benefits

We could go on and on about the benefits of strength training—but it’s probably best just to let you try it for yourself. Thanks to this workout from Alex Silver-Fagan, trainer and Women’s Health‘s Next Fitness Star finalist, you can.

When it comes to creating workouts, her motto is simple: “Just get moving,” Silver-Fagan says. The trainer, who got her start in bikini competitions and then realized she wanted to do more to promote a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle, now teaches rowing and CrossFit and practices yoga #everydamnday.

Here she provides a creative workout that combines strength, yoga, and a unique twist on the classic move everyone loves to hate: the burpee.

To read more, click here!

Core strengthening exercises are essential in any training program, particularly if you’re a female athlete new to training, or returning from pregnancy or injury.

In the previous article in this series, we focused on the importance of core strength for the push up and how critical core strength is for posture and framing in a sport setting. We’re going to continue the series with six progressive core strength exercises to perform a barbell squat with excellent form.

2 Ways a Weak Core Sabotages Your Squat

The barbell squat is a fantastic exercise that combines strength, mobility, balance, and explosive power. Squatting regularly with good form has excellent carryover into your sporting performance. However, if your legs are strong but your core is weak, you will not be able to execute a heavy squat safely and effectively.

There’s two ways a weak core can negatively affect your squat..

To read more, click here!

This chakra is located in your lower abdomen, between your navel and genitals. Its main functions are pleasure, emotions, and creativity. Repressing any of these functions can result in lethargy, addictions, an inability to cope with change, and depression. Physical ailments can include back pain, sexual dysfunction, and urinary and kidney infections.

Beyond nurturing your body with healing touch (massage or reiki) and becoming more aware of your emotions and needs, the poses below will open your sacral chakra.

First, make sure that your body is properly warmed up with a flow sequence. Do 5 to 10 sun salutations, integrating a vinyasa (exhale to chatarangua or knees/chest/chin, inhale to upward-facing dog or cobra, and exhale back to downward-facing dog) between each.

Now, let’s move on to the poses!

To read more, click here!

It seems the humble foam roller is having a moment in the world of health and wellness. If the last couple of years have been all about high-intensity workouts like CrossFit and the rise of luxury spin classes like SoulCycle and Flywheel, it would seem 2016 is officially the Year of the Foam Roller.

You’ve probably seen a stack of them in the corner of your gym, and you may have seen runners rolling their IT bands out on one. While the roller is definitely good for reducing muscle soreness and increasing range of motion and flexibility, there’s a lot more you can do with a foam roller than most people think.

So, here are six things you probably didn’t know a foam roller could do for you, and six moves you can do at home to get those benefits:

To read more, click here!