workouts

The Toning Shoe Let Down

If you own a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups, MBT's or Reebok EasyTones, I'm sorry to break the news to you BUT they're a sham. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) conducted a study on their effectiveness and found that toning shoes don't really do what they claim to do. Toning Shoes have led wearers to believe they will help them exercise more intensely, burn more calories or improve muscle strength and tone in the glutes, calves, and hamstrings. But according to the ACE study, this isn't true at all.

All three toning shoes tested [in the ACE research study] showed no statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation during the treadmill trials, when compared to the normal athletic shoes tested. There was simply no evidence to indicate that the toning shoes offer any enhanced fitness benefits over traditional sneakers. (source)

There's No Such Thing As A Magic Shoe

I know, I wanted to...

How exciting! The New York Times is showing the world the stylish and very photogenic side of women's tennis. Check out these jaw-dropping videos, appropriately named The Beauty of the Power Game. They were shot for a New York Times feature called Women Who Hit Very Hard And How They've Changed Tennis. Serena Williams and fellow tennis stars have never looked better and the tennis couture is smashing!

The New York Times has really outdone themselves with this tennis feature.

The athletes are styled in nontraditional tennis wear, such as a sparkling black dress sported by Serena Williams and a cashmere Chanel bodysuit worn by Vera Zvonareva. In some shots, colored chalk and glitter fly around the women as they strike the ball. (source)

The makeup, styling and slow-motion photography are all so exquisite that you almost forget about the article. Read it! It's quite interesting and talks about how nowadays, female...

In Million Dollar Baby, Coach Frank Dunn gives Maggie Fitzgerald the boxing name "mo cuishle", which means my darling. Her passion for boxing warms his heart and ours (I'm assuming you've seen it...if not, you're missing out). Maggie Fitzgerald is a fantastic character, role model and fitness style icon. She's feminine and fierce, and subsequently inspires great fashion for one of my favorite workouts, cardio-boxing!

WHAT IS CARDIO-BOXING?

Cardio-boxing is one of the best forms of exercise, because it conditions your whole body and builds muscle strength, endurance, balance, agility and coordination all at the same time. It provides a complete workout for your cardiovascular and endurance systems. Most cardio-box programs consists of variable heart rate work and actual boxing techniques. (source: Cardio-Boxing for Super Fitness by Elizabeth Quinn on About.com)

WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE IT A SHOT

Cardio-boxing sessions are proven calorie burners...we're talking 500...

Not only am I in this video (can you spot me?) but I couldn't agree more with Bloomberg TV's findings. Yoga's popularity and sales growth even during tough economic times proves it's not a fad but a restorative workout on many levels.

Fitness video games are not for couch potatoes.

I never got into video games as a kid and if someone handed me a controller, Mario would be lying in a ditch unconscious within seconds. I admit, my hand-eye coordination was off and my patience limited. But it didn't seem right that I sat and jiggled a controller while Mario & Luigi had all the fun. I became increasingly skeptical of video games through the years and labeled them "dorky". When the Wii Fit came out, I gave it the cold shoulder and preferred fitness DVDs. But then something happened that changed my mind--the invention of fitness games that let you into the game and use your body just like Mario & Luigi. This summer l tried out 3 new interactive fitness games that are workout worthy and tons of fun. You can play them on your own or break them out for family gatherings. Just make sure to push the couch out of the way because there's absolutely no sitting involved!

Your Shape:Fitness...

When I heard about a quirky yoga chick that was broadcasting yoga sessions to women via skype and video chat, I thought, I've gotta track her down and meet her. So I did! After just 1 hour with TeleYoga creator, Christine Miller, I felt like we were lifelong friends. I can totally understand why her clients can't get enough of her, especially when they're traveling, which is actually how it all began.

TeleYoga explained from the yogi's mouth:

Why it suits women on-the-go:

How it works:

You make sure you're equipt with a computer webcam (very important).

You schedule an online session with Christine through her website (and pay).

You login to Skype (it's free).

You call TeleYoga through Skype (or she can call you).

You connect and begin your TeleYoga session!

A quickie on how to tone your arms:

TeleYoga's fitness couture favorites:

ALO...