Category Archives: Fitness

Fitness

Health24.com | The benefits of skipping your way through your exercise routine

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  • You can burn 25% more calories with a skipping rope than with jogging
  • Skipping is also beneficial for the heart and strengthens muscles
  • If you’re recovering from any injuries, consult a professional before incorporating it into your workout

Skipping isn’t just for lazy childhood days or boxers; it can be a very beneficial addition to any exercise routine.

From burning calories to increasing heart rate to building muscle, it’s a low-cost tool that many athletes use to improve their game.

Here are a few of the benefits of jumping rope.

READ | Being a copy-cat might make it easier to achieve fitness goals 

Travels easily

Lightweight and compact, it’s pretty easy to throw into your suitcase. 

Just don’t whip it out at the airport.

Good for your heart

Any exercise is beneficial to your heart, and skipping compacts a whole lot of exercise into a small amount of time.

According to a 2013 study from Harvard, 10 minutes of skipping is as beneficial for cardiovascular health as 30 minutes of jogging.

This is perfect for people with a tight schedule.

READ MORE | Video games may sabotage fitness among college students 

Burns calories

According to Calories Burned HQ, jumping rope can help you burn 15 to 20 calories a minute, which is 25% more than running.

This makes skipping an effective tool to include in your weight loss journey. It’s also a type of interval training exercise proven to effectively target subcutaneous and abdominal body fat, according to a recent study. 

Strengthens muscles

Skipping tones upper and lower body muscles – especially calves and shoulders – and helps strengthen your core.

It is also good for sculpting your abs, if that’s the look you’re aiming for.

Improves coordination

Besides the physical benefits of this high-intensity workout, jumping rope also helps your brain to improve coordination.

In a study, children who play soccer started incorporating jumping rope into their practices and found that their motor coordination and balance were considerably improved.

If it’s been too long since you skipped, remember to take it slowly and jump low at the start to prevent getting tangled in the rope and falling flat on your face.

READ | A lifetime of fitness helps women’s muscles in old age 

What you should know

Before you start skipping your way to a healthier life, here are some things to consider: 

  • When you buy a rope, it’s important that it’s not too light. A light rope won’t give you the momentum you need.
  • Also don’t opt to go barefoot on this one. Wear trainers that fit well and offer enough support for jumping. Ensure you practise in a space where you won’t be hitting anything or anyone.
  • Avoid grass and concrete surfaces. It’s easy to twist your ankle when the surface offers insufficient resistance. Wooden floors offer the best bounce, or you can opt for an exercise impact mat.
  • Remember to stretch and spend time cooling down to prevent injury.
  • If you have any knee, hip or ankle injuries or issues, skipping might not be best for you. Consult a doctor or physiotherapist before incorporating it into your exercise routine.

READ | Coronavirus lockdown | Stay fit at home: best workout tips that are not too technical

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Gabi Zietsman

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Health24.com | Struggling to exercise during the pandemic? It’s not just your imagination

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  • While exercise normally reduces stress levels, high-intensity workouts can stress you out even more 
  • It may be counterproductive if you start your workout already stressed out
  • It’s important to listen to your body when struggling with stamina during a workout

Four months into lockdown, and your usual Zoom workout session is feeling a little tougher than usual. 

It’s not just in your head though, there might be a scientific reason why your body’s endurance is not what it should be.

Pandemic stress

During the Covid-19 pandemic, where an innocent trip to the grocery store could land you or a loved one in hospital, people’s anxiety levels are at peak levels. Many of us have turned to exercise to relieve the stress – but might we just be too mentally stressed out in the first place to exercise properly?

An analysis in Sport Medicine found that mental fatigue can be detrimental to physical endurance. The more anxious the brain, the quicker you’ll feel exhausted from exercise. 

A study of gains achieved during weight-training showed that high stress also made it difficult to increase bench press and squat intensity, while another study concluded that a lack of social interaction can have a negative effect on the brain when running.

Athletes lose their ability to endure pain during sports when their stress levels are too high, making them less resilient.

READ | Exercise might make breast milk’s goodness even better

Why is this?

One reason is the fact that exercise is itself a stressor, placing strain on our body and triggering a stress response, especially when doing high-intensity workouts. While regular exercise tends to reduce stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, research shows that the more intense the workout, the more cortisol is released. 

And when you start your exercise session full of stress hormones, fatigue will set in much more quickly.

Another factor might be that you’re exercising too much. Studies have found that regular exercisers tend to work out more in the face of increased stress (like during the pandemic), so you might not be giving your body enough time to recover, decreasing your overall endurance.

What can you do?

Experts told Well+Good that the key to preventing this kind of burnout is to assess how you’re feeling in the first ten minutes of your workout.

If it feels like you have to give it your all to get through it, you should perhaps stop and take a break to give your body and mind a chance to heal. You can also rather opt for a low-intensity workout like a walk or a relaxed yoga session.

Another good idea is to precede your intense workout with a warm-up or short bout of yoga, which will help your mind calm down, lower your cortisol levels and help you get through the workout without cursing the god of fitness. 

READ MORE | Your favourite workout could be making you constipated

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Gabi Zietsman

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Health24.com | How to turn your daily walk into more of a workout

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  • Walking is a popular exercise option for people with knee, back and other problems or injuries
  • There are various ways to make your walk more intense to help increase your fitness
  • Interval training, weights, hills and setting distance goals can help achieve this

Walking is probably one of the most popular forms of exercise, especially for those who hate exercise. 

It’s an easy, low-entry level physical activity that’s useful for people with an assortment of injuries or health issues, and a good starting point for unfit people trying to get moving or lose weight. 

But this doesn’t mean that you can’t get a workout from your daily walk. There are various ways you can make a walk more intense to increase your heart rate and burn more calories.

READ | Can an extra 4 000 steps per day really lower your odds of heart disease? 

Check out the six tips below for upping your walking game:

Choose a distance and time

If you’re looking to increase your walking intensity, it’s important to set a goal.

This should include aiming for a certain distance in a set time. Five kilometres might sound good, but it doesn’t mean much when it takes you hours to complete the distance. 

Add some weight

You can throw in some resistance training by wearing a weighted backpack or another type of distributed weight mechanism.

However, be careful of using ankle weights while walking. According to Harvard Health, this could cause muscle imbalance and put strain on tendons and ligaments.

READ MORE | Here’s why lifting weights is the most effective way to lose weight 

Look for different trails

Step off the tarred roads onto rougher terrain to give your muscles more variety while walking around rocks or on grass.

Remember to stick to existing trails and wear the right shoes.

Opt for uphills

While trying out different terrains, try to incorporate an uphill or two in your route. This places more demand on your body, working your calves and expending more energy.

If you’re not too fit, start with small inclines and gradually work your way up to steeper hills.

READ | 6 hill-training secrets all runners should know

Increase your pace

Interval training, where you’re constantly increasing and decreasing your heart rate, has been proven to improve heart health according to research, and you can easily incorporate this into your walk.

Speed up your walking at one or two minute intervals and slow down again to rest. If you have a smartwatch, monitor your heart rate to help determine the length of your intervals. Swinging your arms when you go faster can also help burn more calories and give your arms a workout too.

Strength training intervals

If you really want to go all out, add stops to your walk and do bodyweight exercises like push-ups, jumping jacks or planking. You can also use park benches, jungle gyms or other structures for support.

You can also augment your walk by incorporating lunge walking, side steps or high knees for an added workout.

READ MORE | What you should know about HIIT workouts – and how to get going

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Gabi Zietsman

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Health24.com | 6 ways to stay safe while hiking during the pandemic

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  • With limited entertainment options, many South Africans are turning to hiking as a popular leisure activity
  • However, it’s still important to wear a mask and maintain physical distancing even in the great outdoors
  • There are ways to keep you and your family safe while enjoying nature

Hiking has suddenly become a popular pastime in South Africa. 

During level 3 lockdown, entertainment options still remain quite limited despite the easing of some restrictions, with many opting for the outdoors where the chances of catching the new coronavirus are far smaller than in a stuffy cinema.

But that doesn’t mean you needn’t take precautions. The increased popularity of hiking means a greater chance of interacting with potential spreaders, so here are six tips for staying safe and healthy on a hike:

Always wear your mask

While the spread of the virus is reduced in outdoor environments, you might still pass close to people on smaller trails, and you never know when the wind might blow a rogue cough in your direction.

If you need a quick breath of fresh air, only take off your mask when there’s no one around you.

READ | Here are the best and worst materials for face masks

Make space for people to pass

Seasoned hikers will know that awkward jig when trying to squeeze past fellow hikers on narrow paths, but during the pandemic, it’s best to give others a wide berth.  

Now is not the time to be daring

While cabin fever might entice you to try new, more adventurous hiking routes, be mindful that emergency and search-and-rescue services are probably spread quite thin due to the pandemic. Sticking to familiar routes and being less daring won’t just help them out, but potentially keep you out of hospitals and occupying scarce beds.

Avoid rush hour

With the skyrocketing popularity of hiking, once empty trails are becoming jam-packed. 

If your schedule allows, try to avoid the early morning joggers and just-after-work walkers during the week. Over weekends, opting to take a short hike over lunchtime will also help you avoid the crowds. 

READ MORE | Running with a mask – what you should know, and how to choose the right one

Be careful of what you touch

While you might be mindful of what you’re touching indoors, outside it’s easy to forget how many people are touching railings, trees and branches on popular hiking trails.

Be careful where you place your hands on hikes, and take a travel-sized hand sanitiser with you just in case.

Don’t creep up on people

This is especially important for trail runners: If you’re approaching a group of hikers from behind, a gentle “hello” or “excuse me” will allow them to give you space to pass. Don’t just barrel past them.

READ | Choose the right hiking socks

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Gabi Zietsman

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Health24.com | Why exercise? Researchers say it prevents 3.9 million deaths a year

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  • Getting enough exercise can make you live longer
  • Researchers from the UK found that exercise prevents close to four million deaths a year
  • The WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week

It’s often said that physical activity rates are too low, but a new report takes a different angle and reveals the good news that exercise prevents nearly four million premature deaths a year worldwide.

For the study, the researchers analysed data from 168 countries on the percentage of people who were getting recommended levels of exercise. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent combination each week.

By combining the exercise data with estimates of the risk of dying early among active and inactive people, the investigators estimated how many premature deaths were prevented by physical activity.

The conclusion: Physical activity reduced premature deaths by 15%, or about 3.9 million lives saved per year.

Go for a daily walk

In the United States, physical activity prevents 140 200 early deaths a year, the study authors said. The report was published on 17 June in The Lancet Global Health.

Much attention is focused on the health risks of inactivity, but the benefits of exercise need to be highlighted, according to the researchers at the University of Edinburgh and University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

“By focusing on the number of lives saved, we can tell a good news story of what is already being achieved,” said study author Tessa Strain, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Cambridge.

“It tells us how much good is being done and helps us say ‘look how much benefit physical activity is already providing – let’s make things even better by increasing physical activity levels further,'” she said in a university news release.

Strain said the researchers hope the findings will encourage public officials to protect and maintain services at a time when many are asking why more needs to be invested.

Being active during coronavirus lockdowns can be challenging, so the researchers offer the following suggestions: Go for a daily walk; cycle or do whatever activity you are able to do while maintaining physical distancing; stretch or do yoga for your muscles and joints; join an online exercise session. If it’s an option, gardening is great for stretching and bending.

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Health24.com | What yoga does to your body – according to science

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  • This traditional Indian discipline has been touted for its health and mental benefits for centuries
  • Science so far has found some links to its impact on the brain, how it reduces stress and retrains the way your muscles react to strain
  • However, studies still have a long way to go in terms of larger sample sizes that are more demographically diverse 

We all have that one friend that can’t stop talking about how great yoga is. You yourself might even be that friend.

Rooted in ancient India as a means of relaxation, focusing mind and body, it has become one of modern society’s most popular exercise disciplines – and for some more of a lifestyle.

But what does science say about the benefits of yoga? And what does it really do for your body?

Muscles

One of the biggest and most obvious benefits of yoga for the body is flexibility. It involves very coordinated stretching manoeuvres, which train your muscles to withstand more pressure during extension without firing off pain signals. 

With practice, you’re essentially retraining the nervous system to let your body move into more extreme positions, according to Live Science. 

In a look at yoga studies by Harvard Health Publishing, they highlight one study where a group of individuals not used to exercise started doing yoga twice a week for 180 minutes in total. They ended up being stronger, more flexible and having more sustained endurance. 

Heart

When it comes to the heart, science is also on yoga’s side. It’s shown to activate the body’s stress response, aka the parasympathetic part of the nervous system in charge of relaxation. 

It also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure more in yoga practitioners than those who don’t do yoga. 

According to Harvard Health, yoga may restore baroreceptor sensitivity which makes it easier for your body to regulate your heart rate. It also lowers your cortisol levels – a major driver of stress in the human body. 

Lungs

Yoga involves controlled breathing exercises, which help to manage your heartbeat, which in turn can improve lung functioning. 

Respiratory conditions can shrink the lung’s pathways that transport oxygen, and these breathing techniques can relax the muscles for better oxygen delivery. 

A study by the National Library of Medicine measured lung capacity in a group of university students before they started yoga and then again at the end of two 17-week semesters. The research found a significant increase in their lungs’ vital capacity, even in smokers and asthmatics. 

Brain

Yoga has always been hailed as great for your mental health, and it can also affect the size of certain regions in the brain. 

A brain scan study found that areas involved in thinking clearly, decision-making, memory and regulating emotions, like the hippocampus, saw an increase in size among people who started doing yoga.  

Yoga is also commonly prescribed as a supplement for reducing symptoms of depression, in conjunction with other treatments. 

Limitations

However, many experts have pointed out that more thorough research still needs to be done. Many studies use small sample sizes and demographically aren’t as wide enough as they should be to account for other positive factors. 

The US National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health adds in their analysis of studies on yoga that most aren’t of high quality – but although many of yoga’s purported benefits haven’t yet been conclusively proven, it shows great promise for improving general health. 

URL List:

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Gabi Zietsman

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10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

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Sure, you can schlep to the gym and hop on the elliptical for 45 minutes. Or you can lace up your sneaks and head outside for a long run to turn up your heart rate and calorie burn. But when the temperatures drop or you just don’t have time to leave your house, you can still squeeze in a solid cardio workout at home. All you need is a little room to move—and the ability to push yourself, just enough so your heart starts pumping and the sweat starts flowing.

How can you do that? Two words: plyometric exercises.“[These] exercises are perfect for a cardio workout at home, as they save space (all the movements can be done in one place) and time because it requires max effort—and thus, less overall time spent—while also offering strength, power, and cardio benefits,” Judine Saint Gerard, NASM-CPT, head coach at Tone House in New York City, tells Health. “With these added benefits of strength and power, it may be even better than just trotting away on the elliptical.”

RELATED: The 10-Minute Cardio Workout You Can Do at the Office

The key to working hard enough to reap all the fitness rewards: firing up your core temperature so you start dripping sweat. “Most cardio workouts produce heat in the body—the more strenuous the workout, the more heat it produces, and sweating is the body’s way of cooling down,” she says. If you work through a cardio workout at home and finish it sweat-free, you’ll want to power up your intensity on the next go around. That means working faster or taking fewer breaks.

If you need a cardio workout to kick off your at-home training, Saint Gerard has the perfect routine for you. Here, she offers 10 plyometric exercises, plus how to time them to your heart-pumping advantage. Each one also has a low-impact variation for anyone jumping back into fitness after a long hiatus or someone who's starting a regular exercise routine for the first time. They're also smart options for those with injuries. The only thing you have to remember is to work hard so you end in sweat—so don't be too easy on yourself. 

RELATED: The 7 Best Strength Exercises You're Not Doing

The Workout

If you’re opting for the high-impact plyometric moves, do each exercise below for 30 seconds, and rest for 30 seconds between each exercise. Prefer staying on two feet and skipping the jumps? Follow the modified moves for 30 seconds each, with just 15 seconds of rest between each exercise. Do 2-3 rounds with 60-90 seconds of rest between each round. The best part: the more you practice the less rest you’ll need.

Mountain Climbers

1. Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels.

2. Keep core tight and back flat. Drive one knee in toward chest, then place it back down.

3. Immediately drive the opposite knee in toward chest. Then, place it back down. Continue alternating.

Modification: Eliminate the hop and slow down your pace, still driving one knee at a time in toward your chest.

Vinyasa

1. Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels.

2. Lower down as if you’re doing a push-up, keeping elbows tight by sides.

3. Then, move chest through arms, coming into a cobra or up-dog pose (slight arch in the back; chest toward the sky).

4. Next, push through hands and lift hips all the way up to a downward-facing dog position. Repeat, flowing back to a plank position.

Modification: Drop the knees while you lower into a push-up position for more support.

RELATED: 25-Minute Core-Strengthening Vinyasa Flow

Burpee

1. Start standing, feet hip-width apart.

2. Place both hands flat onto the ground in front of you and hop feet behind you into a plank. Make sure to keep hips up, core tight, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels. 

3. Then, quickly hop feet back up toward hands.

4. Jump all the way up to stand, bringing arms above head and exploding off feet. Repeat.

Modification: Place hands flat on ground, step left foot back, then step right foot back and pause in plank. Then, step left foot in, step right foot in, and stand back up, bringing arms overhead.

Lunge Jumps

1. Start standing, feet together.

2. Step left leg back and lower into a lunge, both knees bent 90 degrees, back right knee just hovering off the floor.

3. Push through the heel of the front left leg to explode up, switching feet in the air.

4. Land softly back into a lunge position, right foot forward. Repeat with right foot forward and continue alternating. 

Modification: Instead of jumping up from the lunge, drive through the heel of the front leg, bring back knee up toward chest and then kick it straight out in front of you. Place foot back down and step back with the opposite foot. Continue alternating lunges with a front kick.

RELATED: 5 Power Lunges for Killer Glutes

Squat Jumps

1. Start standing, feet slight wider than hip-width apart.

2. Push your hips back and down, keeping weight in the heels as you lower into a squat.

3. Explode off your feet, extending your hips to jump up into the air.

4. Land softly back into a squat position, knees bent. Repeat.

Modification: Eliminate the jump and push the pace of a regular bodyweight squat.

Pike-Ups

1. Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, forming a straight line from shoulders to heels.

2. Hop your feet in so that your hips drive straight up into the air and you hit a reverse V shape.

3. Then, hop the feet back to a plank position. Repeat.

Modification: From your plank position, walk feet up toward hands to create the reverse V shape, and then walk them back to a plank. Repeat, while pushing your pace. 

RELATED: 20 Plank Exercises You Can Do at Home

Skater Jumps​​​​​​​

1. Start standing, feet hip-width apart.

2. Push off your left foot to hop to the right, landing with a bent knee, hips back, chest up, and bringing your left foot behind your right.

3. Then, push off your right foot, hopping to the left. Continue alternating.

Modification: Alternate curtsy lunges by stepping one foot diagonally behind you, lowering into a lunge position with knees bent 90 degrees. Step back up to standing and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating. 

Tuck Jumps

1. Start standing, feet hip-width apart.

2. Lower into a shallow squat position and then explode up into the air, driving knees up into chest.

3. Land softly back down, with bent knees. Repeat.

Modification: Start in a kneeling position. Step left forward, and then right, coming into a low squat position. Then stand up. Lower back into a squat. Then place left leg back down to a kneeling position, and then right leg. Repeat, starting with the right leg. Continue alternating.

RELATED: 4 Fat-Blasting Jumping Exercises

Lateral Hurdle Hops​​​​​​​

1. Start standing, feet together.

2. Place a yoga block or band next to you (or pretend there is a hurdle next to you). Bend knees slightly and drive up and over, hopping over the “hurdle” as you drive knees up.

3. Land softly with bent knees. Repeat, hopping to the other side. Continue alternating.

Modification: Instead of jumping over the “hurdle,” step over it, starting with the knee closest to the hurdle, and still driving the knees up toward chest. Keep arms straight overhead as you go.

High Knees

1. Start standing with feet together.

2. Drive one knee up toward chest, with the opposite arm driving forward (elbows bent 90 degrees).

3. Quickly place the foot back down and drive the other knee up and opposite arm forward.

4. Continue alternating, landing lightly with each step like you’re running in place.

Modification: March the knees up toward the chest, eliminating the hop.

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15 Hip Stretches Literally Every Body Will Benefit From

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If you've got a pair of hips, there's a really good chance they've felt "tight" once or twice (or uh, maybe even right this second). And you're not alone: “I hear people complain about tightness in their hips during every single [personal training] session,” says Lauren Kanski, NASM-CPT, personal trainer and coach at Performix House in New York City. “Multiple times, every single day, it’s the most common area people ask for help on besides their lower back.”

The reason? We all tend to spend a majority of the day sitting down—in the car, at your desk, on the couch—and staying off your feet plays a major role in this type of tightness. That's because that seated posture means your hips hold a flexed (or shortened) position all day, which can make moving afterward—even just standing up—feel tough. Stretching out your hip muscles, as well as moving regularly throughout the day, can help ease stiff hips and ward off pain and injury.

But even if you don’t feel tight, it’s important to tend to your hips, especially if you feel stressed. “We store a lot of stress and emotions in our hips,” Kanski explains. “We transfer energy between the upper part of the body and the lower part of the body to function and move, and the hips are the primary transfer point of that energy.” Sometimes, opening up the hips can even alleviate some overall tension and perk up your energy levels.

RELATED: This 6-Step Yoga Flow Will Open Up Your Tight Hips

To keep your hips healthy, show ‘em some TLC every day. Kanski suggests you stretch them out after you wake up in the morning, before your workouts, and before you head to bed. But even more important: stretching our hips out before and after a workout. Keep stretches active or dynamic when warming up before your workout—that means only holding for a few seconds and moving in and out of the pose. Go for passive or static stretches to cool down after a sweat, holding each position for about 30 seconds. The stretches below, shared with Health by Kanski, are a mixture of both—one through eight are dynamic stretches to keep things moving, while stretches nine through 15 are meant for when you finally slow things down. 

1. Adductor Rock Back

Start in a tall kneeling position on the floor. Extend one leg straight out to the side, keeping foot flat on the floor. Place both hands on the ground, about one to two feet in front of bent knee and rotate foot of extended leg so it faces inward. Keeping your spine long, push hips back toward heel. Then, return to starting position. Perform three sets of 10 rock backs on each side. Kneel on a pillow, folded blanket, or yoga mat if needed.

2. Quadruped Hip Half Circles

Start on hands and knees, shoulders over wrists and knees under hips. Extend right leg behind you. Create a counterclockwise circle with knee, bringing it to right arm. Try to keep hips level and knee bent 90 degrees. Complete the half-circle by extending right leg behind you again. Repeat for a total of three to five reps. Do three sets per side.

RELATED: What the Heck Are Hip Dips?

3. Spiderman Lunge

Start in a high-plank position with hands directly under shoulders. Bend right knee to step right foot forward, just outside right hand. Keep left leg extended and abs tight. Step right foot back to plank and pause. Repeat. Do three sets of five lunges per side.

4. Squat-to-Stand

Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Soften knees and bend forward at waist to reach hands to toes. Once hands reach toes, or as close as possible, bend knees to squat down. In your squat position, keep your elbows on the inside legs and use them to gently push knees apart. Lift chest, pause, then straighten legs and re-fold forward to return to starting position. Do three sets of five reps.

RELATED: How Low Should You Squat? And How to Improve It

5. Walking Lateral Lunges

Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at sides. Step right foot wider than hip width and bend right knee to sit hips down and back. Keep opposite leg straight with toes pointing forward. Press through the floor away with right foot to return to starting position, left foot meeting right. Do three sets of 10 lunges per leg.

6. High Knees

Start standing. Drive right knee up to hip-height and drive the opposite arm forward, elbow bent 90 degrees. Immediately place right foot back down and drive left knee up. Then step it down. Repeat. Stay light on your feet and continue alternating for 10 reps per side. Do three sets.

RELATED: 10-Minute Cardio Workout You Can Do at Home

7. Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor, hip-width apart. Engage abs and push into the floor with heels to lift hips so knees, hips and shoulders align. Squeeze glutes to the top of the movement, then slowly lower hips back down to the floor. Do three sets of 10 reps.

8. Lateral Band Walk


Loop a small resistance band around legs slightly above ankles. Stand tall with feet about hip-width apart. Soften knees and take a small step to the side with one foot. Then, slowly follow with opposite foot so feet are hip-width apart again. Avoid leaning to the side as you step and prevent lead knee from collapsing inward; knee should stay over ankle the entire time. Do three sets of 10-15 steps per side.

RELATED: This Full-Body Resistance Band Workout Only Takes 15 Minutes

9. 90/90 Hip Stretch

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Place both hands behind you, shift knees to the right, and lay both shins on the floor, keeping knees bent 90 degrees. Right shin should be in front of body, and left shin to the left of body. Keep chest tall. Lean forward at waist to deepen the stretch. Hold here for 30 seconds before returning your knees to center and shifting them to the left, bringing both shins to the floor and keeping knees bent 90 degrees. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side.

10. Pigeon Pose

Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Then, bring right knee forward toward right wrist. Lay shin flat on the floor, parallel to chest. Keep left leg extended. Hold for 30 seconds. Lean forward at the waist to deepen the stretch. Then switch sides. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side.  

RELATED: Best Yoga Poses for Your Trouble Spots

11. Child’s Pose

Start on hands and knees. Then, spread knees wide while allowing big toes to touch. Sit back into hips to rest butt on heels. Inhale and sit up straight to lengthen spine through the crown of your head. On an exhale, fold forward at the waist, allowing chest to rest between or on top of thighs, and bring forehead to the floor. Keep arms extended in front of you with palms on the floor. Keep butt touching heels. Hold here. Do three sets of 30-second holds.

12. Couch Stretch

Start in a half-kneeling position, right foot forward and knees bent 90 degrees. Place the top of left foot on a couch, chair, or bench behind you. Hands can go on hips or on front knee. With chest tall, gently press hips forward and hold for 30 seconds. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side. 

RELATED: 15 Stretches You Should Do Every Day

13. Frog Stretch

Start on hands and knees. Spread knees slightly wider than hip-width apart but keep feet in place and turn the toes outward. Then, come down onto forearms and keep spine straight as you try to “spread the floor” with knees and sit hips back toward heels. Hold here. Do three sets of 30-second holds.

14. Supine Figure-Four Stretch

Lie flat on back with legs extended. Extend arms out to the sides and flat on the floor. Bring right knee toward chest and grab with left hand. Gently pull knee across body, making sure right shoulder stays flat on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side. Place a yoga block, pillow or folded blanket under bent knee for support, if needed.

15. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Start in a half-kneeling position, right foot forward and both knees bent 90 degrees. Place hands on front thigh for support. Tuck hips forward and pull belly button toward spine. Then, rock forward gently without un-tucking hip or rounding back. Hold for 30 seconds. Do three sets of 30-second holds per side.

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What Are Pre-Workout Supplements—and Should You Try Them?

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Most days it's hard enough lacing up your sneakers and making it to the gym, let alone powering through an entire workout. If only there were an easy button of sorts—or at least something to help you kickstart a workout (and maybe also help you work out a little harder and longer).

That's where the idea of pre-workout supplements and drinks come into play (you've probably seen your fittest friend pop some into her water bottle before heading to the studio). But what's exactly in these supplements—and do they even work to help enhance your workout? Health spoke to experts—both nutritionists and trainers—to get the lowdown on pre-workout supplements and help you decide whether you want to try 'em or skip 'em. 

What exactly are pre-workout supplements?

Basically, these pre-workout supplements—which often come in powdered form—are supplements meant to boost your workout if you take it beforehand. 

“The main goal of pre-workout supplements, based on the research but contrary to most pre-workout claims, is to enhance the feelings or perception of a superbly charged workout,” says Jim White, RD, owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition in Virginia Beach. “Most pre-workout supplements do this by using stimulants which increase blood flow, heart rate, energy, and focus. This makes an individual feel like they can work out harder and with more intensity in order to get more out of their training.”

Just FYI: No two pre-workout supplements are the same, but many contain a few matching ingredients, like carbohydrates and caffeine for fuel and energy. (Carbs are your body's preferred source of fuel, says Nancy Clark, RD, author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. 

Pre-workout supplements can also include nitrates, which have been found to improve blood flow and work efficiency (meaning you use less energy to perform a similar amount of work); sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda, to help reduce lactic acid and improve short-term performance; creatine, to improve muscle strength and high-intensity performance; and potentially beta-alanine, to help balance the pH of muscles, according to White. 

RELATED: Do Supplements Cause Cancer? Here's What a New Study Says

Can pre-workout supplements help you lose weight?

Maybe, but don’t bank on it. Supplements that contain stimulants (again, like caffeine) and other energy boosters like B vitamins could kick up your drive so much that you get a better workout and therefore, burn more calories. You just have to make sure you don’t end up eating those calories right back.

“I know many people that jazz themselves up with pre-workout supplements, burn off 500 calories in their workouts, and then eat 700 to 800 calories at breakfast,” say Clark. “It doesn’t matter how much you burn at a workout, what matters is if you created a deficiency.” Translation: Even if you do work harder at the gym because of pre-workout, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose weight.

Also, if exercise makes you hungrier or you feel like you deserve to eat more because of a hard workout, it’s very easy to eat those calories burned and then some. “I totally separate exercise and weight,” Clark says. “Most of weight loss is about pushing away from the dining room table and eating less food.” And that doesn’t involve pre-workout supplements.

RELATED: 3 Things People Get Completely Wrong About Vitamin Supplements

Are there any safety concerns with taking pre-workout supplements?

Most pre-workouts contain caffeine—that’s where you get that heightened energy. But beware: some can sneak in more than four cups of coffee worth of the stimulant, according to testing done by the third-party company, LabDoor. Check to see how much you’re consuming, noting that one cup of coffee typically contains 95 milligrams of caffeine, according to the USDA.

Keep in mind: “Supplements are not regulated in the same way that foods are,” says Jen Bruning, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Looking for a label from a testing organization is a good first step in making sure your supplements contain what is listed.”

Experts suggest searching for stamps of approval from companies like Informed Sport, NSF Certified for Sport, BSCG Certified Drug Free, or US Pharmacopeia. “No supplement can ever be deemed 100% risk free, however, these certifications help to mitigate risk and keep it at a low level of possibility,” White says.

Because you can never be 100 percent sure what you're getting in a supplement, White warns against other ingredients that could lead to problems like heart conditions, including amphetamine-like stimulates (think ephedrine, which the FDA banned in 2004 due to the serious side effects) or testosterone-promoting hormone boosters. 

Also, keep in mind, that if you're supplementing your meals with the pre-workout supplements, you could end up getting too much a good thing. “Most people can see results from the right combo of foods and hydration, and supplements simply aren’t needed,” says Bruning. “Over-consuming nutrients and other supplements can be wasteful—our bodies can’t always use the high amounts of nutrients sometimes found in supplements, shakes, mixes, and more. It can also be dangerous to over-consume some micronutrients or other ergogenic aids. Supplements can also be expensive for the results that you may see.” And those are only potential results for the price you pay. 

RELATED: The Supplements That Can Actually Help With Diet and Weight Loss—and the Ones That Can't

So, should you try pre-workout supplements?

Honestly it depends. Elite or competitive athletes, for example, will probably get the biggest pay-off from pre-workout mixes, considering they need that little extra shot of performance benefit, says White.

Pregnant or breast-feeding women or kids under 18 shouldn’t take these supplements, because of the high level of stimulants, White adds. Those with conditions like heart arrhythmia, diabetes, or pre-diabetes, or those with a sensitivity to caffeine should probably skip, too.

If you have trouble sleeping, take blood pressure meds, have gastrointestinal issues, or have had issues with disordered eating, you should also be hesitant about taking pre-workout supplements, and talk to your doctor before doing so. “Pre-workout can leave you jittery and may lead to over-training and injuries in some people so it’s important to weigh all the risks with benefits of taking a pre-workout supplement,” White says.

For the most part, however, pre-workout supplements can't do anything whole foods can't also do. For example: While caffeine might work to boost your energy levels, a cup of coffee will do the same. And while many pre-workout powders tend to pack a carb-protein combo that fuels your body for an intense sweat, a banana with almonds will do that too. “I always trust food more than I trust a supplement. Most products have nothing magic in them, they’re just convenient," says Clark.

Ultimately though, the decision is up to you and your needs and goals. But all the experts said you likely don’t need them.

If you do want to try a supplement, just make sure you talk to your doctor first, especially if you have an underlying health condition. And chat with a dietitian who specializes in sports—he or she can help you figure out proper dosing and other safety details.

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