workouts

…WHY NOT TRY IT FOR FREE?

Head to Lululemon Union Square tomorrow morning for their free Saturday Sunshine Yoga class.

Saturday Sunshine Yoga at Lululemon from 9-10am
15 Union Square West

STAY COOL in Yoga. These mats from Gaiam are all under $25. www.Gaiam.com

I’m officially putting the headstand back on your radar. Unless you practice yoga, it’s probably been a while since you’ve attempted this pose. FYI, a keg stand doesn’t count. It’s time to reconnect and find out why headstands are so good for you. Here are some reasons why:

Improves blood circulation and helps reset the heart.

Creates space between the organs in your body and relieves pockets of compressed tissue.

Stretches your legs, stomach and spine.

Strengthens the spine, neck, wrist, arms and shoulders as they work together to support body weight.

Improves body balance, posture and strengthens the core.

Releases back pain.

Resolves restless leg syndrome.

Reduces vericose and spider veins.

Aids in digestion.

Reduces insomnia

Relieves emotional stress and calms the brain.

Enhances awareness, sharpens attention and improves the memory.

How are you celebrating the 4th? The Lululemon store in Union Square invites you to a complimentary, hour-long hatha yoga class in the store’s Sunshine Studio with Netri LaLumia, co-director of Yoga Yoga.  Hatha is a form of yoga that promotes alignment, strength and flexibility. And you can always drink yourself silly afterwards! Time: 9am - 10am (Please arrive 10 minutes early).

Valeo wins for best medicine ball design! Medicine balls usually makes me cringe but these come in bright colors and a range of sizes/weight. They are a great addition to your modern gym or your teeny tiny studio apartment.

http://www.valeofit.com

click on the image above to go directly to Valeo’s medicine ball page

*Contributed by New Yorker/Gym-goer Jeremy S., MizzFIT Guest Blogger*

A few years ago I had a dumbbell dilemma. I had the strength to lift heavy, but could not manage to get two dumbbells in the correct position without the aid of a partner. My solution: use both arms to position a single dumbbell and train unilaterally (aka working one side of the body at a time, aka one-arm presses). 

Since that day I have made one-arm presses a staple of my work out and it’s become pretty common for my fellow gym-goers to approach me and inquire what the benefit is to only using a single arm (performing a one-arm chest press with a 100lb dumbbell tends to attract attention). As you now know, I didn’t set out to become a proponent of one-arm presses, but have since learned (and more importantly experienced) the three key benefits associated with unilateral training: 

Core Strength: When you perform a one-arm press, your body is unstable. You have weight on one...