Everyone knows the benefits of frequent and consistent exercise, but not everyone has the time or resources to head out to the gym several times a week. Another problem that not only a great deal of people have, but I’m willing to bet most people have when it comes to exercise is not knowing how to start. When someone doesn’t know how to start doing something, chances are that person isn’t going to make it a priority to learn how or just throw themselves into it, regardless of the fact that they know it is good for them.
Luckily, the folks over at Sears Blue Crew HQ have put together an extremely simple exercise guide full of basic, but sometimes overlooked tips on how to create a dedicated, motivating and inspiring workout space in your own home.
Let’s face it, not everyone has the time to drive to the gym, work out and then drive home (or wherever they may need to go) afterward. After all that driving, the time really adds up and it can become more of a commitment than you were hoping for. Furthermore, a lot of people simply have no interest in joining a gym, regardless of how accepting, accommodating, or convenient that gym may be. By creating a home workout space, you have a dedicated space you can work out freely in, without having to take more time out of your day than you need to. You also have the freedom to decorate your space to match your taste and add little things that will make your workout experience more enjoyable. Your surroundings have a lot to do with your mood and by adding small, personal touches to your decor, you’re guaranteed to walk into that space whenever you want and immediately feel refreshed, at ease and ready to begin your workout. According to the Sears Blue Crew HQ, you want to make sure your space is safe, pleasant, roomy and entertaining.
But all of the decorating, accommodating and endless music selections mean nothing without the right equipment. The Sears Blue Crew HQ has also laid out what equipment is used most often in workout spaces and what you’ll need to exercise. Of course, the best equipment for you is the equipment you wil use, so think about what you like doing and also be sure to have some variety in routine–and the equipment to make it possible.
Floor mats are perfect for stretching, yoga, Pilates, or old-fashioned push-ups and sit-ups. Look for non-slip, easily washable surfaces.
Free weights are dumbbells and barbells for strength training. They are excellent because they allow a full range of notion, but get some training so you use them correctly. Also, they tend to be quite loud when dropped on the floor, so purchase proper weight-lifting mats to protect your floor and lower the noise level.
Weight systems sometimes called home gyms, provide a variety of strengthening exercises without the noise of dropping heavy weights. They can take up a fair bit of space, so be sure to measure your area before you buy. They also greatly increase the load on your floor system, so be sure you have the structural support for it.
Punching bags offer a great combination of aerobic workout, upper body strength building and stress relief. Get some training if you’ve never done bag work before, to avoid hurting your hands. Hang your bag securely in a way that won’t send vibrations through the whole house. Freestanding bags are also available, and you can set them up in an out-of-the-way corner of your home.
Treadmills are a long-standing favorite. Good models have a variety of programmable workouts and an incline feature for added exertion. Look for higher horsepower in the motor and a sturdy frame. Treadmills need 6 feet of clearance behind them, in case of unexpected dismounts.
Ellipticals give a good cardio workout with less impact on your knees – and your home. Most have reversible direction, and the better models offer an incline feature to maximize your workout. Like the treadmill, you need clearance around them for safety.
Exercise bikes are no-impact and take up the least space of the cardio machines, because you don’t need safety space behind them. Like the others machine styles, they have a variety of programmable workouts. They also don’t cause much vibration and so can be put on almost any surface.
Rowing machines give great low-impact, full-body and cardio workout. Proper technique is important, so read the manual or get some help before you start. Foldaway models make this an ideal machine for multi-purpose spaces.
Looking to recharge your body and mind? On Wednesday, August 11th, join Urban Girl Squad for a night of mingling and working out at Exhale! From 6:30PM – 7:30PM, we’ll have an exclusive discussion with a top Exhale ‘Nutrition + Wellness’ coach who will speak about achieving balance in our lives. During this session you’ll have the opportunity to have your nutrition questions answered and mingle with other amazing moms.
We’ll then enjoy an exhilarating 60-minute Core Fusion class, one of Exhale’s signature classes, from 7:45PM – 8:45PM. Core Fusion incorporates elements of core conditioning, Pilates, Yoga, the Lotte Berk Method and interval cardio training. The class is a complete mind body experience with upbeat and inspirational music.
And of course, no Urban Mom Squad event would be complete without a fantastic gift bag and raffle prizes!
At this event you’ll meet new moms in NYC and receive:
A full-length Core Fusion class ($35 value) and mind and body tips from an Exhale ‘Nutrition + Wellness’ coach
Gift bag with Exhale beauty products ($50+ value)
Gift certificates for a FREE future class at Exhale and 25% off a therapy at Exhale’s spa
A raffle with a prize of five free Exhale classes ($157 value)
Special discounts at the Exhale boutique
Sign up now for this special experience exclusively for Urban Mom Squad. * Please note that socks are required for this class.
Fast Facts:
Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Location: Exhale
150 Central Park South
New York, NY 10019
About Urban Girl Squad Amanda Hofman created Urban Girl Squad, a community-based social group for women in their 20’s and 30’s in New York City, in January 2008. Urban Girl Squad creates opportunities for these women to try new things, spend time with friends, and meet new people. Our events include food and wine tastings, beauty and fashion nights, dance and fitness classes, sports events, cocktail parties and more. We provide special, discounted access to the city–you’ll meet store owners and designers, taste gourmet food and drinks, receive personal attention from popular venues, and score some amazing gift bags. The welcoming atmosphere at our events makes it easy for members to attend on their own or with friends!
Lululemon Athletica is celebrating their community of faithful yogis by hosting a national outdoor yoga event called Salutation Nation.
Salutation Nation will take place at participating Lululemon Athletica stores across North America where a complimentary yoga class fit for all levels will be held on August 7th from 9am to 10am (in all time zones.) Keep in mind not every Lululemon Athletica store in the country will be hosting a Salutation Nation event, so to make sure your local store is before you head on down with your yoga mat in tow, check out the list of locations or call your local store ahead of time.
Practicing yoga by yourself is all well and good, at least when you have a good grasp on what you are doing, but being a part of a group greatly benefits everyone involved. Yoga classes can be a lot more expensive than we’re prepared for, so for Lululemon Athletica to host this event, and also make it completely free, is great for every yogi living in a community with a participating store. This is a fabulous way for Lululemon Athletica to not only celebrate their community, but also bring them together to celebrate each other.
Check out the promotional video for Salutation Nation below and don’t forget to head to your local participating store on August 7th at 9am.
Stacey Joiner is a Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Yoga Instructor, but she only entered that line of work after realizing what her path in life was and what she, in her heart, truly wanted for her life. She wanted to help people and with the release of her book You Deserve The Royal Treatment, she gives the people who have the pleasure of reading her book the inspiration to do the same.
Women have this natural instinct to nurture those around us, whether it’s our husbands or partners, our children, our parents or other loved ones we surround ourselves with, although we often don’t make time to nurture ourselves. We make sure the people around us happy, fed, clothed, that our houses are clean and decorated, we bake cookies for our children’s bake sales and we strive to perform above-par in our careers and satisfy our managers and bosses. We lead very hectic lives and if there’s one thought that crosses our minds the most often, it’s that days need to include more hours so we can do more every day. Women are keen to putting more pressure on ourselves than we are often able to deal with. When I had first started to read Stacey Joiner’s book, I had felt this way. I was working for a person who did not appreciate the hard work that I put in day after day, many more hours than I had first agreed to work, and all of this was at the expense of what I truly wanted to do with my life career-wise.
Stacey Joiner cuts through every excuse every woman has ever used to not treat herself like royalty; to not make time for themselves, to not relax with a mug of coffee or tea and enjoy the fall leaves that are changing color and falling from the trees in your backyard, to not take a relaxing bath, to not take an hour before bed and read a book, to not treat yourself to a massage that could save your sanity. While living in New York City after September 11th and in the transition from corporate citizen to owner of a massage and yoga practice, Stacey Joiner experienced first hand what chaos ensuing around you could do to your stress levels and overall to your life; she also distinctly experienced what women think when they see another woman taking the initiative to take care of themselves, their well-beings and their mental stability; she knew that what the doctor ordered for her at that time was a massage to relax herself while all of her problems, obstacles and impending triumphs stayed exactly where they were. When she told her mother that she was going for a massage, she thought she was crazy, but Stacey knew exactly what she needed–and she was right; that self-care made it possible for her to perform greatly in her practice and tend to the other priorities in her life.
At the end of every chapter of You Deserve The Royal Treatment is a section entitled ‘Your Royal Duty;’ at the end of the first chapter are instructions to log onto YouDeserveTheRoyalTreatment.com for a free, two-minute audio meditation, which I strongly recommend you do. As for the rest of the Your Royal Duty Sections, she gives a yoga pose–it’s name, what doing the yoga pose will do for your body and for your mind, and bullet points instructing you how to perform the pose. However, even if you currently don’t do yoga or aren’t familiar with it, reading this book is still, as far as I’m concerned, a royal duty in itself.
Stacey Joiner hits the nail on the head again and again, but if you only take one thing away from her book, let it be that if you don’t take care of yourself first, how would you ever have successfully tend to all of the priorities in your life? When you neglect your own needs, illness, anger, resentment, disappointment and frustration invite themselves into your life. Joiner is changing the mindset and in turn, the lives of women for the better just by giving them sound advice that Joiner herself had learned throughout her life and is now spreading the good word to women everywhere. She stresses the truth in the fact that it does not matter how much or how little money you have in your bank account, if you live in an extravagant house or a studio apartment, if you’re single or married, if you have no children or have nine, nothing can stop you from making the most of your life and truly living royally. In case you were wondering, from the time I finished You Deserve the Royal Treatment, I have since ceased working for a person who does not appreciate the hard work that I put in to their business and I have begun working, albeit a little too much, but doing what I truly want and love to do.
Sexuality is something to be celebrated and explored and we hope to help you do just that with the articles and reviews we publish in our love and sex category.
Everyone knows the benefits of frequent and consistent exercise, but not everyone has the time or resources to head out to the gym several times a week. Another problem that not only a great deal of people have, but I’m willing to bet most people have when it comes to exercise is not knowing how to start. When someone doesn’t know how to start doing something, chances are that person isn’t going to make it a priority to learn how or just throw themselves into it, regardless of the fact that they know it is good for them.
Lululemon Athletica is celebrating their community of faithful yogis by hosting a national outdoor yoga event called 
