You’d be hard-pressed to find a yoga class without at least a few downward facing dog, and upward-facing dog poses, and that’s for a good reason. Appropriately done, foundational poses help fire up your whole kinetic chain, making them ideal bodyweight exercises. But if you’re looking to spice up your foundational poses, throw in a […]
If you’re intrigued by the idea of turning your post-exercise shower into a step in your recovery routine, you might be wondering whether you’re better off taking a hot or cold shower after a workout. (Or maybe you want to skip it altogether, like so many celebs have admitted to doing lately…ew.) But the truth […]
“There are times I’m literally on the couch or laying down and I’m just like, I don’t feel like going to the gym. And I’m like, girl, get up. Let’s go!” she tells SELF. “And I’ll say that out loud.” Speaking these words—instead of just noting them internally—helps Clay to really hear herself, she says. […]
Sore muscles are common after a tough workout, but when you’re really feeling the burn, you may wonder if you’re dealing with the usual muscle soreness — or if you actually have a pulled muscle or muscle strain. Here’s how to tell the difference and how to recover. What Is a Muscle Strain, or Pulled […]
Many of us have a hard time taking days completely off from exercise. We (wrongly) assume that working out nonstop will help us reach our fitness goals faster. “As a trainer, I hear a lot of clients humble-brag about never taking rest days, but this is nothing to be proud of,” says Amanda Dale, ACE-certified personal trainer […]
Summer trips to Cherry Grove and the Pines—the adjacent, queer-centric, and mega-charming hamlets on Fire Island—have long had a reputation for being downright magical for folks who are able to make the two-hourish journey from New York City. No cars! Deer wander up to you as you walk the wooden pathways home from the beach! […]
Whether you’re starting to cycle or interested in getting started, there’s one question that’ll come up early in your journey: For a better workout, how does a cage pedal vs. clip pedal stack up? Should you invest in clip-in shoes, or can you just wear your regular athletic shoes and still work up a sweat? […]
The benefits of having a strong core go beyond posting hot mirror selfies of your washboard abs on Instagram (though that is a plus). Building a strong core can help improve balance and stability, alleviate back pain, give you better posture, and make everyday tasks easier. If you’ve ever had really sore abs after a […]
One way to make indoor cycling workouts even more effective is to focus on your warm-ups and cooldowns. That’s where stretches for cyclists come in, especially if you focus on key moves that target your lower body. “Stretching before cycling increases performance by preparing the body for the stress of working out, and post-cycling stretches can […]
So much fitness advice boils down to one simple command: Get off your butt and move. But what happens when you’re dealing with muscle soreness or a lower-body injury? Can you still do cardio or build muscle with seated workouts? Are seated workouts actually worth your time? Yes, says trainer Alexis Craig, CPT, as long as you’ve sought […]