Fitness
Fitness only seems simple. In truth, it's anything but ... The ripped go-getter, the weekend athlete, the generally active, the not-quite-idle and the bona fide couch potato all have very specific needs. And those needs (the latest gear, targeted exercises, training regimens, etc.) can vary by activity of choice, age and sometimes injury. Don't be daunted. Check out this gallery of the latest fitness news and advice. You're likely to find something here for you. And, if not, check back. The news is always changing -- just like the advice you get from trainers, friends and the occasional well-meaning if misguided co-worker.
2:42 PM CDT, September 14, 2011
School fitness tests get tweaked
We're not saying they're not out there, somewhere, blithely crushing pre-pubescent souls with their whistles and clipboards and flexed-arm-hang timers.
2:49 PM CDT, September 14, 2011
Being mindful in yoga class
I don't pretend to have reached enlightenment. Yet, with all the chaos going on in financial markets, we clearly need yoga more than ever. Here are 10 tips for being mannerly on your mat.
1:20 PM CDT, September 13, 2011
Straighten up, sloucher
Poor posture can make you look 10 pounds heavier. It could sabotage a promotion. And slumped or hunched shoulders are a major reason why back pain affects 80 percent of Americans at some point in their life.
5:39 PM CDT, September 12, 2011
Cage fitness — based on Ultimate Fighting Championship techniques — creates a sweat
That's basically what cage fitness is all about. Twenty-five minutes of intense mixed martial arts exercises designed to kick your butt. The session is divided into five, five-minute rounds with a one-minute break in between each set. The workout session is also available for home use in 2-disc DVD format.
September 12, 2011
By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Ways to work out the kinks
Proper recovery is a key element for consolidating the gains of a workout and getting you ready for the next one. That's why serious athletes swear by massage, whirlpools, ultrasound and even hypnosis to increase flexibility of muscles and tendons that are sore, stiff and kinked. But you don't need an appointment at a fancy training facility to get the job done, as these at-home recovery devices prove.
2:27 PM CDT, September 7, 2011
Living healthier at higher elevations
Imagine a place where you can be thinner, where your risk of heart and lung disease is less, where you'd be just all-around healthier. There is such a place.
2:57 PM CDT, September 7, 2011
Supporting a marathon runner's goals
Marathon runners are hard core. They train for months, sometimes years, to hit the pavement and run an uninterrupted 26.2 miles. They wake up at the crack of dawn to train, they abstain from fatty foods and alcohol, and they sure don't scoff at blisters.
3:04 PM CDT, September 7, 2011
High-tech cardio offers attraction of distraction
Modern cardio machines come with so many bells and whistles that it's routine to watch a favorite movie, scale a virtual mountain, or share gossip with Facebook friends while getting fit at the gym.
September 5, 2011
Karen Voight: Yoga stretch strengthens back, arms
If your exercise program consists of abdominal curls and push-ups, remember to include this yoga pose at the end of your routine. It will help to stretch your hips, abdominals and chest muscles while strengthening your upper back and arms. If you are new to this move, try using yoga blocks to make it easier.
2:22 PM CDT, August 31, 2011
For heart health, every bit of exercise counts
People who walk or jog for just a couple of hours each week are at lower risk of heart disease than those who don't exercise, suggests a new study.
4:13 AM CDT, August 29, 2011
New iPhone app offers rewards for exercising
Need some motivation to hit the gym? Perhaps some free merchandise will do the trick.
August 31, 2011
Too few with arthritis are exercising, study finds
Though research has shown that exercise can reduce pain, ease stiff joints, fight depression and help with a host of other health problems, a study published this month by researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine found that even fewer people with arthritis than previously thought are getting enough exercise.
6:10 PM CDT, August 30, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Tailored text messages might help teens lose weight
Teens love text messages--and those texts may help them lose weight, if they're done right. A study tested out various types of weight management-themed text messages on overweight teens to see what they liked, finding that they favored positive messages but disliked thoughtful questions.
7:26 PM CDT, August 29, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Boxing KO'd by doctors as too risky for kids' and teens' brains
Youth boxing is getting pummeled by pediatricians in a new policy statement opposing such pugilism as too dangerous of an athletic activity for children.
7:44 PM CDT, August 26, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Surgeon General Regina Benjamin says a hairdo may deter exercise
Dr. Regina Benjamin, surgeon general of the United States, is warning American women of an impediment to a healthy, active life: their hairstyles.
August 22, 2011
Vanity can be a healthy asset
You're so vain. You probably think this column is about you. Exercising to maintain good looks is great because it helps you stay healthy.
4:11 PM CDT, August 18, 2011
How healthy behaviors improve your mortality risk
After countless studies on the positive effects of not smoking, eating healthful foods, exercising a bit and limiting how much alcohol you drink, a new study found that Americans who practiced all four of those healthy behaviors were 63 percent less likely to die early than those who practiced none of them.
August 22, 2011
Fitness is all in the family for Katina Taylor
Katina Taylor has exercised regularly since she was a child, and at 35 can still do backflips. She enjoys the exercising itself but also likes feeling good afterward. And it lets her keep up with her family, which includes husband Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins and brother Zach Thomas who played for the Dolphins.
2:29 PM CDT, August 17, 2011
In defense of the rowing machine
Overshadowed by rows of treadmills and elliptical trainers, the rowing machine is vertically challenged, usually solitary and often consigned to one of the darker corners of the gym.
12:55 PM CDT, August 17, 2011
Ellen Warren: Don't underestimate the buddy system
For most of us, diet and exercise are no fun. They are, in fact, the total opposite of anything that could remotely be construed as fun.
2:58 PM CDT, August 16, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Exercise: Just 15 minutes a day has benefits
Exercising for just 15 minutes most days of the week — about half as much time as doctors in most countries recommend — appears to provide health benefits, Taiwanese researchers reported Monday in the journal Lancet.
August 15, 2011
Roy Wallack: Gear: Distinct running shoes take off
Running shoes used to be all about cushioning, period. But with the recent emphasis on form and injury prevention, trail running, ultra-running and barefoot running, shoe choices have exploded. The alternatives seem endless: minimal shoes, maximum shoes, super-cushioned shoes, no-cushion shoes. Here's a sampler of some standout designs for different categories of runners.
11:20 AM CDT, August 15, 2011
Gym machines offer the attraction of distraction
Modern cardio machines come with so many bells and whistles that it's routine to watch a favorite movie, scale a virtual mountain, or share gossip with Facebook friends while getting fit at the gym.
Maintaining correct exercise form
Exercising is great for your body, your mind and your future. But while you'd have a hard time finding a doctor who would discourage you from getting to the gym, it's also true that working out can be very dangerous. There are about 7 million injuries annually involving sports and recreation-related activities, according to a 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Don't cancel your gym membership just yet, however. If you get the proper tools, you'll go a long way toward preventing exercise-related injuries.
August 11, 2011
Golfing for physique?
Hitting golf balls at the driving range can lift the spirit, but does it also tone the flesh?
August 8, 2011
Use exercise to squash killer stress
Do you ever feel like making a voodoo doll in the image of your boss, stabbing it full of pins, twisting its head off, then setting it on fire? As good as it might be for stress relief, you can't kidney-punch a domineering boss and declare yourself alpha drone o'er the cube farm. Hooray for progress.
4:05 AM CDT, August 8, 2011
Staying fit when your workout takes a holiday
There's nothing like a week in paradise to derail a fitness regimen.
12:46 PM CDT, August 3, 2011
Ellen Warren: Skip the gym membership, get the pedometer
If you need a reminder to think twice about investing in an exercise bike or a treadmill, it's right there, sitting out on someone's lawn or driveway with a big "For Sale" sign on it.
1:06 PM CDT, July 27, 2011
Staying safe while biking in traffic
Biking in traffic isn't as treacherous as it might seem. Cyclists rarely get mowed down by motorists from behind — a common fear — and in fact, most accidents don't involve motor vehicles at all.
1:17 PM CDT, July 27, 2011
Pre-sports physical can prevent sudden death among athletes
Between 200 and 300 young people die each year while playing sports. In many cases, the underlying health condition that led to death could have been identified by a pre-sports medical exam.
1:08 PM CDT, July 27, 2011
Taking your workout to the back of the body
Crunches, curls and sit-ups may be standard workout fare in gyms, basements and living rooms across the land.
July 14, 2011
Tips to lose 100 calories a day
It's always those 10 final pounds that appear to be the hardest to quash.
July 14, 2011
3 myths can get in the way of losing weight
Calories in, calories out—in theory, losing weight should be that simple. But we're going to venture a guess that the reason two-thirds of Americans are classified as overweight or obese isn't because they can't do basic math. Age, genetics, hormones and the big one—a lack of will power—better explain the disconnect between wanting to lose weight and actually doing it.
4:20 PM CDT, July 13, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
'Carmageddon' can be motivation to get out and move
Trapped in your neighborhood this weekend due to "Carmegeddon," or just afraid to venture out in an automobile? No worries -- consider using this weekend as an excuse to burn calories doing mind-numbing errands.
5:57 PM CDT, July 11, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Even infants can exercise, say new guidelines in U.K.
Young children have no excuse not to exercise—even if they can’t walk yet.
July 5, 2011
Trampoline fitness makes you sweat
Some fit men and women are jumping on little trampolines for an hour of intense challenge to their heart.
July 4, 2011
Gear
Roy Wallack: Hiking on the tech trail
Getting out in nature for a hike or a trail run can offer an escape from the modern world. But that doesn't mean techie innovations should be left at home, especially when they enhance the experience in a quiet, unobtrusive way. If you want to get there or get back faster and safer, these lightweight devices can help.
July 4, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: Weights help strengthen shoulders
Get strong and balanced rear shoulder muscles by including this exercise in your weight routine. Sitting on a bench or chair makes it easier on your lower back when you lean forward. Begin with 3- to 5-pound dumbbells, then progress to heavier weights as you get stronger.
June 27, 2011
The Unreal World
Marc Siegel: Working out obesity issues on 'Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition'
"Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition"
June 27, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness
Want a superhero physique? Here's how
Perhaps you've been to the multiplex to see Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern save the universe from the evil Parallax or to witness Chris Hemsworth's Thor hurl his magical hammer at invading Frost Giants.
June 27, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: Get out in front of thigh tightness
The fronts of your thighs can get very tight, especially if you play sports, train with weights or engage in any other physical activities. Remember to regularly stretch these muscles to help prevent knee, hip or back injuries. Here's one stretch that feels great and is easy to do.
3:58 PM CDT, June 22, 2011
Ellen Warren: Forgot why you went upstairs? Don't worry — it's exercise!
You know the feeling.
June 20, 2011
Gear
Roy Wallack: Home workout devices are now affordable and portable
For those times when you can't get to the gym — or don't feel like breaking out your credit card to pay the membership fee — home workout equipment is essential. But as these innovative, lightweight and very portable devices show, a home gym doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg or take over the entire living room. They don't even have to stay at home anymore.
June 20, 2011
My Turn: Husband hangs up his mountain biking pedals
In the last four years, my 42-year-old husband has had three mountain biking-related surgeries. He's had more busted fingers, dislocated shoulders and other injuries than I can recall.
3:11 PM CDT, June 15, 2011
Workout while kids play
When my kids are at the playground, I'm usually the only parent making a spectacle of herself. I do push-ups and lunges. I hang from the monkey bars and try to pull myself up. Or I repeatedly squat down, lower my butt until it hits the bench and then stand up.
1:55 PM CDT, June 13, 2011
Battling middle-aged workout burnout
I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped into my gym's workout studio to discover that I was the only guy in the place.
June 13, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness
Well, about that 10K goal …
I picked a bad race for a personal best attempt.
June 13, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: A plank pose that goes further
Build muscular endurance with yoga moves like this one, called "plank pose into chaturanga dandasana." Practiced correctly on a regular basis, you will strengthen your chest, shoulders and arms as well as your core muscles.
June 8, 2011
Crunched for time? Try this exercise
If you have time for just one exercise and want a full body workout, try 8-Count Bodybuilders, which work the pectorals, triceps, shoulders, core, lats and hip flexors, said military physical training specialist Mark Lauren, who advocates using nothing but your own bodyweight.
2:35 PM CDT, June 8, 2011
Around-the-town workout with Ugi balls
Take a modern twist on the old-school medicine ball, add a squish factor to it, and you've got the Ugi ball.
May 30, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness
The weary road to a 10K milestone
This is all Jack LaLanne's fault.
May 30, 2011
My Turn: A hard ride beyond despair on the AIDS/LifeCycle trek
"I can't do it," I wailed into my cellphone in Santa Cruz to my husband in San Luis Obispo. "And I've lost my wallet. Will you come and get me?"
May 23, 2011
Gear
Roy Wallack: Bicycles are getting artsy smartsy
Creative bicycles, long a favorite subject of student industrial design contests, are busting out of art college and onto the streets. This year, there's been an explosion of creative frame designs across the cycling spectrum — road, mountain, electric, commuter — that are nothing short of sculpture on wheels. And unlike a lot of artsy inventions that are good only for mounting on a wall, these two-wheeled wonders not only work but also offer some innovative functional capabilities not seen on bikes with the century-old diamond-shaped frame.
May 16, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness
The myth of ripped muscles and calorie burns
Whenever I hear about some amazing way to boost resting metabolism, my male-bovine-droppings detector goes berserk. Take the perennially popular one stating that 1 pound of muscle burns an extra 50 calories a day while at rest — so if you gain 10 pounds of muscle, your resting metabolic rate (RMR) soars by an extra 500 calories each day.
May 9, 2011
Toe a new line: barefoot shoes
If you live in Los Angeles or other fashion-forward places where people are eager to try new things, you have seen them: people running around in shoes that look like gorilla feet, modern ninja footwear or high-tech surf booties.
May 9, 2011
Roy Wallack: Gear: Shoes for not-quite-barefoot running
Barefoot running has become a hot fitness trend thanks to evidence that it can reduce injuries and strengthen feet. But ironically, many "barefooters" prefer to keep their feet covered. Fear of injuries from broken glass, rocks and other sharp objects inspired the invention of the "minimalist" running shoe, whose essential feature is a thin, tactile and flat bottom that lacks the elevated heel cushion typically found on running shoes. This category — pioneered by Vibram's popular FiveFingers individual-toed shoe-glove four years ago — now includes styles that enclose all five toes together. Hard-core barefooters will scoff at any shoe, even these stripped-down alternatives to traditional running shoes with generously padded soles. But for those who want the benefits of barefooting with some protection, the minimalists have you covered.
May 9, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: A bicycle built for you
If you find it difficult to perform the traditional bicycle exercise on the floor because your neck gives out before your abdominal muscles, try doing them against a firm pillow or bolster. Just remember to use your abdominals to press your back against the pillow.
May 2, 2011
In Your Face Fitness
Not motivated? Sign up for a race
Forrest Gump discovered his passion for running on the spur of the moment, when a bunch of Alabama bullies were chasing him and his leg braces broke off. But for most of us, developing a commitment to running, cycling or some other form of exercise requires dedication, planning and intention.
May 2, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: A diamond when you feel rough
After a workout, here's a great way to stretch your back and gluteal muscles. If you have sensitive knees and tight hips, sitting on a yoga block will raise you a few inches off the floor and make it easier to bend forward.
3:33 PM CDT, May 25, 2011
Ellen Warren: Walking counts as exercise
"People try all these insane diets," then give up when they don't lose weight and don't feel any better, says Vik Khanna, executive director of Health and Wellness for Mercy Health Ministry in Chesterfield, Mo.
May 22, 2011
A two-for-one workout
Most people wouldn't think of combining seemingly polar opposite pursuits such as Pilates and boxing. But the odd pairing makes perfect sense to one fitness instructor.
8:21 PM CDT, May 11, 2011
Live Health Chat
Live chat: Ultra-runner Marshall Ulrich pushes to the extreme
See what it's like to push your body to extremes in a live Web chat with ultra-runner Marshall Ulrich on Monday, May 16, at 11 a.m. PT (1 p.m. CT, 2 p.m. ET).
May 16, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: Pilates ring adds intensity to workout
Props like this Pilates ring can help spice up your workout by challenging muscles in new ways. To add intensity to your obliques (side abdominal muscles) and adductors (inner thigh muscles), try this new move.
May 9, 2011
Live Health Chat
Web chat: Fitness tips from Olympic ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi
Get fitness tips from an Olympian in a chat replay with ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi.
2:57 PM CDT, May 4, 2011
Type 1 diabetes didn't stop these athletes
If you're an athlete with Type 1 diabetes, knowing how to play your body can keep you competing at the highest professional levels.
April 27, 2011
Rest and recovery: Why athletes need it
Sage Rountree’s new book, “The Athlete’s Guide to Recovery,” is the kind of book I wish I had when I was seriously competing in triathlons. I probably wouldn’t have followed any of the advice because I saw little value in rest and didn't really know how to do it. But it might have saved me from injuries and overtraining as well as improved my speed.
April 25, 2011
By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: Getting taken for a ride
Serious cyclists become obsessed with flashy new miracle-material frames and high-tech componentry, but there's also plenty of innovation among the less-glamorous parts of the bike. Here's proof that essential-but-mundane products like inner tubes, pedals, water bottles and indoor training stands can have a "wow" factor too.
April 25, 2011
Good Form
Karen Voight: A challenging exercise for the abdominals
Our abdominals are the body's center of power. They're responsible for initiating many of the movements we make and for stabilizing the spine when we do. Here's a challenging exercise to keep them strong and healthy.
April 18, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness
Kettlebells work for Daniel Baldwin, but are they right for you?
For the past few weeks, I've been sporting big yellow bruises on my forearms. I blame actor Daniel Baldwin and his enthusiasm for kettlebells.
April 14, 2011
Why walking is not exercise
In his new book “Beat the Gym,” fitness expert Tom Holland asserts that “walking is not exercise.” Whoa!!!
April 11, 2011
Roy Wallack: Obese exercise: How four found exercise that worked
I'd never seen anyone this big move this fast.
April 11, 2011
By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Obesity and exercise: Pam Newman's working hard to stand and deliver
When the music starts up in the Zumba dance class at Big Bear's Mountain Fitness Center gym, everyone is on their feet — except for Pam Newman. She's the 300-plus-pound woman in the back of the room who's lost 100 pounds in the last year by violating the "standing to exercise" rule. That's because she enthusiastically kicks her legs and flails her arms … while sitting down on a bench.
April 11, 2011
By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Obesity and exercise: Debbie Bumgardner drops the yo-yo diet, picks up a Trikke
Debbie Bumgardner was an overworked 52-year-old legal secretary and frustrated yo-yo dieter from Tarzana who'd gradually cut back on tennis and biking over the years. By early 2010, she was 100 pounds overweight.
April 11, 2011
Obesity and exercise: How 390-pound Charles Cicciarella began to walk the walk
Charles Cicciarella, a 36-year-old e-learning specialist from Toronto, had been fat for as long as he could remember. He was a target of bullies during his school years and then ballooned in his early 20s when he began a lucrative career that enabled an immobile lifestyle.
April 11, 2011
Roy Wallack: Obesity and exercise: Larry Brooks takes strides toward health
Larry Brooks had been a football player through high school and college and was athletic well into adulthood — in fact, he was a power lifter into his mid-40s. But by the time he hit his mid-50s, a busy decade of all work, no exercise and drinking as many as 35 cups of coffee each day took its toll. In December 2009, after a bout of pneumonia, the geologist from Keller, Texas, found himself with a 54-inch waist, 40.3% body fat, total cholesterol of 325 and a $300 monthly bill for Lipitor, three beta blockers and other drugs. He weighed 341 pounds.
2:06 PM CDT, March 30, 2011
Exercise strategies for people with autism
For the typical adult, getting to the gym requires manipulation. You know it's good for you, that you'll feel better after you do it, and that you might actually lose weight and look great if you continue your daily sweat sessions.
2:18 PM CDT, March 23, 2011
Your new gym playlist
We knew our graduate degree in musicology would come in handy eventually. (Yes, we really have one.)
3:04 PM CDT, March 16, 2011
Sometimes getting fit takes an online village
Personal trainers are a resilient bunch. When the economy tanked they drifted from costly one-on-one sessions to more cost-effective small group training.
March 16, 2011
Meals and exercise fit for a firefighter
At the Glenside Fire Protection District, firefighters know that being in shape will help them deal with emergencies of all kind.
2:41 PM CST, March 9, 2011
New-school fitness, old-school fun
When most people think of working out, they envision the monotonous treadmill or the bare-bones weights. But fitness doesn't have to be old and boring. Remember when you went for bike rides, jumped on a trampoline or wiggled a hula hoop around your waist just because it was fun?
March 6, 2011
Coconut water: A health drink that's all it's cracked up to be?
It was evidently good enough for Gilligan and Robinson Crusoe. But is coconut water a healthy choice for people who aren't stranded on a deserted island?
4:00 PM CST, March 2, 2011
How to exercise more as a family
Family walks, bike rides and backyard games are great, but there are many ways to make fitness appealing to kids. "You are only limited by your own imagination," says Rogenia David, owner of My Gym Children's Fitness Center of Hampton Roads in Newport News, Va. "Once kids get going, it's hard to stop them." A few ideas:
February 28, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness: Another look at high-intensity interval training
Turn your body into a high-powered fat-burning machine!
February 21, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: A more challenging plank pose
Add an extra challenge to your elbow plank exercises by balancing on one leg at a time. It helps to strengthen your core, spine, legs and the deep muscles in your upper back.
February 21, 2011
By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: A step up in home ellipticals
The elliptical trainer and its smooth oval foot pattern was a hit the moment it arrived on the scene in the mid-1990s, but a good one that could stand up to regular home use without rattling apart has never come cheap. That's doubly true of some of the expensive new sub-categories that have arisen recently, such as the seated elliptical, which gives older exercisers a safer all-body workout, and the suspended elliptical, which has a free-form, variable movement that is a favorite of high-performance exercisers. Fortunately, the market has finally responded with newer, high-quality and affordable alternatives, such as the models below.
February 18, 2011
Doctors warn about children overtraining in mixed martial arts
With more children punching and kicking each other in the name of mixed martial arts, the results are inevitable: More kids are getting hurt, doctors say.
1:25 PM CST, February 14, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness
Weightlifting can be helpful for obese kids
It goes without saying that children who are obese would benefit from aerobic exercise. However, they're likely to find the idea of going for a jog or spending half an hour on a treadmill about as appealing as watching Congress debate the fine points of tax policy on C-SPAN.
February 14, 2011
The irony of painkillers
People usually have good reasons for swallowing over-the-counter painkillers: They're hurting.
February 13, 2011
Strength training does more than bulk up muscles
Strength training has strong-armed its way beyond the realm of bodybuilding.
February 13, 2011
Resistance training that you can try at home
How much strength training is enough to build muscles and garner some health benefits? Kent Adams, director of the exercise physiology lab at Cal State Monterey Bay, says most healthy people can follow the basic guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine, which recommends doing eight to 12 repetitions of eight to 10 strength-training exercises twice a week. (That's in addition to doing moderately intense cardio workouts for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.)
4:35 PM CST, February 2, 2011
Courses for the muck racers
The hottest thing in running is not a new shoe or energy drink. It's mud. And fire. And other things that get in the way of running but manage, for some, to make racing more fun.
January 31, 2011
In-Your-Face Fitness
Jack LaLanne was a healthy showoff to the very end
Jack LaLanne was an incredible showoff, and with good reason.
January 31, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: Counteract the drive time
After long hours of sitting in front of your computer or behind the steering wheel of your car, take a break to stretch your hip and back muscles. This move is simple to do and extremely effective.
10:00 PM CST, January 28, 2011
How personal trainers stay fit
You might spot Tamaicka Wilbourn sprinting up a hill on Denbigh Boulevard at 5:30 a.m. Yes, that's O dark 30.
January 24, 2011
Karen Voight: Good Form: Get a leg up on flexibility
Try this move against the wall to develop flexibility in your quadriceps, the muscle in the front of your upper leg. Performed properly, you should feel the stretch running from above your knee all the way up to the front of your hip.
4:00 PM CST, January 19, 2011
What do I do with that?
There's a lot more to the weight room these days than machines and dumbbells. With bands, discs, ropes and balls in every weight and size, the variety of equipment makes strength training more fun and inviting to the uninitiated. These devices are also a great way to make an old, tired program more interesting.
January 17, 2011
Jane Fonda wants you to feel the burn — again
Jane Fonda — whose 1982 video "The Jane Fonda Work-Out" sold 17 million copies — is back in the fitness fray. Three decades ago, her signature leg warmers, striped leotards and pelvic lifts spawned a fitness revolution and a whole generation of women who "did Jane," sometimes with a group of friends, in their living rooms.
January 17, 2011
New fitness DVDS for the older set
If you need proof that regular exercise is a prescription for a more youthful body and mind, look no further than the fitness icons from the aerobics-heavy 1980s. Some of the instructors who first burst onto the scene in spandex are out there promoting new fitness DVDs, decades after they started teaching.
5:54 PM CST, January 13, 2011
Ellen Warren: Gym etiquette: Work it out
In the gym — as in life — there are dos and don'ts.
5:56 PM CST, January 13, 2011
How to exercise your brain with variety, focus
Physical exercise isn't good for just your heart and muscles. "Any kind of exercise will keep blood flowing to your brain, and there is evidence it may help new brain cells grow," says Gino Colombara, executive director of the Alzheimer's Association's Southeastern Virginia Chapter. These workouts may boost brain health:
January 3, 2011
Dance works arms, legs, heart
Any doubts about the transformative abilities of ballroom dance should be dashed after watching one season of "Dancing With the Stars" and seeing celebrities going from flabby to fit in a matter of weeks.
January 3, 2011
Fun Fitness: Resources to help you get started
Here are some resources to help you get started in your fun fitness pursuits:
January 3, 2011
Krav Maga: Get in shape while learning self-defense
Kicking and punching are great for boosting one's heart rate and toning muscles. But add some self-defense and street-fighting techniques and the adrenaline really starts to flow.
January 3, 2011
Kayaking: Get in touch with nature and tone your upper body
Richard Hamlin recalls his initial reaction when his wife suggested they take a kayaking trip while in the San Juan Islands: "I said, 'No, it looks like work.'"
January 3, 2011
Trail running: Run away from life's problems and into a healthy body
Not all runners hit the streets for their workout. Trail runners take to the dirt, bounding up and down hills and mountains on hiking trails, working legs and building cardio while getting a big dose of nature.
January 3, 2011
Surfing: Full-body workout and stress reliever
Surfing may be a clichéd pastime in Southern California, but make no mistake, it is physically and mentally challenging. The pros just make it look easy.
January 3, 2011
The success recipe for fitness: Mix in the fun
Put away the eggnog and break out the tennis shoes — it's New Year's resolution time, and no doubt millions have made the pledge to get fit. Many of them will join a gym only to find they're bored with the monotony of cardio equipment and weight training routines.
January 3, 2011
By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: Exercise masquerading as old-school fun
Remember how fun it was when you were a kid — jumping up and down, swinging your hips and rolling around on the floor? It was really just stealth exercise, and it can be just as fun for adults with the help of the products reviewed below.
Workout Dos and Dont's
It's the number one resolution for the new year -- to exercise and lose weight. Problem is -- most people go at it all wrong. A little advice to get you back on track.
December 27, 2010
Gear
Roy Wallack: Workouts at your workstation
You don't need to be a Mayo Clinic researcher to figure out that being glued to an office chair all day makes people fat, but that's what it took to start a revolution. A few years ago, the clinic's Dr. James Levine theorized that raising one's metabolism through low-level, daylong movement could burn at least as many calories as a conventional workout at the end of an inactive day. He proved it by grafting a treadmill to a desk — his test subjects got healthier and walked off dozens of pounds without breaking a sweat at a 1 mph pace. Naturally, that led to the Levine-designed $4,199 Steelcase Walkstation, followed by a host of lower-cost, move-while-you-work accessories, some of the best of which are reviewed below.
November 15, 2010
Good Form
Karen Voight: Help for a tight torso
Here's a simple way to gain flexibility in your lats, chest and shoulders using a wall to support your body weight. Remember to do it after training with weights or whenever your upper body feels stiff.
November 1, 2010
Gear
Roy Wallack: Searching the soul of trail-running shoes
As the minimalist tide sweeps across the running world, a battle rages for the soul of trail running shoes: Thin, low-profile padding versus regular cushioning. Do you want the superior ground "feel" and stability of a lower shoe, which can rattle your bones? Or do you go for the taller, more traditional padded shoes that pamper you over rocks and ruts at the expense of that prized feel? We took four pairs out to the trails in Orange County's Peters Canyon for a mano a mano (or is that pies a pies?) showdown.
September 13, 2010
In Your Face Fitness
For that fabulous sculpted body, the Bowflex makes a good coat rack
The people in the Bowflex commercials sure are pretty.
June 15, 2009
Tired of your exercise routine? Workout in the water
Hey, swimmers, don't limit yourself to lanes, the aquatic version of a hamster wheel.
Getting a flat stomach
Don't diet. Women's Health magazine may surprise some people about that tip for a flat stomach, but that was one of 10 of the rules to slim down. Find out all 10 here.
Getting a workout without the gym
If going to the gym is not your favorite thing to do but you want a more active lifestyle, here are some other exercise tips. The amount of calories were calculated from a 154-pound person. Someone who weighs more than 154 pounds will burn more calories, and someone who is less than 154 pounds will burn less.
Six reasons exercise benefit you
You already know that exercise can lead to weight loss, but what are the other benefits of exercising?
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