagram When life knocks you down, do a burpee. #NationalGetUpDay A post shared by Orangetheory Fitness (@orangetheory) on Feb 1, 2018 at 6:08am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js Orangetheory If you like: HIIT or heart-rate training If you can’t live without your tracker and are constantly trying to work out near your max heart rate, Orangetheory is right up your alley. It’s essentially a HIIT class that’s broken down into a treadmill segment, a weight training segment, and a rowing segment,
This fitness app is putting personal training into the palm of your hand for only $15
January 11, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Personal training hasn’t ever been all that accessible (unless, perhaps, you’re Kim K). Because of this, most of us have to schlep it to boutique fitness classes or rely on digital offerings to work up a sweat. But as of late, at-home workouts have been blurring the lines between boutique-level quality and accessibility, and you can bet that streaming services are going to do the very same for personal training. One company that’s out front? Openfit. While there have certainly been advancements in at-home personal training—the digital fitness platform Mirror, for example, recently introduced the option for $40 training sessions on their $1,495 device—none has, until now, made it truly accessible for everyone. The digital fitness app Openfit is looking to democratize access to a personal trainer. On its streaming service, workouts are led by an instructor who can give you everything an IRL personal trainer would—form adjustments, motivation, you name it. All you do is allow the app access to your camera (this is optional), so that it’s focused on you as you workout. This way, the trainer watches you in real time so they know exactly how to coach you through the exercises. It costs about $15 per month, or $100 annually, and all you need is your phone to participate. “Our goal with Openfit Live is to democratize the [boutique fitness class] experience and make it possible for everyone to benefit from accountability, community, and results that come from having a
7 ways to heal your sacral chakra and get your creative juices flowing again
January 01, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC If you feel like you’ve lost your creative mojo, or perhaps have trouble expressing yourself, your sacral chakra might need some healing. But first, in case you need a little chakra refresher: “There are seven different major energy centers throughout the body, from the base of the spine to the crown of the head through which this energy can flow in and out in a constant stream,” says nutritionist and Reiki Master Serena Poon. “These energy centers are called chakras, Sanskrit for ‘wheel,’ and are essentially the link between our energetic and physical bodies and the universal life force energy that connects us environmentally and spiritually.” The sacral chakra, also knowns as the second chakra, is located two inches below your belly button and is represented by the color orange. “This chakra governs your emotions, your creativity, sensitivity, sexuality, intimacy, emotional well-being, and self-expression,” Poon says. Each chakra, she adds, also vibrates at a particular frequency that impacts certain parts of the body. For the sacral, it’s the lymphatic and circulatory systems, reproductive organs, bladder, kidney, and large intestines. So, really, what does it mean to heal your sacral chakra? Poon explains that it’s about clearing and cleansing that energy center and bringing it back into a state of balance. There are many things you can do to heal your chakras. There’s talking to them, for example, as well as wearing chakra-balancing jewelry, and if you want to get really woo-woo, you can even try rainbow crystal light