Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
samedi 14 novembre 2020
3 Quick Stretches to Help Relieve Shoulder Soreness, According to a Trainer
Since I started working from home, I have struggled with regular shoulder pain for the first time in my life. Hunching over my laptop is likely to blame. Now, I'm always looking for quick new ways to take a break during the work day to stretch out my shoulders.
In an answer to my prayers, Australian personal trainer and exercise physiologist Amanda Bisk recently took to Instagram to demonstrate three simple stretches to help alleviate shoulder pain. She also breaks down the common sources of achy shoulders, explaining that "many cases of shoulder pain (but not all) can be caused by imbalances in the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint and the shoulder blade."
The stretches in Bisk's sequence are intended to target the Pec Minor, a muscle that she says gets tights from hunched posture, and the Infraspinatus, a part of your Rotator Cuff that can cause a "dull ache."
Remember, stretching isn't always the solution for shoulder pain. So if you have any concerns, check in with a physical therapist or your doctor about your discomfort.
If you want to try Bisk's stretches for yourself, you can follow along with the video. Bisk recommends holding each position for 10 long, deep breaths and repeating the sequence twice. She suggests doing these stretches twice a week or, if you have particularly tight shoulders, before or after every workout.
Be sure to listen to your body and stop if you experience any pain.
Seated Pec
"Fingers point forward, walk your hands back a few steps. Roll your shoulders back and down + press your chest up to the sky. To increase the stretch, bend your elbows but try to keep your chest lifted. To increase again, aim to squeeze elbows together."
Lying Twist
"Bend elbows into 'cactus arms', bend one knee and reach that foot back to twist. Rest your head on the ground + use your hand to push into the ground to increase stretch."
Rotator Cuff
"This is my favourite! Looks weird, but works so well! Knuckles should be at sides of rib cage, use your knees to apply pressure and deepen stretch. Bring chin to chest + round upper back to increase stretch."
You can modify the Rotator Cuff stretch with one arm if you are especially tight in the shoulders.
Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.
Rise and Shine! We Found the Cutest, Comfiest Gear For Your Morning Walking Workout
A morning walk is a great way to wake your body up and start the day on a positive note. Plus, even though it may not seem as intense as running or cycling, it can be a totally effective workout.
You probably already have a lot of the necessary gear to make a morning walking workout part of your fitness routine, but with the weather getting chillier by the day, there are a few things you should consider investing in to stay warm on your walk, like gloves or a fleece pullover. You also may want to opt for more flexible, comfortable clothing designed specifically for low-impact exercise.
But don't worry - we've got you covered. We rounded up the cutest, most functional gear to get you ready for your morning walks.
vendredi 13 novembre 2020
You Don't Need a Gym to Build Muscle - Here's How to Do It at Home, According to Experts
While losing weight is all about burning calories, building muscle is a different story. If you're looking to increase your muscle mass, there are certain things you can do to optimize your workouts.
First, a quick anatomy lesson on muscles and how they're built. "There are a variety of factors that influence muscle growth, from exercise and nutrition to age, hormones, gender, and even sleep," Susanna Kalnes, an ACE-certified group fitness instructor and creator of the new, music-driven strength format CHISEL, told POPSUGAR. "But generally speaking, the way you build muscle is by tearing down or damaging your muscle fibers so that they fuse together, rebuild, and grow."
This process is called muscle hypertrophy and the good news is you don't need to be at a gym to achieve it. POPSUGAR spoke to several experts for tips on how to build muscle at home.
If You're Having Trouble Processing Trauma, Try This Journaling Technique From a Therapist
Trauma differs for everyone - it's caused by varying events or experiences one has gone through - and there are instances where it may progress into post-traumatic stress disorder. Licensed mental health counselor Jor-El Caraballo, cofounder of Viva Wellness, said he thinks "it can be really difficult for people to understand the ways in which trauma has impacted them." That's why he explained that when he starts working with clients on processing their traumatic experiences, it takes time and a complex approach to delve into not only specific events but also responses to those events.
"For more everyday issues, there tends to be a very direct path," Caraballo told POPSUGAR. "But for trauma, a lot of the work is trying to figure out where those connections are for that individual person, and that can make it complicated." In other words, not everything is black and white - how you react to trauma may not always be so overt.
A tool Caraballo called out for beginning to analyze trauma is writing your experience or experiences in the third person as if you were talking about someone else as opposed to yourself. You should write out a literal short story, not make bullet points down a page. This, he said, can help you distance yourself from your trauma enough so you can view its impact more clearly.
Trauma itself generates a feeling of danger or instability, and Caraballo said writing in third person provides emotional and psychological safety. "It's not, 'I've experienced this.' It is, 'This character experiences,'" he explained. "Even that can help create a little bit more safety to explore the feelings and thoughts that come up to that person."
Caraballo said he typically does this with clients as a one-time exercise, but people can try it on their own as well before deciding if they want to seek expert help. "I definitely think it's a good idea to speak with a professional about what comes up in these kinds of reflections as it can be overwhelming to work through difficult emotions," he noted. He would advise people to consider how the exercise was for them - Was it hard to write? What emotions came up? - then gauge the need for therapy because "those reactions can identify some ongoing points to work through in more professionally supported work."
If the writing exercise gets to be too triggering, Caraballo wants you to stop in your tracks. "You don't need to complete it for the sake of completing it," he said. "It can actually be more harmful if you disregard feeling overwhelmed or if you 'numb out' in the middle of it." Also, this exercise isn't something he suggests doing multiple times. Use it to get a new and slightly removed vantage point and to figure out what the next steps are in your mental health journey.
Sculpt Your Arms, Back, Butt, and Legs With This 30-Minute Beginner Total-Body Workout
When we don't have a bunch of time to work out, or we simply want to get a bout of movement in, total-body workouts are our go-to. But trying to program a workout that is effective and targets multiple muscle groups can be confusing. Instead of stressing out and trying to come up with a workout yourself, Idalis Velazquez, a NASM-certified trainer and the creator of Beachbody's first running program, 30 Day Breakaway, created this conditioning total-body workout that can be done alone or in conjunction with her 23-minute running workout if you're looking for an extra challenge.
This six-move workout is composed of compound exercises - multijoint movements that work groups of large muscle, such as squats and deadlifts - and will work your back, arms, shoulders, abs, legs, and glutes in just 30 minutes. Compound exercises elicit a greater energy expenditure than isolated movements such as triceps extensions because you're utilizing more muscle groups at once, which means you can also burn more fat and calories in a session.
No matter your goal, this workout will challenge you and have you feeling accomplished and powerful, both mentally and physically, once it's finished. Grab your weights and some water and put on your favorite playlist, because it's time to get to work.
Idalis Velazquez's 30-Minute Total-Body Strength Workout
Equipment needed: Two medium- to heavy-weight dumbbells. "Use moderate to heavy weights that feel challenging to you, but that will allow you to perform moves with proper form," Velazquez told POPSUGAR. Here's a guide on how to choose the right weight.
Directions: Before getting started, get your muscles warm with a dynamic warmup. This workout will be completed as a circuit, taking 30 seconds of rest in between each exercise and one to two minutes of rest in between each round.
For each exercise, Velazquez said to complete 10 to 15 reps. If you're a beginner, she recommends doing fewer reps, and if you're more advanced, she recommends working at a higher rep count. Complete a total of three rounds if you're getting back into a workout routine or new to strength training and four rounds if you're more advanced. After the workout, don't forget to cool down. We recommend doing some combination of foam rolling and stretching.
- Dumbbell sumo tempo squat: 10 to 15 reps, followed by 30 seconds of rest
- Push-up with plank row: 10 to 15 reps, followed by 30 seconds of rest
- Reverse lunge with bicep curl: 10 to 15 reps, followed by 30 seconds of rest
- Half-kneeling Arnold shoulder press: 10 to 15 reps, followed by 30 seconds of rest
- Deadlift with double bent-over row: 10 to 15 reps, followed by 30 seconds of rest
- Glute bridge hold with a dumbbell chest press: 10 to 15 reps
Take one to two minutes of rest, and repeat for a total of three to four rounds.
jeudi 12 novembre 2020
Tips for Making Your Workout More Challenging When You Have Just One Set of Dumbbells
Working out at home has its perks, from convenience to comfort, but one potential shortcoming is a lack of equipment. Whether you are working with minimal storage space or don't want to spend money on new fitness gear right now, you may find yourself feeling stuck in a rut with your same old single set of dumbbells.
Certified personal trainer Alexia Clark knows how you feel, and she has a few ideas for how to challenge yourself even if you only have one set of weights. These ideas also may come in handy if you have another, heavier set of dumbbells, but don't feel ready to graduate to that next level. She shared her three-step advice in an Instagram video, demonstrating each technique with a dumbbell front arm raise.
The first way to add an extra challenge to your strength training is "time under tension." In the video, Clark holds the dumbbells at her sides and lifts them up for three seconds, then down for three seconds. According to Clark's Instagram caption, "this forces your muscles to work harder and optimizes muscular strength, endurance and growth."
Next is adding a pulse - the short range of motion keeps the muscles contracted, Clark explains.
And finally, add a negative. "Negative training makes a deeper inroad during each repetition," she writes, "which stimulates natural muscle-building growth hormone."
If you're looking for other workouts that require minimal or no equipment, you can check out these 10 arm-sculpting exercises, or this five-move arm and ab workout using paper plates.
Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.
This 17-Year-Old Just Broke an American Junior Marathon Record That Stood For 36 Years
Tierney Wolfgram is just 17 years old, but she's already an American record holder. On Sunday, Wolfgram set an American record in the women's marathon, junior division, with a scorching time of 2:31:49, surpassing Cathy (Schiro) O'Brien's mark of 2:34:24 set back in 1984.
"It still hasn't hit me yet . . . that I did this," Wolfgram told Runner's World afterwards. With large-scale marathons off due to the pandemic, Wolfgram ran on a specially-designed, 6.55-mile out-and-back course twice to get in all 26.2 miles. Instead of competing against dozens of other athletes, she was accompanied by just two other runners, her University of Nevada Reno teammates Carson Leavitt and Adam Sjolund. They had to line up with her on the starting line in order to make the race official, per USA Track and Field rules, and they served as pacers as well.
"There are no words to describe the mass of my gratitude for these two guys," Wolfgram wrote on Instagram afterwards. "They kept me in line and controlled me in the early miles, broke the wind for me the entire way, and lent me strength during the tough parts."
"I'm absolutely stunned," Nevada cross country assistant coach EmKay Sullivan, who was there to see Wolfgram break the record, told Nevadawolfpack.com. "I knew she was going to break it, but she really showed out today! She has a couple of great teammates in Adam and Carson, who helped her immensely in her American record run. . . Super proud to call her part of the Wolf Pack."
"All I was thinking was I was super happy," Wolfgram told Runner's World of beating the record, which had been a goal of hers since completing her first marathon in 2018. "I knew I had done what we wanted to do."
Wolfgram, who graduated high school a year early before starting at Nevada, is also a US Olympic Team hopeful. She placed 76th at the marathon trials in February and has her eye on making the team in 2024, depending on what track and cross country events she excels at in college. "If I find success in the 5K, 10K, and steeplechase, we're gonna focus on those," Wolfgram said. "My goal is to put myself in contention to make a team."
With an impressive American record already under her belt, we'd say Wolfgram's in a good spot to do just that. Check out more photos and videos of her amazing feat below, including the moment she finally crossed the finish line.
mercredi 11 novembre 2020
I'm a Dietitian, and I'm Drinking This Juice Every Morning to Support My Immune System
Cold and flu season has arrived, which for many of us means loading up on vitamins and supplements to help keep us healthy. After all, who wants to be stuck in bed fighting a cold or dealing with the flu? Not me!
As a registered dietitian, I know the value of supplying my body with immune-supporting nutrients during these colder months. I don't give into all the "immune-boosting" solutions on the market, as many have zero evidence to back up their claims. However, I know the data suggests that vitamin C helps promote the production of immune cells, and vitamin D helps protect against respiratory tract infections, including the flu. So, I keep my immune-supporting regimen simple - along with eating a balanced diet, sleeping well, and exercising, I give myself a daily supplemental boost of the immune-supporting trifecta that is vitamin C, zinc, and vitamin D.
But while I may do a great job at buying my pills, I don't do as good of a job actually taking them. I am super-compliant with my supplement regimen for about a week, and then things tend to go downhill rather quickly. I get busy and forget to pop my pills, and ultimately the bottles start collecting dust and make their way into the supplement graveyard.
One day, while leisurely strolling through my grocery store aisles (which I frequently do - it's my "me" time), I came across Uncle Matt's Organic Ultimate Immune (available in stores). Skeptical about whether a juice could meet my needs, I perused the label and was pleasantly surprised. This natural and organic OJ is loaded with nutrients that actually have data supporting their effects on immune health, including (per serving) 300 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, 50 percent of the RDA of vitamin D, and 25 percent of the RDA of zinc. My beloved trifecta! Added organic elderberry juice gives this beverage antibacterial and antiviral benefits, while also giving it a pretty berry-colored hue that helps make each glass totally Instagram-worthy (priorities, right?).
Plus, because the base is traditional organic orange juice, it's naturally chock-full of important carotenoids - including beta carotene, alpha carotene, and beta cryptoxanthin, which can help form vitamin A in the body, an important nutrient for immune function. Another bonus? Drinking 100 percent orange juice daily also provides my body with hesperidin, an antioxidant that has been shown to offer blood pressure benefits, which means drinking this juice allows me to take care of my heart health as well as my immune health. Needless to say, I'm sold.
Being a tired working mom, having a solution that is as simple as pouring a glass of juice and sipping it is a welcomed addition to my otherwise crazy life. This juice tastes good, contains a boost of nutrients that helps my body stay in fighting shape during cold and flu season, and is made from real organic orange juice with no added sugars. It's something my entire family now enjoys before running out the door for school or work in the morning.
Along with making sure to wash my hands frequently, getting quality sleep, and eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, enjoying a glass of Uncle Matt's Organic Ultimate Immune every morning is a no-brainer to help keep my immune system in-check. Because the last thing I want this winter is to be stuck in bed for a week with the "ick." Nobody has time for that.
mardi 10 novembre 2020
Do You Keep the Morning-After Pill at Home? If So, Make Sure You Know the Expiration Date
Because the morning-after pill is most effective when taken right after unprotected sex, it's not a bad idea to keep a pack on hand. But Vandna Jerath, MD, FACOG, medical director at Optima Women's Healthcare in Colorado, warns against stockpiling emergency contraception for one specific reason: the morning-after pill is not something you take on a regular basis, and it eventually expires.
Once the expiration date has passed, the morning-after pill is no longer guaranteed to work as intended. "Expiration dates are designed to reflect the time period in which the medication retains its strength, quality, and purity, providing the medication is stored properly," Sierra Richard, PharmD, a women's health and pediatric clinical pharmacist, told POPSUGAR.
Dr. Richard went on to explain that the further out from the expiration date you get, "the less effective the medication will be, lowering your chance of preventing pregnancy." She added that the pill's efficacy can drop even further the longer you wait to take it after having unprotected sex.
While the morning-after pill can have a shelf life of three to five years, it's important that you store it properly during that time. Dr. Jerath advises against storing medications of any kind in areas with high humidity, which can render the ingredients less effective. "Stray away from bathrooms where steamy showers are present; humidity should be avoided," Dr. Jerath told POPSUGAR. "Ideally, a dry drawer or cabinet at room temperature would be the right place."
To make sure you never find yourself stuck with an expired pill in an emergency, Dr. Richard recommends cleaning out your (dry and cool) medicine cabinet every three to six months and setting a reminder in your phone to throw out medications when they're near expiring.
lundi 9 novembre 2020
Sweat It Out With These Free, Intense Instagram and YouTube Live Workouts
We know you're looking for ways to refresh your workout routine, because we are too. That's why we've been keeping up with our weekly schedule of live workouts on Instagram and YouTube - they're like a breath of fresh air when you're getting tired of doing the same routines over and over. This week we have a packed schedule, four workouts ranging from strength to power yoga flow to a mindful running warmup, all going live for free on YouTube and @popsugarfitness on Instagram. Check out the full schedule below and add it to your Google Calendar to keep up from week to week! You can also catch up with our previous live workouts on the free Active by POPSUGAR app. Grab your water and we'll see you there!
- 30-Minute Kick It By Eliza Strength Workout (Instagram Live): Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET (equipment recommended: light weights)
- 30-Minute Energizing Power Flow Live With Phyllicia Bonanno Presented by Yogi (YouTube Live): Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET
- 30-Minute LIT Method Workout (Instagram Live): Thursday, Nov. 12, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET (equipment recommended: mini band)
- 15-Minute Mindful Running Warmup With Lululemon Ambassador Kit John (Instagram Live): Saturday, Nov. 14, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET
samedi 7 novembre 2020
Is There an Ideal Time of Day to Take Vitamin D? A Dietitian Breaks It Down
Vitamin D plays a vital role in building strong bones and generally maintaining good health. For most adults, the recommended daily intake is 600 IU, which you can get from exposure to the sun and through certain foods. However, some people may need to supplement in order to stave off symptoms of D deficiency, including fatigue, bone pain, muscle aches, and mood changes. But if you want to make sure your vitamin D is properly absorbed, does it matter when you take it?
Generally, it's best to take vitamin D with your fattiest meal of the day, Kristin Gillespie, MS, RD, CNSC, an advisor for Exercise With Style, told POPSUGAR. She explained that, because vitamin D is fat-soluble, this will enhance absorption of the supplement. One study found that absorption of vitamin D was 32 percent higher when paired with a high-fat meal. Specifically, the participants ate a meal rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), which can be found in foods like almonds, avocado, chia seeds, and olive oil.
Gillespie also suggests taking vitamin D and other fat-soluble supplements, such as vitamins A, E, and K, separately. Fat-soluble vitamins can reduce absorption of other fat-soluble vitamins when taken simultaneously, because they compete for the same receptors.
Remember, if you're ever concerned about whether you're getting an adequate balance of nutrients, talk to your doctor. They can check your vitamin D levels with a simple blood test and help you make any necessary changes to your diet, including supplementation if that seems like the right course of action.
Stretch Out Tight Wrists Before Yoga With This 10-Minute Arianna Elizabeth Video
Stretching is an important part of exercise that can protect you from injury and improve your flexibility. However, sometimes people focus on stretching certain parts of their bodies, like their backs and legs, and end up neglecting others, like their wrists.
Between working out and typing on a laptop for an extended period of time, the activities you may engage in on a daily basis can leave your wrists feeling super sore. If that sounds familiar, there's no need to worry. Arianna Elizabeth, a fitness influencer and certified yoga instructor, has a wrist-stretching warmup that might help.
The stretching sequence in the 10-minute YouTube video is meant to be used as a warmup before a yoga session. "It is super important to definitely stretch your wrists out before you start," Elizabeth explains in the video. "Especially if you're not super familiar with Down Dog, sometimes it can feel like there's a lot of pressure on your wrists."
For people with weaker wrists in particular, which Elizabeth stresses is totally normal, warming up with some stretches is a key step in strengthening them.
Related: Tackle Work-Related Typing Pain With These Easy Wrist Exercises
Elizabeth talks viewers through exercises such as wrist circles, flexing your wrists, and rolling your wrists out with your fingers interlaced. She then transitions into a tabletop position on her hands and knees, and eventually into Downward Facing Dog. The Downward Facing Dog portion of the stretch is optional, though she gives helpful tips on how to make the position more comfortable.
Check out the video to try the stretches for yourself, and remember to take rest breaks or make modifications whenever you need them.
Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.
mercredi 4 novembre 2020
Low-Impact Workouts Aren't Necessarily Easy - Peloton's Low-Impact Rides Are Proof
When my Peloton arrived, I couldn't wait to hop in the saddle and ride out all of my pent-up cardio energy. I immediately dove into all the HIIT, intervals, and Tabata-based classes that popped up onto my homepage, with a goal of ending the workout completely drenched in sweat - and that I was. I was certainly getting a good use out of my new bike, but in my quest to take as many advanced classes as possible, I was also ignoring one particular workout category: the low-impact ride.
Low-impact workouts are not always easy. I've taken enough challenging hot-yoga and Pilates classes to personally vouch for that fact. But I had never taken a cycling class that was specifically designed to be low-impact. I sort of figured the simple act of cycling alone was low-impact enough.
One day, though, my muscle soreness and aching joints signaled to me that I needed more recovery, so I decided to give the category a chance.
Many HIIT-based Peloton classes feature intense bursts of hard work, lots of standing, and jumping up and down at a superhigh resistance and cadence. However, the low-impact classes I've taken are exclusively seated (meaning you don't stand up and ride) and are focused on limiting the cadence and resistance for an overall less-intense experience.
That's not to say I wasn't sweaty or didn't get my heart rate up - I just wasn't totally wiped out and drenched after my ride. I felt like I could focus on more consistent riding and form, compared to my HIIT classes where I was pedaling at my maximum effort for 60 seconds and fully out of breath at the end. And yes, the playlists will still make you sing at the top of your lungs.
What I noticed specifically about my low-impact rides, though, was that the instructors encouraged you to focus on what you needed out of the experience. Perhaps you're just in the mood for a low-impact vibe, or you're using it as a recovery ride from a week of challenging workouts. Maybe you're clipping into this ride because you are getting back in the saddle after an injury.
In one of Ben Alldis's ride I've taken recently, he mentioned that after taking a low-impact ride, you might feel even better or score a PR during your next high-intensity ride because you gave your body that time to unwind and recover. Real talk: I actually did!
I've taken a few of these classes with Alldis, and I especially appreciate that he's upfront about the maximum resistance and cadence that we'll hit in the ride. It gives me the opportunity to address how I'm feeling, listen to my body, and get into the right mental space.
Sure, I still love the feeling of crushing a 45-minute HIIT class on Peloton early in the morning, and now I know that swapping in a low-impact class or two will help me do that.
Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.
mardi 3 novembre 2020
8 Cookbooks That’ll Help You Make Delicious Anti-Inflammatory Meals
Following an anti-inflammatory diet is arguably much easier when you know what tasty recipes fit the bill.
An anti-inflammatory diet can look different from person-to-person, but there are certain triggering foods that should be avoided or limited, like processed meat, refined carbohydrates, and anything containing high levels of sugar and dairy. Most importantly, you should add whole ingredients that contain antioxidants and healthy fats, like leafy greens, grass-fed meat, turmeric, and ginger.
These diverse cookbooks will give you endless inspiration for incorporating anti-inflammatory ingredients into your meals, without sacrificing flavor and indulgence. From vibrant Mediterranean recipes to creative preparations of veggies, they are all about food that tastes and feels good.
"It's Not About Football": In This Powerful Trailer, a Team Fights For the Right to Play
"The Cost of Winning" follows a high school football team, but it's about much more than just football. This four-part docuseries, coming to HBO on Nov. 10, tells the story of St. Frances Academy Panthers football program in Baltimore, a team that excelled on the field; but it was what they did off of it - and how hard they had to fight to even be able to play - that has this one on our must-watch list.
The backstory: The Panthers went from being a winless program at an underfunded, nearly 200-year-old Catholic school, within a neighborhood rife with socioeconomic challenges and gun violence, to three-time Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association champions. Then, in 2018, they were kicked out of their league for being "too good." The talented team was left with no other option than to create their own schedule, traveling the country to showcase their skills in hopes of earning college scholarships.
HBO's docuseries follows that journey, led by head coach Biff Poggi and several star players. The team's determination and grit comes through even in the short, powerful trailer - watch for yourself above. Episodes one and two premiere on Nov. 10 at 9 p.m. ET, with episodes three and four airing Nov. 11 at 9 p.m. ET, all on HBO and HBO Max.
Meet Kakana: a Fitness Platform Featuring Workouts Tailored For People With Disabilities
You don't have to do much searching through popular fitness platforms to find that they are not made with the disability community in mind. That's where Kakana comes in. Launched on Oct. 27, it has live and on-demand classes in strength, meditation, yoga, stretching, cardio, and cross-cycling led by both able-bodied and disabled athletes and trainers.
Kakana founder Matthew Ney told POPSUGAR that he learned how important accessibility was through creating his company Fitbound out of college, which concentrated on short bursts of exercise kids could do during school. "That led me to start asking questions about what was out there," he said, adding that he shifted away from education and wanted to focus on making exercise accessible and more inclusive for the rest of the population.
In June, Kakana launched a beta class with a handful of participants who took cross-cycling. It's similar to any cycling class except you utilize a hand cycle or hand ergometer. The goal, Ney said, is having cycling be fully accessible to people all abilities because you can put it on the ground and use it with your legs, too. Then, Ney expanded into other ability-inclusive workout sessions before Kakana's launch at the end of October. As of now, most of the classes are 20 to 30 minutes long.
A monthly subscription costs $15, but you can try out a seven-day free trial or select the two-month-free offer on the Kakana website. So far, there are 10 live Zoom classes per week, which are transferred on demand permanently within seven days via the Kakana website. (Ney noted you can turn your video off during the live sessions if you want to.) There are also virtual "locker rooms" 10 minutes before each live class for participants to sign on early and get to know each other. Ney said there's time to additionally stay on after the class to give feedback and ask questions.
Team USA para-lifter Blaze Foster is a cross-cycling and strength instructor for Kakana, and he told POPSUGAR that, as someone with a physical disability, he's well aware of how easily you can feel alone when it comes to bettering yourself. A platform like Kakana is very important, he stated, especially for those with disabilities. "I'm a big, firm believer in health is wealth, and you really want to keep yourself healthy both physically and mentally," he said. "Being a part of group fitness is a great way to help you with that aspect of life."
Ney noted that despite the fact that athletes and fitness professionals are on the Kakana roster thus far - yoga instructor Marsha Danzig and trainer Sunny Miller, for example - he aims to expand the Kakana instructor lineup soon, and anyone with or without disabilities can apply since the training regimen is intensive. "I looked to find instructors that would engage and draw me in and be a leader for accessible fitness," he explained.
"When you talk about fitness alone, it is something that pushes you forward and helps your mind, your body, your soul," Ney concluded. "Let's make something that represents that and represents individuals with disabilities and without disabilities. I think you can do that by creating something people want to be a part of."
lundi 2 novembre 2020
Work Your Muscles and Get Sweating With 4 Intense Live Instagram and YouTube Workouts
It's that time of week again - live workout time! This week you can tune in on both @popsugarfitness and our YouTube channel for our newest Instagram Live and YouTube Live workouts. We have four of them streaming this week, so join us for some boxing, lower-body work, strength training, and more. Make sure to add the full schedule to your Google Calendar and catch up with our previous live workouts on the free Active by POPSUGAR app. See you on Monday!
Related: Focus on Your Butt and Legs With This 6-Move, 20-Minute Bodyweight Strengthening Workout
- 30-Minute Boxing Workout With Leila Leilani (Instagram Live): Monday, Nov. 2, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET (equipment recommended: two light dumbbells)
- 30-Minute Lower-Body and Booty Workout With Jarret Janako (Instagram Live): Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET
- 30-Minute LIT Method Workout (Instagram Live): Thursday, Nov. 5, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET (equipment recommended: mini band)
- 30-Minute Strength-Training Workout With Ashley Joi (YouTube Live): Saturday, Nov. 7, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET (equipment recommended: medium weights)
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