#Running Low On Serotonin~ - Samantha

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

OMG THE BABIES THEY'RE SO CUTE CONGRATS YOU TWO T0T

Oh Mordy, it's time to say hello~ ;)

She's so...tiny.

Belladonna and Castiel were their names now. While holding Castiel he didn't feel as close. However, with Belladonna...there was a newfound warmth in him. He couldn't quite place it, but it was so sweet feeling...almost like when he held his little sister Rose at the time. Or better yet, Hannah...but those were past memories.

"How're you feeling my feline fellow?"

"...Morde?"

"Oh fuck he's crying---"

"Can I have my daughter, Morde?"

"Mordecai, my dear, come on---"

"Aww...softie~"

They might have to pry her out of his arms after this... <3

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

"WHY WOULDN'T YOU VOTE FOR US? WE'RE GREAT!"

"Yes indeedy! We're great! :D"

"Yeah! How could you not vote for us?"

"Why even vote for the Twitter bitches anyway? They're lame. Besides, they don't have any cool color palette comparisons, or whatever! Vote for my friends and my dad, you won't regret it!"

[ image ID: two photo collages, both of three different characters. the collage on the left shows the youtuber dream’s in-universe minecraft persona, belos from the owl house, and kylo ren from star wars. the collage on the right shows a fanon human form of bill cipher from gravity falls, the once-ler from the lorax, and alastor from hazbin hotel. end ID ]

IMPORTANT: THE DREAM IN THIS HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION IS THE CHARACTER, NOT THE REAL GUY.

[smittenswithmittens]

Eating disorder doesn't automatically equal skinny.

I have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder. But I have always had a strange love/hate relationship with food. With BPD, it's all or nothing. Love/hate. Fat/thin.

As I child, I was healthy. I was very athletic and had a six pack at the age of eight. As a teenager, I was average; around a UK size 10. Before I was diagnosed with BPD and Bipolar Disorder, I was a size 8.

Now I am thirty-one, and a UK size 14. I have been on medication for several years that can cause weight gain. Many people have made statements like 'you've let yourself go' or 'you looked better before'. People have been so offended by my weight, that they have told me to stop taking my medication (which basically keeps me sane) so that I can once again be a fit, skinny girl. I'd like to address this.

Why does weight have to be an issue? Yeah, fair enough, nobody wants to be the girl who needs a crane to get out of bed in the morning. Nobody wants to be called 'the fat girl'. But, since when did weight equal worth?

I always thought I was above the media's attempts to put my body to shame. I thought 'I really don't care if I weigh seven stone and do 1000 situps a day'. But in hindsight, I realised I was worrying about my weight and looks as far back as I can remember. My dad would often call my mother fat, and it was instilled into my mind that fat=lazy. Fat=unhealthy. Fat=monster. Fat=ugly.

A few years ago, I lost a lot of weight. I wasn't eating, and would feel sick at the thought of food. I would dread family meals, thinking that they would judge me if I ate too much. I would lie about eating. I would weigh myself every time I went to the bathroom, and would cry if I hadn't lost weight. When I looked in the mirror, I saw fat and ugliness. I saw disgust. I saw hate. I weighed just under eight stone and was passing out whenever I went anywhere, but everyone said I looked great. Skinny=attractive. Skinny=fit. Skinny=worthy. Everything I did or said revolved around being thin.

When I started a new medication and began to feel better, I gained weight. I started eating better and focussing on improving myself. I felt better, but other people around me would comment on the fact that I had gained weight. They would laugh and point at my stomach, saying 'someone's been eating more!'.

It turned into a vicious cycle. One month I would starve myself, then the following month I would eat crisps constantly and cry as I ate bread from the bag. And as my mental health got worse, the more my medication was increased, and the more my weight fluctuated. People would love to give their opinions on my body, whether I wanted them to or not. It's easy to assume that somebody is doing fine if they look thin and attractive as opposed to chubby and tired.

But skinny doesn't equal fine. Skinny doesn't equal positive. Skinny is an idea.

Last year, I was still struggling with my mental health but also battling my weight gain. I went up to twelve stone and would cry whenever I saw a picture of myself. People would say things like 'you look well', which obviously seemed to me a nice way of telling me I look like a massive, fat, monster. I would constantly search for images online of attractive, 'bigger' women; hoping that it would somehow encourage me to embrace my new curves. But I never felt like I could compare to them, because my curves weren't sexy or unique; I just looked fat and unhealthy.

Towards the end of last year, I went back down to ten stone by giving up eating. It was a form of self-harm, I suppose. I would go days without eating and felt sick anytime I did eat. I would look in the fridge, and feel ashamed for feeling hungry. I am still struggling...

Whenever I have spoken to a doctor about my problems with food and body-image, they have told me I'm not thin enough to worry about it. One doctor said to me, 'it's good for you to worry about food; you're not exactly skinny.' He was right, but it felt like a kick in the stomach. I desperately wished I had the drive to become a 'proper' anorexic. I envied those skeletal models in magazines and would fantasize about starving myself to death. I yearned for somebody to notice me and say 'you have a problem'. Because it was literally eating me up from the inside. All I thought about was food and weight and how everyone would perceive me if I lost or gained a few pounds. I would cancel plans because I felt like I was too unattractive to leave the house. It made me so upset that everyone seemingly thought I was eating a lot and pigging out, when I barely ate one meal a day.

I feel guilty for posting this. Maybe because I know that my weight isn't a serious problem, like the doctor said. Maybe because people have tried to help; saying 'if it makes you so unhappy, why don't you come off the medication and get thin again?'. 'Why don't you join the gym with me?!'.

But, no. I don't want to join the gym with you. My anxiety is bad enough as it is without feeling on parade in a big room full of thinner, fitter people than myself. I have been a gym-goer in the past and everyone thought I was SO attractive, but was I happy? No. I felt exactly the same at eight stone as I do at ten stone. I have ALWAYS felt overweight and unworthy. I have always felt unattractive.

My aim this year, I've decided, isn't to reach a goal weight. It isn't to get fit and healthy. It's to be kinder to myself. That doesn't mean 'eat all the fucking doughnuts and watch TV'. But it also doesn't mean 'starve yourself and run 10k every morning'. It's all about balance and moderation. Maybe in a couple of months, I will receive a giant serotonin boost and will gleefully skip to the gym and feel like a fucking princess. Maybe I won't. But the fact is; I can do whatever I want. It's nobody else's business if I'm a size 14 or a size 10. The medication I take does increase chances of weight gain; but I want to accept that instead of constantly blaming myself and feeling worthless every time I look in the mirror.

I guess the direction I'm trying to take with this post, is that low self-esteem and self-worth will affect many aspects of your life. And not everyone will approve. But you need to consider what is best for you, personally; not them. Who gives a fuck if you eat all the doughnuts? If you're struggling as much as I do with my mental health, a doughnut is the least of your worries. If you swing the other way and would rather go to the gym and get fit; them that's also fine. But please, be kind to yourself, in whatever you do. I think we all need a reminder sometimes that our short lives on this earth are a somewhat gift, and that, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter how other people perceive you.

Weight doesn't equal worth. Looks don't equal worth. Worth comes from self-respect, and respect for others around you. Worth comes from eating the fucking doughnuts if you're hungry. Worth is gained by not going round killing kittens and stealing babies from their cribs; not by fitting into that size 6 Topshop playsuit that you saw in last week's Cosmo. You are not a dress-up Barbie doll; you are a human being. And you are beautiful. And even if you are overweight, or slightly fat or generally unattractive physically, at least you don't kill kittens; you're better than that. And there's worth there.

I'm drunk and it's 3:30am. I'm going to go and eat a doughnut and not worry about how I look for the next few hours. I suggest you do the same.

Much love, Samantha.

[pocmuzings]

hi g, how are you today?! who are your current fave fcs rn?

hi ! i’m ok ! i’m running a bit low on serotonin , so if u have any spare .. pls provide me Some . 

as for fave fcs atm ! i’m obsessed with zión moreno. love love taylor zakhar perez . anya chalotra . RITU ARYA ! david casteñeda  , , my husband . steven yeun !!! laura dern . justin h min , what a cutie . itzan escamila : / , carlson young ( i was reminded of mtv scream and felt a way ) . tyler god damn posey ! SYDNEY PARK ! janelle monae ( tbh im never not loving her ) . mahershala ali . dustin milligan is super cute :(( , ajiona alexus is CRIMINALLY underused  . claudia salas . i’d d*e for mr freddy miyares .  .. sonoya mizuno , rami malek and theo james live in my heart rent free . alisha boe . OK I LOVE DYLAN MINETTE ??? sos . ariela barer !!! lyrica okano ( why is she never used in rps ! ) !!! BRIGETTE LUNDY PAINE !?!? geraldine viswanathan . justice smith is THE SWEETEST THING ! sebastian de souza phew ! natashia liu bordizzo is a kwangel . summer bishil , honest to god . . cobie smulders . . adam brody .  . andrew lincoln  . . aron piper . . ( i guess white people are ok sometimes ) . manish dayal is extra cute and wholesome these days . dylan sprayberry . samantha logan . also . . why is aslihan malbora so unfairly beautiful ??

[ruthellisneda]

13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach

When you’re at the beach, all you usually want to do is soak up the sun. We get that. But getting in a workout on the sand is not only fun, it also challenges your body in ways you can’t in the gym — and it’ll make you feel great.

“Your body craves daily movement someway, somehow. And it doesn’t have to be all-out, balls-to-the-wall,” says certified functional strength coach Samantha Ciaccia, who leads beach workouts for Ketanga Fitness Retreats. “Whether you do a hard workout or simple bodyweight or mobility exercises, your brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin, which makes you feel more awake and alive to fully enjoy your vacation.”

Since most Americans only take half their vacation days, we should maximize those days! So grab a water bottle, slather on the sunscreen and try some of these fun ways to get in a workout on the beach.

1. COMBINE LOUNGING WITH TONING

If you are the type who just wants to relax, try Ciaccia’s tip to get an added workout while lounging. “At some point, you have to change position. Every time you shift or get up, do a set of 10–12 pushups or situps, alternating between the two,” she suggests. By the end of the day, you will have some color and a good number of exercises under your belt.

2. GET MOBILE

Another low-intensity option is to do some mobility work on your towel, opening your joints and loosening your muscles. Ciaccia suggests making sure to hit your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders and lumbar to cervical spine. Here is one suggested move for each of these:

Ankles: Lunge one foot forward and place back knee on the ground. Place hands on both sides of front foot and lean into your front ankle. Switch sides and repeat.

Hips: Drop into a low squat with feet wide and butt close to the ground. Bring palms together in front of chest and place elbows inside thighs, pushing them open. Then, begin to draw figure eights with knees and focus on opening your hips.

Thoracic spine: Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and top knee bent at 90 degrees in line with your hip. Extend arms out in front of you, palms touching. On an exhale, slide your top hand past your bottom, opening your upper back. Return to start on an inhale. Take 3 breaths on each side.

Shoulders: From the same position as above, flip your top hand to palm up. On an exhale, keeping your top arm straight, drag your fingertips above your head and behind you, drawing a rainbow. Only go until your bent knee begins to come off the ground. Return to start on an inhale. Perform 3 breaths on each side.

Lumbar to cervical spine: Perform slow, intentional cat-cow movements.

Samsung and Under Armour have collaborated to offer an authentic fitness and nutrition experience by combining Samsung’s revolutionary wearable device with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness suite of apps. Whether you’re tracking your nutrition, daily workouts or running routes, this best-in-class partnership makes it easier to reach your personal goals and achieve things you never thought possible.

3. DO A MINI BOOTCAMP WITH A PARTNER

Workouts are more fun when you do them with someone, so grab a friend and do this workout from Christianne Phillips, director of mind and movement at 1 Hotel South Beach. You will alternate moves: Person A runs into the water and, once it’s deep enough to swim, swims 20 strokes out. Then, they turn around and swim 20 strokes back toward the sand and run out of the water.

While they do this, Person B is on the shore doing one bodyweight exercise the entire time. Once Person A is back to shore, you’ll switch and Person B swims while Person A does the bodyweight move.

The bodyweight movements can include the following exercises, ending with burpees as the last round: plank with shoulder taps, air squats, situps with your head toward (but never in!) the water, reverse lunges and burpees.

4. PRACTICE HEADSTANDS

Calling all yogis: If you are scared to practice inversions on a hard floor or away from a wall, try doing so on the forgiving soft sand. If you fall, it won’t hurt nearly as much — if at all. Put down a towel and pat down a space that’s as level as possible to put your head and hands or forearms on, recommends Phillips, who learned headstands by practicing on the beach. Then follow our step-by-step guide to master headstands!

5. PLAY PADDLEBALL

Although this game will never win the title of ultimate calorie burner, it does get you moving. The more you have to reach for the ball, the better. “Paddleball, football, Frisbee — all of those games are better than sitting there, for sure,” Phillips says. She likes to throw a football in the water with her sons. “It’s refreshing and it’s fun to dive for the ball and end up in the water,” she says. “We purposely throw it to the side so we can jump for it and throw ourselves in the water.”

6. PLAY VOLLEYBALL

If you want a sport that will burn more calories, get your Kerri Walsh Jennings on! Volleyball helps improve your agility, speed and hand-eye coordination, plus it counts as both metabolic training and strength training, Ciaccia says. This all keeps your brain sharp, boosts heart health, builds muscle from head to toe and helps you strengthen your neuromuscular response. This can help you to catch yourself from falling if you trip on that pesky living room rug.

7. GO FOR A RUN

When you combine bare feet and unstable sand, you quickly find running on the beach is hard! “Your shoes provide a cushion, and when you take that away, ligaments and muscles that aren’t typically used are being activated,” Ciaccia explains.

Beach running helps stabilize your foot and ankle joints and strengthen different leg muscles than a run on a treadmill or pavement does. However, both Ciaccia and Phillips caution that you will probably be able to run for less time and shorter distances on the beach than you normally do on other surfaces. Listen to your body because if you push it too hard, you could end up injured.

8. CHALLENGE SOMEONE TO SUICIDE SPRINTS

To amp up your run, grab some friends and pick a few landmarks to do suicide sprints with. You might run to the lifeguard stand and back, then to a rock and back and then to someone’s towel and back. Either way, you’ll be sweaty and breathless at the end.

9. TAKE A WALK

Meandering along the water’s edge can be more than just a stroll. Pick up the pace a bit or, if you are with a friend, have them jump on your back and take turns piggybacking each other, Ciaccia suggests. You can also alternate: One of you does 10 walking lunges while the other walks, then you switch. Try lateral lunges to work your body in more planes of motion.

10. DO A WATER WORKOUT

Water aerobics aren’t just for the seniors in your gym’s pool. Phillips recommends trying squats, lateral lunges, skaters and the bottom part of a jumping jack in the ocean. Be sure the water comes up to at least your waist so you get the added resistance of the water, which will make you work your inner and outer thighs more. To do water “crunches,” perform high knees while standing or, while treading water, pull your knees up to your chest like a hanging leg raise.

11. TRY STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

There are two big benefits of SUP. The first is balance. “While you are standing on the board, your brain muscles are in overdrive trying to not let you fall. This translates into helping you prevent falls in everyday life,” Ciaccia says.

The second benefit is strength. “Your muscles are contracting as you grip your feet on the board, squeeze your glutes and activate your core. You’re increasing isometric strength all around,” she adds.

12. GO KAYAKING

If you’ve never been in a kayak, you know that it’s a LOT of work. “It’s a perfect upper-body and core workout,” Phillips says. You’ll work your back, chest, shoulders, arms and even your legs some, as they help you balance. Plus, it’s great cardio.

13. DIY A BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

To get your strength training on, create your own total-body beach circuit. Simply pick one upper body, one lower body, one core and one dynamic exercise (such as skaters or burpees). Do each exercise for 7–10 reps. Repeat that circuit twice.

Then, pick four new exercises and repeat that circuit twice. “Within half an hour, you will be done, but you won’t be dying,” Ciaccia says. “That’s key because you don’t want to be exhausted the rest of day — you want to feel refreshed and alive.”

Written by Brittany Risher, a writer, editor and digital strategist specializing in health and lifestyle content. To stay sane from working too hard, she turns to yoga, strength training, meditation and scotch. Connect with her on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

The post 13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2tObARy

[almajonesnjna]

13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach

When you’re at the beach, all you usually want to do is soak up the sun. We get that. But getting in a workout on the sand is not only fun, it also challenges your body in ways you can’t in the gym — and it’ll make you feel great.

“Your body craves daily movement someway, somehow. And it doesn’t have to be all-out, balls-to-the-wall,” says certified functional strength coach Samantha Ciaccia, who leads beach workouts for Ketanga Fitness Retreats. “Whether you do a hard workout or simple bodyweight or mobility exercises, your brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin, which makes you feel more awake and alive to fully enjoy your vacation.”

Since most Americans only take half their vacation days, we should maximize those days! So grab a water bottle, slather on the sunscreen and try some of these fun ways to get in a workout on the beach.

1. COMBINE LOUNGING WITH TONING

If you are the type who just wants to relax, try Ciaccia’s tip to get an added workout while lounging. “At some point, you have to change position. Every time you shift or get up, do a set of 10–12 pushups or situps, alternating between the two,” she suggests. By the end of the day, you will have some color and a good number of exercises under your belt.

2. GET MOBILE

Another low-intensity option is to do some mobility work on your towel, opening your joints and loosening your muscles. Ciaccia suggests making sure to hit your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders and lumbar to cervical spine. Here is one suggested move for each of these:

Ankles: Lunge one foot forward and place back knee on the ground. Place hands on both sides of front foot and lean into your front ankle. Switch sides and repeat.

Hips: Drop into a low squat with feet wide and butt close to the ground. Bring palms together in front of chest and place elbows inside thighs, pushing them open. Then, begin to draw figure eights with knees and focus on opening your hips.

Thoracic spine: Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and top knee bent at 90 degrees in line with your hip. Extend arms out in front of you, palms touching. On an exhale, slide your top hand past your bottom, opening your upper back. Return to start on an inhale. Take 3 breaths on each side.

Shoulders: From the same position as above, flip your top hand to palm up. On an exhale, keeping your top arm straight, drag your fingertips above your head and behind you, drawing a rainbow. Only go until your bent knee begins to come off the ground. Return to start on an inhale. Perform 3 breaths on each side.

Lumbar to cervical spine: Perform slow, intentional cat-cow movements.

Samsung and Under Armour have collaborated to offer an authentic fitness and nutrition experience by combining Samsung’s revolutionary wearable device with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness suite of apps. Whether you’re tracking your nutrition, daily workouts or running routes, this best-in-class partnership makes it easier to reach your personal goals and achieve things you never thought possible.

3. DO A MINI BOOTCAMP WITH A PARTNER

Workouts are more fun when you do them with someone, so grab a friend and do this workout from Christianne Phillips, director of mind and movement at 1 Hotel South Beach. You will alternate moves: Person A runs into the water and, once it’s deep enough to swim, swims 20 strokes out. Then, they turn around and swim 20 strokes back toward the sand and run out of the water.

While they do this, Person B is on the shore doing one bodyweight exercise the entire time. Once Person A is back to shore, you’ll switch and Person B swims while Person A does the bodyweight move.

The bodyweight movements can include the following exercises, ending with burpees as the last round: plank with shoulder taps, air squats, situps with your head toward (but never in!) the water, reverse lunges and burpees.

4. PRACTICE HEADSTANDS

Calling all yogis: If you are scared to practice inversions on a hard floor or away from a wall, try doing so on the forgiving soft sand. If you fall, it won’t hurt nearly as much — if at all. Put down a towel and pat down a space that’s as level as possible to put your head and hands or forearms on, recommends Phillips, who learned headstands by practicing on the beach. Then follow our step-by-step guide to master headstands!

5. PLAY PADDLEBALL

Although this game will never win the title of ultimate calorie burner, it does get you moving. The more you have to reach for the ball, the better. “Paddleball, football, Frisbee — all of those games are better than sitting there, for sure,” Phillips says. She likes to throw a football in the water with her sons. “It’s refreshing and it’s fun to dive for the ball and end up in the water,” she says. “We purposely throw it to the side so we can jump for it and throw ourselves in the water.”

6. PLAY VOLLEYBALL

If you want a sport that will burn more calories, get your Kerri Walsh Jennings on! Volleyball helps improve your agility, speed and hand-eye coordination, plus it counts as both metabolic training and strength training, Ciaccia says. This all keeps your brain sharp, boosts heart health, builds muscle from head to toe and helps you strengthen your neuromuscular response. This can help you to catch yourself from falling if you trip on that pesky living room rug.

7. GO FOR A RUN

When you combine bare feet and unstable sand, you quickly find running on the beach is hard! “Your shoes provide a cushion, and when you take that away, ligaments and muscles that aren’t typically used are being activated,” Ciaccia explains.

Beach running helps stabilize your foot and ankle joints and strengthen different leg muscles than a run on a treadmill or pavement does. However, both Ciaccia and Phillips caution that you will probably be able to run for less time and shorter distances on the beach than you normally do on other surfaces. Listen to your body because if you push it too hard, you could end up injured.

8. CHALLENGE SOMEONE TO SUICIDE SPRINTS

To amp up your run, grab some friends and pick a few landmarks to do suicide sprints with. You might run to the lifeguard stand and back, then to a rock and back and then to someone’s towel and back. Either way, you’ll be sweaty and breathless at the end.

9. TAKE A WALK

Meandering along the water’s edge can be more than just a stroll. Pick up the pace a bit or, if you are with a friend, have them jump on your back and take turns piggybacking each other, Ciaccia suggests. You can also alternate: One of you does 10 walking lunges while the other walks, then you switch. Try lateral lunges to work your body in more planes of motion.

10. DO A WATER WORKOUT

Water aerobics aren’t just for the seniors in your gym’s pool. Phillips recommends trying squats, lateral lunges, skaters and the bottom part of a jumping jack in the ocean. Be sure the water comes up to at least your waist so you get the added resistance of the water, which will make you work your inner and outer thighs more. To do water “crunches,” perform high knees while standing or, while treading water, pull your knees up to your chest like a hanging leg raise.

11. TRY STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

There are two big benefits of SUP. The first is balance. “While you are standing on the board, your brain muscles are in overdrive trying to not let you fall. This translates into helping you prevent falls in everyday life,” Ciaccia says.

The second benefit is strength. “Your muscles are contracting as you grip your feet on the board, squeeze your glutes and activate your core. You’re increasing isometric strength all around,” she adds.

12. GO KAYAKING

If you’ve never been in a kayak, you know that it’s a LOT of work. “It’s a perfect upper-body and core workout,” Phillips says. You’ll work your back, chest, shoulders, arms and even your legs some, as they help you balance. Plus, it’s great cardio.

13. DIY A BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

To get your strength training on, create your own total-body beach circuit. Simply pick one upper body, one lower body, one core and one dynamic exercise (such as skaters or burpees). Do each exercise for 7–10 reps. Repeat that circuit twice.

Then, pick four new exercises and repeat that circuit twice. “Within half an hour, you will be done, but you won’t be dying,” Ciaccia says. “That’s key because you don’t want to be exhausted the rest of day — you want to feel refreshed and alive.”

Written by Brittany Risher, a writer, editor and digital strategist specializing in health and lifestyle content. To stay sane from working too hard, she turns to yoga, strength training, meditation and scotch. Connect with her on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

The post 13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2tObARy

[johnclapperne]

13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach

When you’re at the beach, all you usually want to do is soak up the sun. We get that. But getting in a workout on the sand is not only fun, it also challenges your body in ways you can’t in the gym — and it’ll make you feel great.

“Your body craves daily movement someway, somehow. And it doesn’t have to be all-out, balls-to-the-wall,” says certified functional strength coach Samantha Ciaccia, who leads beach workouts for Ketanga Fitness Retreats. “Whether you do a hard workout or simple bodyweight or mobility exercises, your brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin, which makes you feel more awake and alive to fully enjoy your vacation.”

Since most Americans only take half their vacation days, we should maximize those days! So grab a water bottle, slather on the sunscreen and try some of these fun ways to get in a workout on the beach.

1. COMBINE LOUNGING WITH TONING

If you are the type who just wants to relax, try Ciaccia’s tip to get an added workout while lounging. “At some point, you have to change position. Every time you shift or get up, do a set of 10–12 pushups or situps, alternating between the two,” she suggests. By the end of the day, you will have some color and a good number of exercises under your belt.

2. GET MOBILE

Another low-intensity option is to do some mobility work on your towel, opening your joints and loosening your muscles. Ciaccia suggests making sure to hit your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders and lumbar to cervical spine. Here is one suggested move for each of these:

Ankles: Lunge one foot forward and place back knee on the ground. Place hands on both sides of front foot and lean into your front ankle. Switch sides and repeat.

Hips: Drop into a low squat with feet wide and butt close to the ground. Bring palms together in front of chest and place elbows inside thighs, pushing them open. Then, begin to draw figure eights with knees and focus on opening your hips.

Thoracic spine: Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and top knee bent at 90 degrees in line with your hip. Extend arms out in front of you, palms touching. On an exhale, slide your top hand past your bottom, opening your upper back. Return to start on an inhale. Take 3 breaths on each side.

Shoulders: From the same position as above, flip your top hand to palm up. On an exhale, keeping your top arm straight, drag your fingertips above your head and behind you, drawing a rainbow. Only go until your bent knee begins to come off the ground. Return to start on an inhale. Perform 3 breaths on each side.

Lumbar to cervical spine: Perform slow, intentional cat-cow movements.

Samsung and Under Armour have collaborated to offer an authentic fitness and nutrition experience by combining Samsung’s revolutionary wearable device with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness suite of apps. Whether you’re tracking your nutrition, daily workouts or running routes, this best-in-class partnership makes it easier to reach your personal goals and achieve things you never thought possible.

3. DO A MINI BOOTCAMP WITH A PARTNER

Workouts are more fun when you do them with someone, so grab a friend and do this workout from Christianne Phillips, director of mind and movement at 1 Hotel South Beach. You will alternate moves: Person A runs into the water and, once it’s deep enough to swim, swims 20 strokes out. Then, they turn around and swim 20 strokes back toward the sand and run out of the water.

While they do this, Person B is on the shore doing one bodyweight exercise the entire time. Once Person A is back to shore, you’ll switch and Person B swims while Person A does the bodyweight move.

The bodyweight movements can include the following exercises, ending with burpees as the last round: plank with shoulder taps, air squats, situps with your head toward (but never in!) the water, reverse lunges and burpees.

4. PRACTICE HEADSTANDS

Calling all yogis: If you are scared to practice inversions on a hard floor or away from a wall, try doing so on the forgiving soft sand. If you fall, it won’t hurt nearly as much — if at all. Put down a towel and pat down a space that’s as level as possible to put your head and hands or forearms on, recommends Phillips, who learned headstands by practicing on the beach. Then follow our step-by-step guide to master headstands!

5. PLAY PADDLEBALL

Although this game will never win the title of ultimate calorie burner, it does get you moving. The more you have to reach for the ball, the better. “Paddleball, football, Frisbee — all of those games are better than sitting there, for sure,” Phillips says. She likes to throw a football in the water with her sons. “It’s refreshing and it’s fun to dive for the ball and end up in the water,” she says. “We purposely throw it to the side so we can jump for it and throw ourselves in the water.”

6. PLAY VOLLEYBALL

If you want a sport that will burn more calories, get your Kerri Walsh Jennings on! Volleyball helps improve your agility, speed and hand-eye coordination, plus it counts as both metabolic training and strength training, Ciaccia says. This all keeps your brain sharp, boosts heart health, builds muscle from head to toe and helps you strengthen your neuromuscular response. This can help you to catch yourself from falling if you trip on that pesky living room rug.

7. GO FOR A RUN

When you combine bare feet and unstable sand, you quickly find running on the beach is hard! “Your shoes provide a cushion, and when you take that away, ligaments and muscles that aren’t typically used are being activated,” Ciaccia explains.

Beach running helps stabilize your foot and ankle joints and strengthen different leg muscles than a run on a treadmill or pavement does. However, both Ciaccia and Phillips caution that you will probably be able to run for less time and shorter distances on the beach than you normally do on other surfaces. Listen to your body because if you push it too hard, you could end up injured.

8. CHALLENGE SOMEONE TO SUICIDE SPRINTS

To amp up your run, grab some friends and pick a few landmarks to do suicide sprints with. You might run to the lifeguard stand and back, then to a rock and back and then to someone’s towel and back. Either way, you’ll be sweaty and breathless at the end.

9. TAKE A WALK

Meandering along the water’s edge can be more than just a stroll. Pick up the pace a bit or, if you are with a friend, have them jump on your back and take turns piggybacking each other, Ciaccia suggests. You can also alternate: One of you does 10 walking lunges while the other walks, then you switch. Try lateral lunges to work your body in more planes of motion.

10. DO A WATER WORKOUT

Water aerobics aren’t just for the seniors in your gym’s pool. Phillips recommends trying squats, lateral lunges, skaters and the bottom part of a jumping jack in the ocean. Be sure the water comes up to at least your waist so you get the added resistance of the water, which will make you work your inner and outer thighs more. To do water “crunches,” perform high knees while standing or, while treading water, pull your knees up to your chest like a hanging leg raise.

11. TRY STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

There are two big benefits of SUP. The first is balance. “While you are standing on the board, your brain muscles are in overdrive trying to not let you fall. This translates into helping you prevent falls in everyday life,” Ciaccia says.

The second benefit is strength. “Your muscles are contracting as you grip your feet on the board, squeeze your glutes and activate your core. You’re increasing isometric strength all around,” she adds.

12. GO KAYAKING

If you’ve never been in a kayak, you know that it’s a LOT of work. “It’s a perfect upper-body and core workout,” Phillips says. You’ll work your back, chest, shoulders, arms and even your legs some, as they help you balance. Plus, it’s great cardio.

13. DIY A BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

To get your strength training on, create your own total-body beach circuit. Simply pick one upper body, one lower body, one core and one dynamic exercise (such as skaters or burpees). Do each exercise for 7–10 reps. Repeat that circuit twice.

Then, pick four new exercises and repeat that circuit twice. “Within half an hour, you will be done, but you won’t be dying,” Ciaccia says. “That’s key because you don’t want to be exhausted the rest of day — you want to feel refreshed and alive.”

Written by Brittany Risher, a writer, editor and digital strategist specializing in health and lifestyle content. To stay sane from working too hard, she turns to yoga, strength training, meditation and scotch. Connect with her on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

The post 13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2tObARy

[neilmillerne]

13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach

When you’re at the beach, all you usually want to do is soak up the sun. We get that. But getting in a workout on the sand is not only fun, it also challenges your body in ways you can’t in the gym — and it’ll make you feel great.

“Your body craves daily movement someway, somehow. And it doesn’t have to be all-out, balls-to-the-wall,” says certified functional strength coach Samantha Ciaccia, who leads beach workouts for Ketanga Fitness Retreats. “Whether you do a hard workout or simple bodyweight or mobility exercises, your brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin, which makes you feel more awake and alive to fully enjoy your vacation.”

Since most Americans only take half their vacation days, we should maximize those days! So grab a water bottle, slather on the sunscreen and try some of these fun ways to get in a workout on the beach.

1. COMBINE LOUNGING WITH TONING

If you are the type who just wants to relax, try Ciaccia’s tip to get an added workout while lounging. “At some point, you have to change position. Every time you shift or get up, do a set of 10–12 pushups or situps, alternating between the two,” she suggests. By the end of the day, you will have some color and a good number of exercises under your belt.

2. GET MOBILE

Another low-intensity option is to do some mobility work on your towel, opening your joints and loosening your muscles. Ciaccia suggests making sure to hit your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders and lumbar to cervical spine. Here is one suggested move for each of these:

Ankles: Lunge one foot forward and place back knee on the ground. Place hands on both sides of front foot and lean into your front ankle. Switch sides and repeat.

Hips: Drop into a low squat with feet wide and butt close to the ground. Bring palms together in front of chest and place elbows inside thighs, pushing them open. Then, begin to draw figure eights with knees and focus on opening your hips.

Thoracic spine: Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and top knee bent at 90 degrees in line with your hip. Extend arms out in front of you, palms touching. On an exhale, slide your top hand past your bottom, opening your upper back. Return to start on an inhale. Take 3 breaths on each side.

Shoulders: From the same position as above, flip your top hand to palm up. On an exhale, keeping your top arm straight, drag your fingertips above your head and behind you, drawing a rainbow. Only go until your bent knee begins to come off the ground. Return to start on an inhale. Perform 3 breaths on each side.

Lumbar to cervical spine: Perform slow, intentional cat-cow movements.

Samsung and Under Armour have collaborated to offer an authentic fitness and nutrition experience by combining Samsung’s revolutionary wearable device with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness suite of apps. Whether you’re tracking your nutrition, daily workouts or running routes, this best-in-class partnership makes it easier to reach your personal goals and achieve things you never thought possible.

3. DO A MINI BOOTCAMP WITH A PARTNER

Workouts are more fun when you do them with someone, so grab a friend and do this workout from Christianne Phillips, director of mind and movement at 1 Hotel South Beach. You will alternate moves: Person A runs into the water and, once it’s deep enough to swim, swims 20 strokes out. Then, they turn around and swim 20 strokes back toward the sand and run out of the water.

While they do this, Person B is on the shore doing one bodyweight exercise the entire time. Once Person A is back to shore, you’ll switch and Person B swims while Person A does the bodyweight move.

The bodyweight movements can include the following exercises, ending with burpees as the last round: plank with shoulder taps, air squats, situps with your head toward (but never in!) the water, reverse lunges and burpees.

4. PRACTICE HEADSTANDS

Calling all yogis: If you are scared to practice inversions on a hard floor or away from a wall, try doing so on the forgiving soft sand. If you fall, it won’t hurt nearly as much — if at all. Put down a towel and pat down a space that’s as level as possible to put your head and hands or forearms on, recommends Phillips, who learned headstands by practicing on the beach. Then follow our step-by-step guide to master headstands!

5. PLAY PADDLEBALL

Although this game will never win the title of ultimate calorie burner, it does get you moving. The more you have to reach for the ball, the better. “Paddleball, football, Frisbee — all of those games are better than sitting there, for sure,” Phillips says. She likes to throw a football in the water with her sons. “It’s refreshing and it’s fun to dive for the ball and end up in the water,” she says. “We purposely throw it to the side so we can jump for it and throw ourselves in the water.”

6. PLAY VOLLEYBALL

If you want a sport that will burn more calories, get your Kerri Walsh Jennings on! Volleyball helps improve your agility, speed and hand-eye coordination, plus it counts as both metabolic training and strength training, Ciaccia says. This all keeps your brain sharp, boosts heart health, builds muscle from head to toe and helps you strengthen your neuromuscular response. This can help you to catch yourself from falling if you trip on that pesky living room rug.

7. GO FOR A RUN

When you combine bare feet and unstable sand, you quickly find running on the beach is hard! “Your shoes provide a cushion, and when you take that away, ligaments and muscles that aren’t typically used are being activated,” Ciaccia explains.

Beach running helps stabilize your foot and ankle joints and strengthen different leg muscles than a run on a treadmill or pavement does. However, both Ciaccia and Phillips caution that you will probably be able to run for less time and shorter distances on the beach than you normally do on other surfaces. Listen to your body because if you push it too hard, you could end up injured.

8. CHALLENGE SOMEONE TO SUICIDE SPRINTS

To amp up your run, grab some friends and pick a few landmarks to do suicide sprints with. You might run to the lifeguard stand and back, then to a rock and back and then to someone’s towel and back. Either way, you’ll be sweaty and breathless at the end.

9. TAKE A WALK

Meandering along the water’s edge can be more than just a stroll. Pick up the pace a bit or, if you are with a friend, have them jump on your back and take turns piggybacking each other, Ciaccia suggests. You can also alternate: One of you does 10 walking lunges while the other walks, then you switch. Try lateral lunges to work your body in more planes of motion.

10. DO A WATER WORKOUT

Water aerobics aren’t just for the seniors in your gym’s pool. Phillips recommends trying squats, lateral lunges, skaters and the bottom part of a jumping jack in the ocean. Be sure the water comes up to at least your waist so you get the added resistance of the water, which will make you work your inner and outer thighs more. To do water “crunches,” perform high knees while standing or, while treading water, pull your knees up to your chest like a hanging leg raise.

11. TRY STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

There are two big benefits of SUP. The first is balance. “While you are standing on the board, your brain muscles are in overdrive trying to not let you fall. This translates into helping you prevent falls in everyday life,” Ciaccia says.

The second benefit is strength. “Your muscles are contracting as you grip your feet on the board, squeeze your glutes and activate your core. You’re increasing isometric strength all around,” she adds.

12. GO KAYAKING

If you’ve never been in a kayak, you know that it’s a LOT of work. “It’s a perfect upper-body and core workout,” Phillips says. You’ll work your back, chest, shoulders, arms and even your legs some, as they help you balance. Plus, it’s great cardio.

13. DIY A BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

To get your strength training on, create your own total-body beach circuit. Simply pick one upper body, one lower body, one core and one dynamic exercise (such as skaters or burpees). Do each exercise for 7–10 reps. Repeat that circuit twice.

Then, pick four new exercises and repeat that circuit twice. “Within half an hour, you will be done, but you won’t be dying,” Ciaccia says. “That’s key because you don’t want to be exhausted the rest of day — you want to feel refreshed and alive.”

Written by Brittany Risher, a writer, editor and digital strategist specializing in health and lifestyle content. To stay sane from working too hard, she turns to yoga, strength training, meditation and scotch. Connect with her on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

The post 13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2tObARy

[joshuabradleyn]

13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach

When you’re at the beach, all you usually want to do is soak up the sun. We get that. But getting in a workout on the sand is not only fun, it also challenges your body in ways you can’t in the gym — and it’ll make you feel great.

“Your body craves daily movement someway, somehow. And it doesn’t have to be all-out, balls-to-the-wall,” says certified functional strength coach Samantha Ciaccia, who leads beach workouts for Ketanga Fitness Retreats. “Whether you do a hard workout or simple bodyweight or mobility exercises, your brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin, which makes you feel more awake and alive to fully enjoy your vacation.”

Since most Americans only take half their vacation days, we should maximize those days! So grab a water bottle, slather on the sunscreen and try some of these fun ways to get in a workout on the beach.

1. COMBINE LOUNGING WITH TONING

If you are the type who just wants to relax, try Ciaccia’s tip to get an added workout while lounging. “At some point, you have to change position. Every time you shift or get up, do a set of 10–12 pushups or situps, alternating between the two,” she suggests. By the end of the day, you will have some color and a good number of exercises under your belt.

2. GET MOBILE

Another low-intensity option is to do some mobility work on your towel, opening your joints and loosening your muscles. Ciaccia suggests making sure to hit your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders and lumbar to cervical spine. Here is one suggested move for each of these:

Ankles: Lunge one foot forward and place back knee on the ground. Place hands on both sides of front foot and lean into your front ankle. Switch sides and repeat.

Hips: Drop into a low squat with feet wide and butt close to the ground. Bring palms together in front of chest and place elbows inside thighs, pushing them open. Then, begin to draw figure eights with knees and focus on opening your hips.

Thoracic spine: Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and top knee bent at 90 degrees in line with your hip. Extend arms out in front of you, palms touching. On an exhale, slide your top hand past your bottom, opening your upper back. Return to start on an inhale. Take 3 breaths on each side.

Shoulders: From the same position as above, flip your top hand to palm up. On an exhale, keeping your top arm straight, drag your fingertips above your head and behind you, drawing a rainbow. Only go until your bent knee begins to come off the ground. Return to start on an inhale. Perform 3 breaths on each side.

Lumbar to cervical spine: Perform slow, intentional cat-cow movements.

Samsung and Under Armour have collaborated to offer an authentic fitness and nutrition experience by combining Samsung’s revolutionary wearable device with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness suite of apps. Whether you’re tracking your nutrition, daily workouts or running routes, this best-in-class partnership makes it easier to reach your personal goals and achieve things you never thought possible.

3. DO A MINI BOOTCAMP WITH A PARTNER

Workouts are more fun when you do them with someone, so grab a friend and do this workout from Christianne Phillips, director of mind and movement at 1 Hotel South Beach. You will alternate moves: Person A runs into the water and, once it’s deep enough to swim, swims 20 strokes out. Then, they turn around and swim 20 strokes back toward the sand and run out of the water.

While they do this, Person B is on the shore doing one bodyweight exercise the entire time. Once Person A is back to shore, you’ll switch and Person B swims while Person A does the bodyweight move.

The bodyweight movements can include the following exercises, ending with burpees as the last round: plank with shoulder taps, air squats, situps with your head toward (but never in!) the water, reverse lunges and burpees.

4. PRACTICE HEADSTANDS

Calling all yogis: If you are scared to practice inversions on a hard floor or away from a wall, try doing so on the forgiving soft sand. If you fall, it won’t hurt nearly as much — if at all. Put down a towel and pat down a space that’s as level as possible to put your head and hands or forearms on, recommends Phillips, who learned headstands by practicing on the beach. Then follow our step-by-step guide to master headstands!

5. PLAY PADDLEBALL

Although this game will never win the title of ultimate calorie burner, it does get you moving. The more you have to reach for the ball, the better. “Paddleball, football, Frisbee — all of those games are better than sitting there, for sure,” Phillips says. She likes to throw a football in the water with her sons. “It’s refreshing and it’s fun to dive for the ball and end up in the water,” she says. “We purposely throw it to the side so we can jump for it and throw ourselves in the water.”

6. PLAY VOLLEYBALL

If you want a sport that will burn more calories, get your Kerri Walsh Jennings on! Volleyball helps improve your agility, speed and hand-eye coordination, plus it counts as both metabolic training and strength training, Ciaccia says. This all keeps your brain sharp, boosts heart health, builds muscle from head to toe and helps you strengthen your neuromuscular response. This can help you to catch yourself from falling if you trip on that pesky living room rug.

7. GO FOR A RUN

When you combine bare feet and unstable sand, you quickly find running on the beach is hard! “Your shoes provide a cushion, and when you take that away, ligaments and muscles that aren’t typically used are being activated,” Ciaccia explains.

Beach running helps stabilize your foot and ankle joints and strengthen different leg muscles than a run on a treadmill or pavement does. However, both Ciaccia and Phillips caution that you will probably be able to run for less time and shorter distances on the beach than you normally do on other surfaces. Listen to your body because if you push it too hard, you could end up injured.

8. CHALLENGE SOMEONE TO SUICIDE SPRINTS

To amp up your run, grab some friends and pick a few landmarks to do suicide sprints with. You might run to the lifeguard stand and back, then to a rock and back and then to someone’s towel and back. Either way, you’ll be sweaty and breathless at the end.

9. TAKE A WALK

Meandering along the water’s edge can be more than just a stroll. Pick up the pace a bit or, if you are with a friend, have them jump on your back and take turns piggybacking each other, Ciaccia suggests. You can also alternate: One of you does 10 walking lunges while the other walks, then you switch. Try lateral lunges to work your body in more planes of motion.

10. DO A WATER WORKOUT

Water aerobics aren’t just for the seniors in your gym’s pool. Phillips recommends trying squats, lateral lunges, skaters and the bottom part of a jumping jack in the ocean. Be sure the water comes up to at least your waist so you get the added resistance of the water, which will make you work your inner and outer thighs more. To do water “crunches,” perform high knees while standing or, while treading water, pull your knees up to your chest like a hanging leg raise.

11. TRY STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

There are two big benefits of SUP. The first is balance. “While you are standing on the board, your brain muscles are in overdrive trying to not let you fall. This translates into helping you prevent falls in everyday life,” Ciaccia says.

The second benefit is strength. “Your muscles are contracting as you grip your feet on the board, squeeze your glutes and activate your core. You’re increasing isometric strength all around,” she adds.

12. GO KAYAKING

If you’ve never been in a kayak, you know that it’s a LOT of work. “It’s a perfect upper-body and core workout,” Phillips says. You’ll work your back, chest, shoulders, arms and even your legs some, as they help you balance. Plus, it’s great cardio.

13. DIY A BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

To get your strength training on, create your own total-body beach circuit. Simply pick one upper body, one lower body, one core and one dynamic exercise (such as skaters or burpees). Do each exercise for 7–10 reps. Repeat that circuit twice.

Then, pick four new exercises and repeat that circuit twice. “Within half an hour, you will be done, but you won’t be dying,” Ciaccia says. “That’s key because you don’t want to be exhausted the rest of day — you want to feel refreshed and alive.”

Written by Brittany Risher, a writer, editor and digital strategist specializing in health and lifestyle content. To stay sane from working too hard, she turns to yoga, strength training, meditation and scotch. Connect with her on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

The post 13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2tObARy

[albertcaldwellne]

13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach

When you’re at the beach, all you usually want to do is soak up the sun. We get that. But getting in a workout on the sand is not only fun, it also challenges your body in ways you can’t in the gym — and it’ll make you feel great.

“Your body craves daily movement someway, somehow. And it doesn’t have to be all-out, balls-to-the-wall,” says certified functional strength coach Samantha Ciaccia, who leads beach workouts for Ketanga Fitness Retreats. “Whether you do a hard workout or simple bodyweight or mobility exercises, your brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin, which makes you feel more awake and alive to fully enjoy your vacation.”

Since most Americans only take half their vacation days, we should maximize those days! So grab a water bottle, slather on the sunscreen and try some of these fun ways to get in a workout on the beach.

1. COMBINE LOUNGING WITH TONING

If you are the type who just wants to relax, try Ciaccia’s tip to get an added workout while lounging. “At some point, you have to change position. Every time you shift or get up, do a set of 10–12 pushups or situps, alternating between the two,” she suggests. By the end of the day, you will have some color and a good number of exercises under your belt.

2. GET MOBILE

Another low-intensity option is to do some mobility work on your towel, opening your joints and loosening your muscles. Ciaccia suggests making sure to hit your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulders and lumbar to cervical spine. Here is one suggested move for each of these:

Ankles: Lunge one foot forward and place back knee on the ground. Place hands on both sides of front foot and lean into your front ankle. Switch sides and repeat.

Hips: Drop into a low squat with feet wide and butt close to the ground. Bring palms together in front of chest and place elbows inside thighs, pushing them open. Then, begin to draw figure eights with knees and focus on opening your hips.

Thoracic spine: Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and top knee bent at 90 degrees in line with your hip. Extend arms out in front of you, palms touching. On an exhale, slide your top hand past your bottom, opening your upper back. Return to start on an inhale. Take 3 breaths on each side.

Shoulders: From the same position as above, flip your top hand to palm up. On an exhale, keeping your top arm straight, drag your fingertips above your head and behind you, drawing a rainbow. Only go until your bent knee begins to come off the ground. Return to start on an inhale. Perform 3 breaths on each side.

Lumbar to cervical spine: Perform slow, intentional cat-cow movements.

Samsung and Under Armour have collaborated to offer an authentic fitness and nutrition experience by combining Samsung’s revolutionary wearable device with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness suite of apps. Whether you’re tracking your nutrition, daily workouts or running routes, this best-in-class partnership makes it easier to reach your personal goals and achieve things you never thought possible.

3. DO A MINI BOOTCAMP WITH A PARTNER

Workouts are more fun when you do them with someone, so grab a friend and do this workout from Christianne Phillips, director of mind and movement at 1 Hotel South Beach. You will alternate moves: Person A runs into the water and, once it’s deep enough to swim, swims 20 strokes out. Then, they turn around and swim 20 strokes back toward the sand and run out of the water.

While they do this, Person B is on the shore doing one bodyweight exercise the entire time. Once Person A is back to shore, you’ll switch and Person B swims while Person A does the bodyweight move.

The bodyweight movements can include the following exercises, ending with burpees as the last round: plank with shoulder taps, air squats, situps with your head toward (but never in!) the water, reverse lunges and burpees.

4. PRACTICE HEADSTANDS

Calling all yogis: If you are scared to practice inversions on a hard floor or away from a wall, try doing so on the forgiving soft sand. If you fall, it won’t hurt nearly as much — if at all. Put down a towel and pat down a space that’s as level as possible to put your head and hands or forearms on, recommends Phillips, who learned headstands by practicing on the beach. Then follow our step-by-step guide to master headstands!

5. PLAY PADDLEBALL

Although this game will never win the title of ultimate calorie burner, it does get you moving. The more you have to reach for the ball, the better. “Paddleball, football, Frisbee — all of those games are better than sitting there, for sure,” Phillips says. She likes to throw a football in the water with her sons. “It’s refreshing and it’s fun to dive for the ball and end up in the water,” she says. “We purposely throw it to the side so we can jump for it and throw ourselves in the water.”

6. PLAY VOLLEYBALL

If you want a sport that will burn more calories, get your Kerri Walsh Jennings on! Volleyball helps improve your agility, speed and hand-eye coordination, plus it counts as both metabolic training and strength training, Ciaccia says. This all keeps your brain sharp, boosts heart health, builds muscle from head to toe and helps you strengthen your neuromuscular response. This can help you to catch yourself from falling if you trip on that pesky living room rug.

7. GO FOR A RUN

When you combine bare feet and unstable sand, you quickly find running on the beach is hard! “Your shoes provide a cushion, and when you take that away, ligaments and muscles that aren’t typically used are being activated,” Ciaccia explains.

Beach running helps stabilize your foot and ankle joints and strengthen different leg muscles than a run on a treadmill or pavement does. However, both Ciaccia and Phillips caution that you will probably be able to run for less time and shorter distances on the beach than you normally do on other surfaces. Listen to your body because if you push it too hard, you could end up injured.

8. CHALLENGE SOMEONE TO SUICIDE SPRINTS

To amp up your run, grab some friends and pick a few landmarks to do suicide sprints with. You might run to the lifeguard stand and back, then to a rock and back and then to someone’s towel and back. Either way, you’ll be sweaty and breathless at the end.

9. TAKE A WALK

Meandering along the water’s edge can be more than just a stroll. Pick up the pace a bit or, if you are with a friend, have them jump on your back and take turns piggybacking each other, Ciaccia suggests. You can also alternate: One of you does 10 walking lunges while the other walks, then you switch. Try lateral lunges to work your body in more planes of motion.

10. DO A WATER WORKOUT

Water aerobics aren’t just for the seniors in your gym’s pool. Phillips recommends trying squats, lateral lunges, skaters and the bottom part of a jumping jack in the ocean. Be sure the water comes up to at least your waist so you get the added resistance of the water, which will make you work your inner and outer thighs more. To do water “crunches,” perform high knees while standing or, while treading water, pull your knees up to your chest like a hanging leg raise.

11. TRY STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING

There are two big benefits of SUP. The first is balance. “While you are standing on the board, your brain muscles are in overdrive trying to not let you fall. This translates into helping you prevent falls in everyday life,” Ciaccia says.

The second benefit is strength. “Your muscles are contracting as you grip your feet on the board, squeeze your glutes and activate your core. You’re increasing isometric strength all around,” she adds.

12. GO KAYAKING

If you’ve never been in a kayak, you know that it’s a LOT of work. “It’s a perfect upper-body and core workout,” Phillips says. You’ll work your back, chest, shoulders, arms and even your legs some, as they help you balance. Plus, it’s great cardio.

13. DIY A BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

To get your strength training on, create your own total-body beach circuit. Simply pick one upper body, one lower body, one core and one dynamic exercise (such as skaters or burpees). Do each exercise for 7–10 reps. Repeat that circuit twice.

Then, pick four new exercises and repeat that circuit twice. “Within half an hour, you will be done, but you won’t be dying,” Ciaccia says. “That’s key because you don’t want to be exhausted the rest of day — you want to feel refreshed and alive.”

Written by Brittany Risher, a writer, editor and digital strategist specializing in health and lifestyle content. To stay sane from working too hard, she turns to yoga, strength training, meditation and scotch. Connect with her on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

The post 13 Fun Ways to Work Out on the Beach appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2tObARy

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

does The Lamb from COTL have a place in the sexyman community?

"Of course they do! While they don't necessarily live with us at the moment, the visits are always nice!"

"I love this cutie. Aghhh! So stinkin' adorable!"

She's about 80% sure they're harmless...

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

its been hours, is DT okay, and so is Al?

"Ohhh yeah...we're definitely okay. To think after all this time, such a blessed thing could happen. It's adorable, lighthearted whimsy, where I can't take my eyes off of the current events folding in front of us. It's...the best thing." We're definitely okay...DT is alive and, well..."

They're more than well...even after such painful labor, they managed to push---figuratively and literally---through it all.

"Well...I think nari and dad fell in love all over again, with these two buggers that just entered this world."

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

Do any of the others might have some or want some relationship to the twins (uncle, stalker etc) :3

"...no stalkers."

"Not for a minute!"

"As for relationships, I told Bill, Once and Ghirahim that they're the godfather! Mordecai might not be interested...but if he was, then I feel like it would be an Uncle-like relationship! Samantha is already the older sister..."

"At the same time, right?"

"..."

"Alastor."

"It adds to the fun!"

"ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT???"

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"

"For the entertainment!"

"...oh my God, dad."

Well...that's the extent of that. It was surely an interesting conversation.

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

To the Squad!

Who do you prefer out of your parents? Mom or dad?

//TW: blurring and glitching images, mentions of death, vent-ish. Mod is alright! She's just processing some familial things :) carry on!!//:

...she'll be fine...maybe.

//BONUS//:

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

so guys, how are yall gonna plan the baby shower?

“Honestly, it probably should be private…but I dunno! It’s up to DT and Dad Alastor. Though I have a suggestion! We should get a ring bear for the ceremony! It’ll lighten things up.”

“A WHAT??”

“Little Miss Sunshine, that’s a wrong type of celebration for a ring bearer!”

“She said bear, Alastor…”

“….Oh.”

“OH INDEED!”

“We aren’t getting a bear period.”

“…why is she like this.”

"A sweet little suggestion, but I'm afraid we're going to have to decline it, my dear. As for it being a private get together, I absolutely agree on it!"

"Especially with how easy things could get out to the public...not that I hate the spotlight! I just don't want this being known...aside from just doing the spell and turning out to be successful, we don't have a solid plan yet."

"How about we make a solid plan tonight? That way we'll be prepared and ready for the birth in three months: demonic pregnancies are much shorter than average, thanks to magic. As to you folks, stay tuned for that!"

"THREE MONTHS????"

[ask-the-sexyman-squad]

what makes a tumblr sexyman a true sexyman, do you need to wear a suit or just look good?

Everything and everyone goes perfectly still. Silence hung thick in the air, and all eyes switched over to the anon. Nobody dared to speak.

"...anon."

She speaks up slowly, almost scornfully.

"Anon, that question has ruined friendships. We do not bring that up around here. All we know is that they're sexy, in a suit or not, and that's just how people on Tumblr thirst."

Though she can't say much, since one: she's not a Sexyman, and two...she really doesn't know the answer either. No one does 100%.