Category Archives: FITNESS

SWEAT by BW: Dumbbell Workout

The dumbbell is an incredibly effective tool to develop total body strength, stability, and explosive power. The wide variety of available dumbbell workouts allow for practically limitless possibilities of exercises, not to mention, its accessibility and low cost makes it a great choice for at-home training.

For many exercisers who are involved in strength training, the dumbbell will be their first foray into the world of “free-weight” training and the benefits of free-weight training are significant.  Most people feel confident using machine weights, because a machine is stable and has a pre-set range of motion built into it. While this makes it safe for everyone to begin developing strength, it leaves much to be desired for functionality. Enter the dumbbell: when not able to rely on a machine’s stability and pre-set range of motion, you’re forced to create range of motion and stability from within.

This inherent demand for stability develops the body in an entirely different way than a machine can.  It builds stability around your joints while strengthening your muscles at the same time.  Also, the demand for your body and nervous system to create and control range of motion on its own creates a network of motor pathways that provide a more functional level of strength. And by functional we mean the strength that can be used in day to day life.

If you’re looking to step up your strength training and progress into dynamic functionality, look no further than these four powerful moves that require only a single dumbbell.

 

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

The king of exercises, the squat, is incredibly effective with this unique position that safely allows you to learn this greatest of all strength building moves.

-Grasp the dumbbell and support it from one end with both hands, as you would carry a giant goblet, and place it at chest level with your elbows under your wrists

-Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly turned outward

-Breath in and brace your abdominals

-Send your hips back slightly and squat down until your hips are slightly below parallel

-Maintain your weight in the middle foot and keep your chest up throughout the movement

-Push back up to standing position

 

Dumbbell Snatch

The dumbbell snatch is our first look into explosive training with weights.  Enjoy the athleticism and explosive hip action that this classic move provides.

-Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart

-Place the dumbbell in one hand hanging at arm’s length in front of your hips

-Breath in and brace your abdominals

-Send your hips back and soften your knees until the dumbbell is hanging at approximately knee level

-Immediately and forcefully open your hips and knees to create upward momentum on the dumbbell

-Guide the dumbbell’s momentum with your arm until the dumbbell is overhead and locked at the elbow with your bicep covering your ear

-Slowly guide the dumbbell back to your shoulder, then to the hanging position at your hips before repeating

 

 

Dumbbell One-Arm Press

The press is one of the single most important upper body strength builders and, with dumbbells, we receive the awesome benefit of strengthening each side individually for better muscular balance.

-Place the dumbbell in your hand at shoulder level

-Stand with your feet approximately hip width apart

-Breath in and brace your abdominals

-Press the dumbbell to arm’s length overhead until your bicep is covering your ear

-Slowly return the dumbbell to shoulder level

 

 

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge in Goblet Position

The reverse lunge is a remarkable single-leg strength movement that will leave your glutes and quads feeling the burn.

-Grasp the dumbbell at one end and place it at chest level, supporting it from one end with both hands, as you would carry a giant goblet, and place it at chest level with your elbows under your wrists

-Breath in and brace your abdominals

-Step back with one leg onto the ball of your foot

-Lower your body in this position until your back knee lightly touches floor. Both knees should be at 90 degrees at the moment the back knee reaches the floor.

-Push off of the floor and lift your back leg back to meet your front leg in standing position

-Alternate legs each repetition

SWEAT by BW: Resistance Band Training

Resistance bands are some of the most versatile tools for creating a full body strength routine.  The origins of band training lie within the realm of physical therapy and rehabilitation; bands are still used extensively within those fields to this day. The bands’ elasticity forces you to maintain a very controlled eccentric phase for each exercise (this is the negative or “down” phase of an exercise). This makes it supremely effective, not only for building muscular strength, but also strengthening tendons and developing joint stability, and makes band training incredibly safe for all levels of fitness, including for those recovering from an injury.

Another advantage of band training is its concept of “accommodating resistance”. This means that as the range of motion of an exercise increases, so does the tension created by the band.  This provides a unique and powerful strength stimulus to the body by creating peak tension at the end range of a movement. (A few reps of the exercises below and you’ll know what we mean by peak tension!)

The cost and accessibility of bands (like this set from #FitChick Body Co.) also makes them great tools worthy of investing some time in learning their proper use efffectively.  The average cost of a set of multiple resistance bands is around $10-30. The amount of possible exercises you can do in band training is almost never ending. We’ve whittled down the endless pool of movements to give you the nuts and bolts to build a great full body workout.

 

Resistance Band Good Mornings

The ‘good morning’ is a powerful hamstring and glute strengthener, as well as a great move to improve hamstring flexibility.

1. While holding onto the band, stand on the band (or, rather, in it) with feet shoulder-width apart; the band should be pinned under the middle of your feet
2. Pull the remaining loop around over your head and rest it on the back of your neck
3. Soften your knees, inflate your chest and brace your abdominals
4. Drive your hips back while maintaining the same knee angle until a stretch is felt in your hamstrings
5. Once peak tension is felt (in your hamstrings), reverse back to standing
6. The repetition tempo should be slow and controlled
7. Complete three sets of 15-20 repetitions before increasing the band tension (moving on to a thicker band)

Resistance Band Pull-Aparts

The resistance band pull-aparts exercise is a fantastic shoulder strengthener and will help you build and support shoulder posture to fix and/or prevent sagging shoulders.

1. While standing, grab ahold of the band with both hands face down, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
2. The band should be out in front of your shoulders at arms’ length
3. Brace your abdominals and retract your shoulder blades
4. With locked elbows, pull the band apart all the way until it stretches across your chest and your shoulder blades are maximally squeezed together
5. Slowly return the band to arms’ length in front of your body
6. Complete three sets of 10-15 repetitions before increasing the band tension or try executing from a more narrow grip for an added challenge

Resistance Band Side Walking

You may have never felt your butt burn as much as this little gem will get it cooking!

1. Place the band in the same position as you would for a good morning
2. Start in standing position with your feet hip- width apart, toes facing straight and forward
3. Soften your knees slightly, inflate your chest, and brace your abdominals
4. Step to the side as far as your strength allows without losing your forward toe position
5. Slowly lift up the trailing leg and return to a hip-width stance
6. Repeat for 10-15 steps in one direction before returning with the opposite leading leg for an equal number of repetitions
7. Complete two to three sets of 10-15 reps in each direction before increasing the band tension

Resistance Band Push-ups

If your pushup is becoming a stale part of your strength routine, try this more challenging banded version that will get you sweating in no time (and don’t say we didn’t warn you)!

1. Place the band around your back at approximately shoulder blade-height
2. Keep a hand in each ends of the band and firmly place your hands on the floor
3. Step your feet back into a pushup position so your shoulders are directly above your wrists and your legs are straight, supported on your toes
4. Brace your abdominals and retract your shoulder blades
5. Slowly lower your chest all the way to the floor; as soon as you make contact, press back up strong to an elbow lock
6. Maintain your body in a stable position from your shoulders to your feet with no “snaking”, or, arching throughout the movement
7. Complete three sets of 8-15 repetitions before increasing the band tension
8. If floor pushups are too difficult, place your hands on an elevated surface (like a box or a bench) and execute the above in exactly the same fashion

Each of these powerful strength builders can be done individually or together as a circuit. This approach will allow for added recovery for individual muscles and, as a result, you’ll be able to push harder on each exercise and also elevate your heart rate.

SWEAT by BW: Booty Building Workout

Glute training, or “booty-building” as it’s affectionately known in the fitness world these days, is all the latest craze, and its popularity is not without merit.  Developing the glutes, upper hamstrings, and all of the powerful hip extensor muscles of the backside will not only give you a firm and toned posterior, it will help in injury prevention and create the stability and muscle tone needed to improve posture.

Booty-building has also received a huge pat on the back and validation from the physical therapy community.  Glute activation is one of the most significant themes in developing better posture and alignment in the hips and pelvis.  Orthopedic pain and many dysfunctional movement patterns can stem directly from our inability to activate the glutes in basic exercises and daily activities.  This is compounded with the typical postures we find ourselves forced into in the modern workplace and during activities like driving which leave the glutes weak and flaccid.  This also leaves the function of our hips weak and unstable, and since the hips are the center of all athletic functional movement, reclaiming that function should be a primary goal of any exercise program.

We live in a much more enlightened age of exercise than we once did.  In a world where strong is the new skinny, people have embraced a well-developed backside.  Perhaps the popularity of booty-building lies in a simple observation.  The fastest, strongest, and most athletic people on the planet tend to have well developed backsides!  Just take a look at major sporting events like the Olympics: sprinting, gymnastics, field and court sports have little in common except that the best in those sports clearly are using their backsides to perform!

If you want to simultaneously develop an athletic-looking backside as well as create a stable and balanced posture, these four booty-building movements should be a regular part of your program.

Hip Bridge

The hip bridge is probably the single most effective glute exercise out there.

1. Start by laying your upper back and shoulders perpendicular across a bench

2. Walk your feet out away from the bench until your ankles are directly under your knees and your shins are vertical

3. Start with your hips up in a bridge position to ensure proper muscle engagement

4. Make sure your abs and ribcage are braced down and your butt is squeezed hard!

5. To begin the movement, slowly lower your hips and torso together in one line until your butt points approximately toward the ground (or until stable depth is achieved)

6. Drive your hips back up powerfully to the starting bridge position and squeeze for 2 seconds

7. Complete three sets of 10-15 repetitions

For an added challenge, place a weight (barbell, dumbbell etc.) at your hips while performing all sets and reps.

 

Deficit Reverse Lunge

The classic reverse lunge is a stand-out in the myriad of leg and glute strengtheners, but the addition of the deficit puts this already great movement into overdrive!

1. Stack plates or identify a small block approximately 3-5 inches high

2. Stand on the elevated surface with both feet

3. Breathe in and brace your abdominals

4. Step backwards with one leg and soften your knees until the back knee lightly “kisses” the floor

5. As soon as floor contact is achieved, bring both legs back together on top of the elevated surface

6. Complete three sets of 10-15 repetitions per leg

For an added challenge, hold weights in your hands (dumbbell, kettlebell) while performing all sets and reps.

 

Single Leg Deadlift

The single leg deadlift simultaneously develops amazing hamstring and glute power while imparting incredible balance and coordination.  You’d be hard-pressed to find a more all-in-one exercise!

1. Place a light bar or dumbbells in each hand

2. Balance on one single leg

3. While keeping your hips and shoulders square to the ground, hinge at your hips, reaching one leg backward until a gentle stretch is felt in the back of the balancing leg

4. Return slowly back to standing position with both legs together for balance

5. Complete three sets of 8-12 repetitions per leg before adding heavier hand weights

 

Dragon Step-Up

This unique looking movement places great stress on the glutes while at the same time creating flexible hips and ankles for the ultimate in flexibility and strength!

1. Identify a step box that places the thigh at greater than parallel when one foot is on top

2. Standing to the side of the box, step your outside leg in front onto box. Press up to bring your inside leg to standing position on top of box.

3. Once you’re on top of the box, slowly step the same leading leg behind the other leg off the box. Bring your trailing leg back to standing position on the floor.

4. Repeat this process back across box in the other direction.

5. Complete three sets of 20-30 total box cross-overs

For an added challenge, place a light weight in your hands at chest level.

These exercises are fantastic as workouts in and of themselves but can also be easily added on to the back end of a classic leg training day in the gym.  For more intensity, try doing the above exercises in a circuit style.  The compound effect of circuit-style glute training will increase the impact of all of the movements individually.  But watch out for extreme DOMS (delayed-onset-muscle-soreness!) and build to the task over multiple workouts.

7 Jump Rope Workouts You Can Do at Home

“Is it time for bed already?” you ask yourself as you gaze out the window. No — it’s 4:30. This is the winter. It’s dark. It’s cold. The last thing you want to do after working all day is to go to the gym to get your sweat on. Don’t let your fitness take a backseat just because it’s the season of chunky sweaters and comfort food. If you’ve got a jump rope and a high ceiling, you can try these seven jump rope workouts right at home. You can even watch Netflix as you do them. #Win

7 Jump Rope Workouts to Try at Home

1. Alternating Jump Rope Workout

One of our favorite jump rope workouts is this five-minute programming from Jump Rope Dudes on YouTube. What we love about this is that it alternates between jumping rope and other simple exercises. Here’s what you can expect.

  • 30 seconds jump rope regular bounce
  • 30 seconds jumping jacks
  • 30 seconds jump rope boxer skip
  • 30 seconds sumo squats
  • 30 seconds jump rope regular bounce
  • 30 seconds speed skaters
  • 30 seconds jump rope boxer skip
  • 30 seconds squat hold

Rest for 10 seconds between exercises, and rest one minute between circuits. Repeat these five times.

2. Annie

Annie is a traditional functional fitness workout that combines double-unders and sit-ups.

If you’re not yet familiar, double-unders are when the rope passes under your feet twice per jump, instead of once. This is obviously more advanced, but once you get them down, give Annie a shot.

For Time (complete as fast as you can)

50-40-30-20-10 reps

  • Double-unders
  • Sit-ups

3. 10-Minute Jump Rope Workout

This workout from POPSUGAR Fitness is a great one for beginners because they ease you into it, starting with double hops (which you can continue if you need to take it a little slower). This workout includes Ali jumps, high knees, single-foot hops, and lateral hops. Plus, the video includes a cool-down. Bonus!

Get your heart rate up and break a serious sweat.

4. Flight Simulator

This is another functional fitness workout for those of you who have mastered double-unders. Flight Simulator is not for the faint of heart.

For Time

5-10-15-20-25-30-35-40-45-50-45-40-35-30-25-20-15-10-5 reps of unbroken double-unders

Typically, you can rest as needed in between sets, but if you miss a rep mid-set, you have to start that set all over again. Brutal.

5. HIIT Jump Rope Cardio Workout

This one’s really going to have you breathing heavy. The workout from Dannibelle includes three sets of seven types of skipping. You should aim to do the seven exercises straight through with no rest, but you do get 90 seconds of rest between sets. Here’s the list of skipping types:

  • 30 seconds standard skipping
  • 30 seconds high knees
  • 30 seconds split skips
  • 30 seconds single leg hops (right side)
  • 30 seconds single leg hops (left side)
  • 30 seconds alternating double hops
  • 30 seconds fast high knees

6. The Ultimate Beginner’s Jump Rope Workout

If you’re interested in jump rope workouts but need to keep it super simple, this one from The Phoenix Movement might be the one for you. It’s simply 20-second intervals of basic skipping.

  • 20 seconds basic bounce
  • 20 seconds rest
  • 20 seconds basic bounce
  • 20 seconds rest
  • 20 seconds basic bounce
  • 20 seconds rest
  • 20 seconds basic bounce
  • 20 seconds rest

Do this three times.

7. Low-Impact Jump Rope Workout

This routine from FitnessBlender is a good one to try because it’s manageable but effective. It’s more low-impact but you still get one heck of a workout. It’s based on 25 seconds on and 10 seconds of rest, although you can keep jumping through the rest periods if you’re feeling ambitious.

Jumping rope is an excellent full-body workout. It scorches calories, challenges your lower and upper body, and helps you get an effective workout in even if you only have five minutes. Next time your schedule is packed but you want to get your heart rate up, try these seven jump rope workouts right at home.

When it’s Okay to Take a Rest Day

When you’re on your grind and totally in the #fitlife zone, we know how hard it can be to peel yourself away from the gym to take an off day, especially when you’ve just gotten into the groove of it all. You might even worry that you’re stunting your progress or being counterproductive by doing so. But rest days are crucial, not only to give your body time to recover from those hard, dedicated workouts you’ve been putting in, but recovery is a vital part of building. Here are times when it’s completely okay (and necessary) to take a rest day.

 

When you’re under the weather

There are some that might say that working out when you’re sick can help you knock out a fever faster, but even moderate activity can have an overall negative effect on the length and severity of it. A fever means that the body’s immune system is battling an infection — and shouldn’t deal with the stress from exercise on top of that. Body fluids also decrease when you have a fever, so if you attempt to exercise, you’re more at risk for overheating and dehydration.

This is not to be confused with when you have more harmless symptoms, like a little cough or a runny nose, where experts agree that moderate-intensity workouts can be beneficial. But when you have the flu, the absolute best thing you can do is limit your activity, get plenty of rest, and keep well-hydrated.

 

When you’re exhausted

If you’re physically and mentally tired as the result of a lack of sleep, it’s best to avoid strenuous exercise until you’re well rested. When you engage in strenuous exercise when you’re fatigued, you’re more likely to have sloppy form which could result in injury. When your body is all-around tired, it won’t hold up as well to any activity. Instead, it’s best to catch up on your sleep before going at it again and to build gradually to a comfortable pace.

tired fit woman

If you notice that you’re constantly fatigued throughout the day, even after a good night’s rest, you may want to check with your doctor as that could be a sign of an underlying illness.

 

When you’re overly sore

A clear sign you’re overworking yourself is it you’re constantly sore, even if you’re doing the same routine. When you don’t allow adequate time for recovery, you’re actually derailing your progress. And if you start having sharp pains, do not try to work out to get rid of it. If you’re dealing with major soreness because you overdid it the last time you exercised, be conscious to make your following workouts more reasonable. It is possible to overwork yourself, so be sure to properly pace yourself and give your body appropriate and adequate recovery.

 

When you’ve hit a plateau

If your routine is bogging you down or even making you angry, and you find that you start to dread your work-out, it might be a good time to take an off day to re-evaluate your actions. Momentum is extremely important in any fitness plan, and doing a routine that either burns you out or doesn’t motivate you can possibly set you up for failure. Take a day off to see what’s working in your routine, and what’s not.

You may want to re-evaluate your eating habits to see if that’s the cause of your weight-loss plateau and use the day to get back on track with some healthy, nutritious meals.

 

It’s great to push ourselves, but we need to know the difference between pushing ourselves and pushing ourselves too hard. More is not always better. While we’d all undoubtedly love to have our dream bodies in time for summer (hello bikinis!), it’s important to remember that fitness isn’t a race, but rather a lifestyle of healthy choices.

8 Contemporary Female Athletes Who Inspire Us

All around us, women are rising up, as we have been for centuries. But perhaps one of the most physical displays of perseverance in the face of inequality is in the arena of athletics. Here, women must quite literally find the strength necessary to break records and defy patriarchal norms, overcoming barriers of sexism and in many cases, many other layers of adversity. Here are some of our favorite contemporary female athletes who inspire us to keep pushing hard.

1. Mira Rai

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27-year-old Mira Rai is kind of a sensation right now, especially after being named the 2017 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. The petite, high-altitude ultra-runner grew up in the mountains of Nepal, where her family tended livestock. In a country where her opportunities are extremely limited because of her gender, Rai spent much of her childhood helping her parents with labor-intensive farm chores.

At 12, she dropped out of school, and at 14 joined a group of Maoist rebels without her parents’ permission. After returning home several years later to care for her family, she ventured to Kathmandu. While jogging in the hills, she met a group of runners, which led her to unexpectedly begin her first trail race the next day. In the last two years, she’s gone on to win many races across the world.

2. Maya Moore

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As a WNBA player, Moore started her career with recognition. She was the first overall pick for the 2011 draft, then went on to 2011 Rookie of the Year, as well as several WNBA championships and MVP awards in the years that followed. She also won both the EuroLeague and Spanish League title in 2012. Oh, and she has two Olympic gold medals. Oh, and she’s the first female to sign with the Jordan brand. What else do you need to know?

Born in Missouri, Moore and her three sisters were raised by a single mother. Moore first started playing basketball when her mother put a hoop on the backdoor of the apartment. Now, at 26, Moore shows little interest in adding dating to her busy schedule, and doesn’t talk much about her personal life.

3. Simone Biles

female athletes who inspire us

This 4’ 8”, 19-year-old gymnast stole our hearts during the 2016 Olympics with her signature move, “the Biles.”  According to Bustle, the move is a “tumbling double half layout, complete with full twist.” Whatever that means, right? Anyway, it’s pure gold to watch in action, and apparently the judges thought so, too — Biles took home four gold medals and a bronze, setting the record for the most medals in women’s gymnastics in a single game.

Before moving in with her grandparents, Biles and her three siblings spent time in foster care after her mother and father left the picture due to their struggles with addiction. At six, her grandparents adopted her, and shortly thereafter she began doing gymnastics. By the time she reached her mid-teens, she was competing and winning medals.

4. Rafaela Silva

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When the 24-year-old Brazilian Judo fighter took home gold at the 2016 Olympics, it meant more than just the prize — her win was also about earning respect for where she came from. Until the age of eight, Silva grew up in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, also known as the “City of God.” It’s a rough place that sees little government intervention, but her victory brought hope to its residents.

The victory had even more impact when taken into consideration alongside her disqualification at the 2012 London Olympics, according to the Washington Post. Silva had been kicked out of the tournament after executing a newly-illegal move, which was responded to by the Brazilian public with a barrage of racist slurs on her social media account. The trolling affected her so deeply that she almost gave up judo, but after struggling for several months, she eventually returned stronger than ever.

5. Yusra Mardini


Another Olympian, this time from 2016’s debut Team Refugee: 18-year-old competitive swimmer Yusra Mardini. Mardini is from Syria; and when crossing the Aegean Sea to safety, the boat she shared with 19 other passengers started to sink. She and her sister jumped into the water and started to swim the boat to land. They swam for three and a half hours before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos.

Eventually Mardini found refuge in Berlin, where she was discovered by a coach who saw her swimming at a local pool. At Rio, she won her heat but didn’t qualify for the final round, but she hopes for more in Tokyo in 2020.

6. Bethany Hamilton

female athletes who inspire us

Hamilton, now 26, always loved the water, especially surfing. But it’s challenging enough on its own to make this passion into a career without the unexpected barriers Hamilton ultimately had to face. In 2013, when surfing off the coast of Kauai with her friend and her family, Hamilton was lying back on her surfboard, dangling her arm in the water. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her board — a 10-foot tiger shark, who ended up taking one of her arms with her. Never stepping foot in the ocean again? Yeah, me neither.

Or at least, that’s what many of us would have said. But for Bethany, it only took about three weeks for her to get out to the water again, board in hand, and then three tries before she got up on her board — with one arm. She went on to see success with her surfing career, plus a book, a movie, and many different appearances on TV shows.

7. Adriene Levknecht


Diving into more extreme outdoor sports means high stakes — life or death, in fact. For 27-year-old kayaker Adrienne Levknecht, her relationship with whitewater has gotten her through the tough things, including the death of a friend as a result of a kayaking accident and her own losses at the World Championships. She’s well-decorated in the niche world of freestyle kayaking, including 2012 Female Paddler of the Year. And she’s also a teacher — she now works for a program called First Descents, a program that gives intensive one-on-one kayaking classes to cancer survivors.

8. Lhakpa Sherpa

Mountaineering also leaves little margin for error; but when it comes to Mt. Everest, it’s all about the end goal: the summit. Lhakpa Sherpa is what Outdoor Magazine calls a “housewife” — she lives in Connecticut and takes care of the kids, mostly. But simultaneously, the native Nepali holds a record for being the woman with the most successful summits of Everest.

The time spanning her first and most recent summit marks a difficult period in Sherpa’s life. Recently, she divorced her husband of 12 years (another climber) on the grounds of domestic abuse. She had grown up in the mountains of Nepal, then worked on the mountain for numerous years; but after moving to Connecticut to be with her husband and raise a family, her life changed drastically. For 12 years, she’d lived in a country where she didn’t speak the language; and because she hadn’t had access to education as a child, she couldn’t read in any language.

For a long while, Sherpa held six summits, which still would have been a record. But this past summer, after her divorce, she completed her seventh summit.

Our Favs in Celebrity Athletic Fashion

Isn’t working out more exciting when you have something cute to wear? The athleisure trend popped up a few years ago and has been going strong ever since. By creating pieces that are functional for exercise but wearable for everyday life, being inspired and prepared to workout has become even easier. Celebs have always had a huge impact on the fashion industry and have become a mainstay in the athletic fashion space as well through creating collections of their own. Here are a few of our celebrity athletic fashion line picks.

EleVen

by Venus Williams

If there’s anyone I’d trust to make the most amazing athletic wear, it would be Venus Williams, the four-time winner of Wimbledon, two-time winner of the US Open, and the first African American woman to reach #1 on the WTA singles rankings. She knows her way around the tennis court and definitely knows what it takes to create great athletic fashion wear because she has to wear it every day. EleVen was created by Venus and aims to be fashion-forward and celebrate self-expression and individuality.

 

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Reach for the Starlet collection. Available now on EleVen site. Link in the bio. #BeAnEleven

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MPG Sport

Julianne Hough Collection

Julianne Hough, well-known for her career as an actress and appearances on Dancing With The Stars (she won the show twice and later went on to become a judge), curated a collection of athletic clothing with MPG Sport, made to transition from the gym to wherever else the day may take you.

 

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FINALLY it feels like FALL!!! 🍁🍂🍂 It was super hot, high 80’s and sunny, when I first got to Birmingham, and now it’s dropped down to the low 60’s…. and I LOVE it! I absolutely LOVE fall fashion, but being on set and in the hair and makeup trailers for hours at ungodly hours of the morning, I want to first and foremost be comfortable. So…. that’s why I wanted to create pieces for my @mpgsport collection that were cozy, fashion forward and practical! I’m layered up in the Harmony bodysuit and Mila down bomber jacket from my fall #mpgbyjules collection in this photo! I feel like I put “real clothes” on to go to work, haha – we all have those days of grey on grey on grey sweats all day, yet also still super comfortable! Go check out the 🔗 in my bio for all my cute fall pieces! 💋 📷: @brianbowensmith

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Caelum

by Brooke Burke

Another Dancing With The Stars alum (one-time winner and later host) Brooke Burke-Charvet created her activewear line Caelum (which stands for “create, active, evolve, live, uplift, and motivate”) to be a luxe, minimalist athletic fashion brand that can transition from the gym to your girls’ night out through the use of fabrics that are both beautiful and functional.

 

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Sunday FunDay playing around with our Queen B @brookeburke #Caelum #FitnessFashion

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Fenty Puma

by Rihanna

When my personal style icon came out with a collection with Puma, I swear my heart stopped. In 2015, Rihanna launched her first sneaker with Puma and sold out within three hours of the pre-sale. Rihanna then expanded to clothing, with pieces featured in New York Fashion Week. Since then, Rihanna has continued to drop collections that push the boundaries of athletic fashion and keep us all wanting more.

 

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The second drop of #FENTYxPUMA SS18 hits stores May 3rd. Race Jacket out June 14th! Ready for another heat wave? 🔥

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Touché LA x

Morgan Stewart

Rich Kids of Beverly Hills reality show star-turned sportswear designer Morgan Stewart launched her first collection with Touché LA and has continued to build and expand on her collections since. Morgan frequently complained about exercising on the show, which makes her so relatable, because who really loves working out? (Definitely not me.) The Touché LA x Morgan Stewart styles are simple, sleek, and extremely wearable. Morgan wants to further expand into size inclusivity as her next steps with the brand.

 

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#tlabymorganstewart

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Jessica Biel for Gaiam

Jessica Biel has recently become the Gaiam brand ambassador and has signed on to create a signature apparel collection for fall 2018. Jessica was a gymnast in her younger years and later transitioned into yoga for a lower impact workout. She now practices yoga every other day. Her collection with Gaiam takes inspiration from the runway for pieces that go from the gym to school pickup, and straight to dinner. Her goal was to create expensive-looking pieces that are budget-friendly (and has done just that).

 

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Kickin’ off the weekend with our favorite superwoman @jessicabiel 🙌🙌🙌 Shop her look now only at @kohls #linkinbio

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Get in Fighting Shape at These 5 Boxing Gyms

Boxing isn’t just for professional fighters anymore, it’s become the latest go-to workout for your favorite celebs and supermodels. Studios are popping up all over the US and they feature multiple methods and systems to incorporate boxing into your fitness routine, regardless of your fitness level or expertise. Great for improving your hand-eye coordination, decreasing stress levels, and improving your cardiovascular health, boxing is also a great stress reliever. Here are some boxing gyms across the country to get you started.

 

Rumble Boxing

Rumble Boxing features a unique mix of boxing and strength training all in one class combining high intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training, metabolic conditioning, and cardio in each class.  The group-based fitness classes give a sense of community which means extra motivation to push through your workout. And music is a big part of any rumble class! Celebs like Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez, and Justin Bieber have all been known to frequent Rumble boxing classes. Rumble currently has studios in both New York City and Los Angeles.

 

9round

Shannon and Heather Hudson, a couple from South Carolina who previously owned a Karate school, founded 9round in 2008. The mission behind 9round was to create an affordable workout that would allow busy parents (like themselves) to fit an amazing 30 minute workout into a tight schedule. By 2012, 9round had expanded to over 100 locations across the nation, and they now boast over 700 locations all over the world with more in development.

 

Impact Strong

 

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“You can’t hire someone else to do your push ups for you” -Jim Rohn

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Impact Strong features 30-minute-long kickboxing classes that will have your body burning fat for up to 48 hours after you’ve finished your workout. Classes are available for all levels of fitness, from beginners to advanced and if you have extra time in your day, Impact Strong also has a separate 30 minute HIIT workout class that can be taken before or after your Kickboxing class to amp up your results.  Impact Strong currently has gyms in Texas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Jersey, and Utah.

 

Title Boxing Club

 

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#WCW – @xo.healthy – Stiff jabs over stiff drinks any day of the week. 🥊🔥 — #boxing #TITLEBoxing #FightLikeAGirl

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Title Boxing Club features boxing and kickboxing classes committed to giving people of all ages, fitness levels, and abilities access to an empowering workout. These classes aren’t routine, making every class different and challenging. Each workout includes a warm up, rounds, active rest, and a core and cool-down session. Title Boxing Club has over 180 locations and is available all over the United States.

 

Everybody Fights

 

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Our love for boxing is real 🥊❤️ #everybodyfights @rachelg_photography @hloonan

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Everybody Fights was founded by George Foreman III, a professional boxer with a perfect 16-0 record who grew up in the World of Boxing alongside his father, legendary two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman Sr. George opened the first Everybody Fights location in Boston in 2014 and now has locations in New York, Boston, Kentucky, and Chicago (a location in Philadelphia will be opening in 2019).

Easy Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Have you avoided starting a strength training program because you’re not sure where to start? Truth be told, it certainly can be intimidating to take on a weightlifting routine for the first time (or simply if you’re unsure what you’re doing, exactly); but getting over that initial hump is well worth it.

The good news is that you don’t need to hit the gym to reap the many benefits of regular strength training. In fact, bodyweight exercises can often provide the same (or similar) benefits to using weights, and you can do them anywhere, anytime.

What is weight training, exactly? 

First and foremost, let’s look at what weight training is. Basically, it is the use of resistance with muscular contraction to build strength, muscle, and increase anaerobic endurance. It is based on the principle that your body will work to overcome a resistance force, and the act of training in this way repeatedly will build strength.

What are the benefits of weight training?

Resistance training is about much more than building sculpted muscles (although this is often a nice side effect). It also improves bone density, joint junction, and tendon and ligament strength.

Studies show that increased muscle mass raises your RMR (resting metabolic rate), meaning you burn more calories while at rest — which is why strength training is so important for weight loss (sometimes more beneficial than cardio, in fact). Last but certainly not least, weight training improves your heart and lung health, helps to prevent future injury, and improves flexibility and balance.

Ideally, you’ll weight train at least twice per week to maximize these benefits.

easy bodyweight exercises

Top 5 Easy Bodyweight Exercises to Include in Your Routine

Beginner or not, bodyweight resistance exercises can take your fitness to the next level, and there’s really no excuse not to do them (remember: no gym membership needed). Incorporate the following movements to ensure that you’re targeting all major muscle groups and actively working to stay in shape and prevent future injury. Furthermore, it is essential that you master the bodyweight version of any exercise before adding additional weight.

The Squat

easy bodyweight exercises

Many fitness experts see the squat as one of the most important functional movements to include in everyone’s routine. The squat provides lower body strengthening and mobility and mimics a natural movement that we carry out in daily life. The problem is squats are not easy, mainly due to poor flexibility and mobility. When done correctly, they work the glutes, hamstrings, quads, erector spinae (muscles lining your spine), abs, adductors (inner thigh muscles), and more.

To properly execute the squat, stand with your feet just shoulder-width apart, keeping your knees centered over your ankles (not jutting out in front of your toes). Bend your knees as you sit the hips way back, maintaining your weight on the heels until you come to about 90 degrees from the floor. Press back up through your heels to starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top. This is one repetition.

Pull-Ups

For the females out there, you might be rolling your eyes at this one. But remember, even if you don’t (yet) have the strength to do a strict pull-up, there are easy ways to modify this important movement. The pull-up is excellent for overall body strength and endurance, and primarily works the triceps, lats, biceps, and various muscles of and around the shoulders.

To modify, use an elastic band for assistance (or two). You can decide whether to have your palms facing forward, backward, or between a wide or narrow grip. Each is beneficial in different ways. For a beginner, start with a wide grip, palms forward for a push-up variation.

Hang from the bar, shoulders pulled down and away from your ears, and pull your body straight up until your chin is just over the bar. Hold this position for a second and then slowly lower back to your starting position. Do as many reps as possible (even if you start with less than one).

Push-Ups

A push-up is one of these best total body exercises you can do, but it’s easy to execute with poor form. The prime movers in a push-up are your pectoralis major, triceps, and anterior deltoids (located in your chest, shoulders, and arms). Push-ups are another very functional exercise, as they strengthen so many muscles essential to daily life, and mimic a common, pushing movement. They are also excellent for increasing core strength, when done correctly.

To properly execute the push-up, come into a plank position on your hands with your feet hip-width apart and hands directly underneath your shoulders. Keeping your core engaged and being sure your low back doesn’t sag down toward the floor, bend your elbows to come down, keeping your shoulders down and back (not up by your ears). Your neck should be long and in a neutral position with the spine as you come down to the floor and push back up to starting position.

Starting with the same form as described but on your knees is fine, and working your way up to a regular push-up.

Walking Lunges

easy bodyweight exercises

The walking lunge exercise is important for leg strengthening, as well as hip flexibility. Begin in a standing position with feet together, and then take a big step out with one leg, lunging down. Your back knee should bend to 90 degrees, gently tapping or hovering just over the floor. In one slow and controlled motion, bring your back foot to meet the front, and repeat with the other leg.

One-Leg Balance Reach

This functional movement not only works on balance but also strengthens the lower and mid-back, as well as the glutes and hamstrings. Often, these posterior muscles are weak, and this can lead to injury. Begin by balancing on one leg, and you have the option to place a cone or any other object on the floor about one foot in front of you. Slowly, reach toward the cone (or floor), slightly bending the knee of your standing leg, weight evenly distributed through the foot. Return back to standing, and repeat.

Easy Bodyweight Workout Routine

Pulling from the exercises discussed here, an easy bodyweight routine might look like this:

5-minute warm-up: 10 minutes of jogging or dynamic movements to raise your heart rate.

15 push-ups

15 squats

10 pull-ups

10 walking lunges (10 each leg)

10 one-leg balance reach (5 each side)

Rest 2 minutes and repeat circuit 3 times total

You can also mix in some cardio if you’d like to turn this into a circuit training workout by throwing in some jumping jacks, speed skaters, or lateral hops. Whether you’re at the gym or in your living room, this workout is quick and gets the job done.

5 Yoga Poses for People Who Sit A Lot

If you feel like sitting in front of a computer from 9 to 5 is slowly killing you, you’re not too far off. Sitting too much is seriously bad for your health. “[But] yoga can help declutter your mind and allow you to refocus on your priorities. It combats poor posture, muscle soreness, and lower back pain by releasing endorphins into your body’s system,” says Sophie George, the founder of Firefly Yoga. Ready to take a stand? Here are five yoga poses (with modifications) that will undo the damage of your desk job.

 

Standing Forward Bend with Shoulder Opener (Uttanasana)

uttanasana beyond words

Bust workplace anxiety, depression, and insomnia with a standing forward bend. Start in Mountain Pose. Clasp your hands behind your back. Then take a deep breath to open your chest. Exhale and fold forward, letting your head fall toward the ground while shifting your weight to the fronts of your feet. Hold for one minute.

Modifications: Stiff? Use a resistance band to clasp your hands behind your back and bend your elbows.

 

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

ustrasana beyond words

Relieve neck and back pain by bending into Camel Pose. Begin by kneeling with your knees hip-distance apart. Then rotate your thighs slightly inward, and push your shins and the tops of your feet into the floor. Rest your hands on the back of your pelvis with the bases of your palms on the tops of your buttocks and your fingers pointing down. Stretch your tailbone toward the floor and widen the back of your pelvis. Lean back. Tuck your chin slightly toward your chest and press your palms into your heels. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

Modifications: If you’re not flexible, keep your thumbs on your sacrum and pull your lower belly up and in to work your inner thighs and pelvic floor. Prevent lower back pain.  When you bring your fingertips to your heels, curl your toes.

 

Gate Pose (Parighasana)

parighasana beyond words

If you need a little breathing room at the office, you can open up your ribcage and your lungs—relieving asthma, allergies, and colds—with Gate Pose. Kneel on the floor with your hips and buttocks lifted up off your legs.  Then slide your right leg straight out to the side with your foot flat on the floor and your toes facing the side wall. Inhale your left arm, palm upward, toward the ceiling while keeping your right hand resting palm down on your right thigh, shin, or ankle. Then exhale your left arm to the right, dropping it over your ear. Slide your right palm down toward your toes. Keep your chin off of your chest, looking straight ahead.  Hold for up to one minute. Repeat on the other side.

Modifications: Place a folded blanket under your bent knee.

 

Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

uttana shishosana beyond words

Extended Puppy Pose works the kinks out of your spine and shoulders. Start in Table Top Position. Then slowly walk your hands forward a few inches, lowering your chest down toward the ground.  Gently drop your forehead to the floor. Draw your shoulder blades onto your back and stretch your hips toward the ceiling. Then press into the palms of your hands and lift your elbows and forearms away from the ground. Breathe into your back, feeling your spine lengthen in both directions. Hold for up to a minute.

Modifications: Use a rolled-up blanket or bolster between your thighs and calves.  If you have back spasms, place a yoga block—or large book—between your feet and another between your inner thighs.

 

Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

reverse warrior yoga poses

Reverse Warrior clears your mind and skyrockets your confidence, focus, and willpower. Start in Mountain Pose. Then spread your feet 3.5 to 4 feet apart, turning your right foot 90 degrees while pivoting your left foot slightly inwards. Raise your arms out to the side to shoulder height. Exhale and bend your front knee, aligning it directly over the ankle of your front foot. Then flip your right palm over to face the ceiling, and raise your right arm up overhead and begin to reach up and back. Place your left hand, palm down, gently on the outside of your left leg. Keep your hips and shoulders square so that you can achieve a side bend. Tilt your head slightly and bring your gaze to your right hand’s fingertips. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds.

Modifications: If you have tight hips, shorten your stance and straighten your front leg. No upper-body strength?  Place your hands on your hips and work on lifting your chest and lengthening your spine.