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These Dancers Want to Prove Breaking Isn’t a Joke After the Olympics Memes

admin — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 16:37:54 +0000

Breaking was supposed to have its global moment this year. But its historic debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics was somewhat overshadowed by memes and controversy. If you were even slightly online during the Olympics, it was hard to escape mentions of Raygun, the Australian breakdancer who went viral for her unorthodox dance moves that earned zero points and left little media publicity for the technically fierce competitors of the sport.

This includes breakdancers like Logan “Logistx” Edra, Victor “B-Boy Victor” Montalvo, Phil “B-Boy Phil Wizard” Kim, and Ronnie “B-Boy Ronnie” Abaldonado, who all chatted with PS about their experiences and desire to elevate breaking post-Olympics. Ahead, the four Redbull dancers open up about their untold Olympics stories, what it was like to compete in the games, how they prepared, and what their goals are moving forward.

What Was the Olympics Like For B-Boys and B-Girls?

Logan Edra, known as b-girl Logistx, is a rising star in the breakdancing scene, celebrated for her star power, talent, and dynamic style. At 21, she has already made significant strides, representing the United States in international competitions and earning recognition for her innovative moves and artistic expression.

For Edra, Olympic viewers didn’t get the full picture of what breaking means to the community of dancers and fans. “The media wasn’t really emphasizing the positive things, and the ways that we really represented in a dope way at the Olympics,” she says. The Flipina breaker specifically wanted to emphasize the representation of hip-hop and communities of color within the sport and on the Olympic stage.

“I felt a sense of pride in representing and being a person of color, with a family of immigrants living in the US; I really felt that in this experience I was able to represent that, and be respected for my existence,” Edra says.

With its roots deeply embedded in hip-hop culture, the genre also promotes a sense of support and camaraderie that may not have come across the TV screen, says Olympic gold medalist Phil Kim, better known as B-boy Phil Wizard.

“To be honest, for me, the beauty of breaking was always that it didn’t matter what you looked like or where you were from,” he says. “Hip-hop and breaking brings people together — you could see it on the Olympic stage and you see it at cultural events from all around the world.”

At the Olympics, Kim says he had “the time of his life” while on stage, and off. “It felt like being a part of something bigger, a pause in the world where everyone comes together for the beauty of sport,” he adds. “It’s a moment I still think about.”

For Kim, being able to compete on the Olympic stage was also incredibly validating, having struggled with impostor syndrome for years while practicing the relatively new dance style. “The constant questioning internally, and externally, of if this is a ‘real job’ — [I] think the inclusion in the Olympics was a great push for that, no one really questions me anymore,” Kim says.

How Breakers Prepared For the Olympics

Another misconception breakers hope to dispel post-Olympics is how much effort is put into their work. While Raygun’s nontraditional performance may have seemed improvised, it wasn’t — and breaking requires hours of practice, training, and exercise.

“Breakers are a hybrid between athletes in the competitive sports world and artists in hip-hop culture.”

“Breakers are a hybrid between athletes in the competitive sports world and artists in hip-hop culture,” says Ronnie Abaldonado, who helped host the Olympics breaking competition. “We train like athletes and create like artists.”

Victor Montalvo, who often showcases a blend of power moves, intricate footwork, and creativity that captivates audiences, says he couldn’t do it without a consistent training regimen. Strength and conditioning has played a “big role” in his journey as both an athlete and an artist, he says.

“Breaking requires a lot of endurance — so I focus a ton on my cardio, making sure I have the energy to go round after round. I also work out a ton at the Red Bull Athletic Performance Center with the trainers there who help me create programs to get to my goals,” Montalvo says. Outside of breaking, he practices Muay Thai and also credits calisthenics to helping his training.

Kim prioritizes cross-training, too. “Strength and conditioning has been huge for me, I’ve been working out consistently since around 2018, and with a trainer as well,” he says. “I think that was vital to my transformation, both mentally and physically.”

Mental fortitude is also a crucial aspect of breaking, per Abdaldonado. Knowing how to bounce back is a necessary part of the sport — and of life. “In a breaking battle, when you lose — you don’t quit, you learn from your mistakes, grow, and become better for the next competition,” Abaldonado says. “You can apply the same mentality to challenges in life. Each challenge becomes a stepping stone towards becoming better and more resilient for future obstacles.”

Elevating the Future of Breaking

While breaking will not be featured in the 2028 Olympics, these athletes are determined to push the sport forward.

Montalvo has his sights set on helping his local community next. “I want to definitely support the scene — maybe throw an event — and do something for my community back in Florida,” he says.

The breaker credits his mentors, B-Boy Ivan, Mex One, his dad, and his uncle, with teaching him breaking — but also the power of community. “I’ve come to figure out you need a good circle around you,” he says. “You need great support, a really good support system, people who push you past your limits, and you also need a great mentality, but that comes from a great support system.” Now, he hopes to instill this mentality in others.

Abaldonado, who started breaking in 1993, has similar goals. His crew has been around for 29 years, and whether performing with Super Cr3w or the Jabbawockeez, their mission remains the same.

These days, Abaldonado spends most of his time with younger generations, teaching them the art form, blending athleticism and artistry, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the dance form — and, in turn, their lives.

“Our studio motto that is printed on our wall on top of our mirror is: ‘Empowering Dancers, Impacting Lives, Connecting the Community,'” Abaldonado says — it’s a mantra that speaks to him personally, but encapsulates the breaking community as a whole, he says.

Jade Esmeralda (she/her), MS, CSCS, is a health and fitness staff writer and a strength and conditioning specialist. A lifelong martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength and conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in exercise science and strength and conditioning from George Washington University.

The post These Dancers Want to Prove Breaking Isn’t a Joke After the Olympics Memes appeared first on Diet Supports.

9 High-Impact Sports Bras That Guarantee Full Support For Every Workout

admin — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 04:25:43 +0000

While each product featured is independently selected by our editors, we may include paid promotion. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission. Read more about our Product Review Guidelines here.

Finding the perfect high-impact sports bra shouldn’t feel like an impossible task, but it often does. With what feels like endless options marketed as the one to support you through your toughest workouts, it’s easy to end up with a sports bra that falls short. That’s where we come in. To help you zero in on the best high-impact sports bra for your needs — whether you’re hitting a high-energy class like Orangetheory or CorePower Yoga‘s Sculpt workout, or crushing sprints at the gym — we spent hours combing through the options to come up with nine we’re genuinely excited to share with you.

Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best high-impact sports bras on the market you’ll want to tell all of your fitness-loving friends about. Of course, we included everything from top-rated sports bras on Amazon to investment pieces Reddit fitness boards can’t stop talking about. We’ve done the hard work to curate options for every bust size (yes, we got very specific), featuring top picks from brands like Champion, Lululemon, Shefit, Knix, and more. Keep scrolling to meet your new and super supportive (in more ways than one!) workout MVP.

The post 9 High-Impact Sports Bras That Guarantee Full Support For Every Workout appeared first on Diet Supports.

15 CrossFit Workouts You Can Do At Home

admin — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 16:24:26 +0000

When you think of CrossFit, you probably picture people throwing around heavy barbells, swinging kettlebells all over the place, and jumping up onto impossibly high boxes. Turns out, though, you don’t need any of these things to channel CrossFit’s famously badass vibes. And, even better: home CrossFit workouts do the work, are tough as nails and require minimal equipment.

Yep, there are plenty of daily CrossFit workouts (known as WODs, or workouts of the day) that require only your body weight. (Well, that and the desire to #werk.) “No-equipment workouts force you to master key movement patterns, which lays down a foundation for long-term success,” says CrossFit Games athlete and coach Ian Berger CF-L2.

They’re also much more accessible (and safer!) for beginners curious about — but intimidated by — CrossFit and its hardcore rep. While working out in your living room or garage might not have the same feel as a CrossFit box (read: gym), you’ll still score the same great sweat.

Need proof? Give one of these bodyweight home CrossFit workouts a go — and know that you can always up the intensity with a pullup bar, jump rope, or kettlebell if you’re feelin’ it.

1. Murph

Best for: a full-body challenging workout

Arguably the most famous CrossFit workout, Murph isn’t for the faint of heart. Every Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., CrossFitters everywhere sweat through this workout in tribute to U.S. Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005.

If you can’t do a pull-up (or don’t have access to a pull-up bar), try chair-pulls instead, suggest Berger. And, remember, you can always drop to your knees for push-ups.

2. Cindy

Best for: upper and lower body endurance

Set a timer, then cycle through as many rounds of these three exercises as you can in 20 minutes. “It’s not complicated, but it’s effective at working your upper body and lower body,” says CrossFit Games competitor and coach Brooke Ence CF-L2.

3. Annie

Best for: cardio conditioning

For this one, you’ll perform 50 reps of each move, then 40, then 30, then 20, then 10. Double-unders (which involve swinging a jump rope around your body twice during every jump) are a fire way to get your heart pumping, says Ence. Can’t do ’em? That’s A-OK. Just count regular jump rope skips or hop completely rope-free.

Pro tip: Pop a pillow, towel or yoga mat beneath your tailbone for the endless sit-ups.

4. Death By Burpee

Best for: conditioning, cardio, all-over strength

For this WOD, start a timer and perform the designated number of burpees at the top of every minute. Continue adding a burpee each minute until you can’t burpee anymore.

“Death by burpees is one of my favourite full-body workouts,” says Ence. “It sneaks up on you. The first six to eight minutes you think the workout is easy, and then all of a sudden you’re out of breath.” Like, really out of breath.

Plus, it’s fast! The longest you’ll likely last if you’re absolutely c-r-u-s-h-i-n-g it, is 20 minutes. Hanging on ’til somewhere between 13 and 16 minutes is a good goal, though.

5. Karen

Best for: full-body endurance burn

This six- to 10-minute workout sounds simple: All you do is stand arm-distance from a sturdy wall or column holding a medicine ball (opt for 3–4kg for beginners or 5-6kg for advanced) in front of your chest, elbows bent and close to body. Then, lower into a squat, and as you rise back up, bounce the ball off the wall slightly above your head. Catch it and lower into another squat. That’s 1 rep. Simple, right?

Well, don’t be deceived: “Karen is a really great full-body burner,” says Ence. Don’t have a medicine ball to throw around? Do thrusters with a textbook, milk jug, or backpack instead. Or, churn out 150 bodyweight squats.

6. CrossFit Open Workout 12.1

Best for: all-over strength and cardio

If you’re really short on time and need a short, snappy, and sweaty workout, this is it.

Berger recommends trying to hold a pace of 10 to 15 burpees per minute (that’s 70 to 90 burpees total).

7. JT

Best for: upper-body strength

Need a quick upper-body burn? “JT is the perfect recipe for not being able to lift your arms up overhead tomorrow,” says Berger.

If handstand push-ups aren’t your thing, swap them for pike push-ups (essentially a push-up to downward-facing dog) instead, he suggests. For the dips, just make sure to plant your hands on a stable surface like a bench, table, or step.

8. Chad

Best for: lower-body strength

Got a ledge, step, or super-sturdy table? That’s all you need for this WOD. “Be sure to switch your leading leg every step,” says Berger. “Don’t worry about whether or not it’s faster to lead with one leg than the other, prioritise symmetry over speed.”

To keep things interesting, feel free to alternate between side step-ups and standard ones.

9. Bounce

Best for: combined cardio and strength

Already a master of burpees? Give burpee tuck jumps a try. This plyometric move will jack up your heart rate while working your legs, Berger says. Combine it with running and dips and you’ve got yourself a quality, all-around workout.

10. Active Rest Day

Best for: rest days, sore muscles

If you don’t have much gas in the tank, this restorative workout will get the blood flowing so you can get sweaty tomorrow. “Our bodies need time to recover in order to actually reap the benefits of all our workouts,” says Berger.

Wondering what a couch stretch is? Open up your hip flexors by standing facing away from your couch with one foot planted on the floor and the other leg bent so your knee rests on a seat cushion and the top of your foot rests on the back cushion behind it. You should feel the stretch along the front of your bent leg from hip to knee.

11. Angie

Best for: full-body strength

Fancy a full-body workout? Annie is just that. “With a push, pull, squat, and hinge movement, Annie is a muscular endurance workout that challenges you head to toe,” says Libby Landry, CF-L3 coach at CrossFit Invictus and member of the CrossFit Headquarters Seminar Staff.

As with other workouts, swap in chair-pulls if pull-ups aren’t happening.

12. 5K Run

Best for: cardio

Yep, one of the most-used CrossFit WODs ever is a classic 5k run. “It’s a great test of cardiovascular endurance, even if you need to intersperse walking throughout the 5K,” says Landry.

13. Dealer’s Choice

Best for: all-over conditioning

For this one, break up the moves however you like until you work through all of the reps. If you can’t do pistol squats (understandable, they’re darn hard), swap in skater squats instead, Berger says.

14. 3-Part Press Blast

Best for: cardio and conditioning

This three-part AMRAP gets your cardio up with plenty of quick runs — and though it’s a little more complicated than other workouts on the list, you definitely won’t get bored.

The gist of it: Set a timer to complete each AMRAP, resting for two minutes between them.

15. 15-Minute EMOM

Best for: cardio

Next time you’re feeling meh about working out, Berger recommends EMOM (every minute, on the minute) workouts, which require you to jump back into action when a new 60-second interval starts.

For this one, you’ll work through five, three-minute rounds, focusing on one of three exercises for 40 seconds out of every minute.

“If you don’t have a kettlebell, put a few books in a tote bag or use a 5-litre jug of water,” Landry says.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com

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Get Fit Anywhere With This Resistance Band Workout

admin — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 04:15:14 +0000

You know you’re winning when working out feels less like a task and more like just another part of your day – like grabbing a coffee or taking a shower. That kind of consistency doesn’t just happen; it’s something you’ve built up over time. So, as the holidays start to roll in, don’t stress about perfection. It’s about keeping the momentum going and not letting a holiday pause get in your way. You’ve come this far – keep it going!

Gym In Your Beach Bag

You may not be able to go to the gym when you’re hitting the seaside in Scottburgh on the South Coast, but you can take the gym circuit along with you wherever you’re headed these holidays. All you need are two totally affordable, uber-packable pieces of equipment and this workout from Joburg-based trainer Inge Bezuidenhout (pictured).

“The resistance band is very small and can easily fit into your luggage,” says Inge. “You also don’t need a lot of space to perform exercises with a resistance band and it can be used for training almost every muscle in your body. Plus, the intensity can be adjusted, the same as with any machine.” When choosing a resistance band, you get a variety of thicknesses. The thicker the band, the higher the intensity – just like adding more bricks to your weight stack increases resistance on a cable machine.

If you’re new to exercise or typically set your circuit machines to just one or two bricks, Inge recommends using the thinnest band you can find, which will be the easiest to train with. “Also, don’t place too much resistance on the band,” she advises. You can adjust the resistance by altering the band’s length – hold a short section or fold it over and you have high resistance; use it at its full length for lowest resistance. “I use a resistance band with all my clients because it can adjust to various fitness and strength levels,” says Inge, who specialises in training women at their homes. “It’s also so versatile – it can be used as is, in a loop format or you can tie it to a pole or pillar for pulling exercises. Alternatively, you can use it with a partner or connected to a door to perform various exercises.”

How It Works

The workout is divided into two sets, each consisting of three exercises. Starting with Set 1, do the three exercises in order for the prescribed number of reps, then go back and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds. Once you’ve done three rounds of Set 1, move on to Set 2, following the same pattern.

Set 1

Rounds: 3- start each round with 60 seconds of skipping

Moves

Band pushups:
- Beginner | 10 reps
- Advanced | 15 reps
Band pelvic lifts and pull:
- Beginner and Advanced | 15 reps + hold at hips for 10 seconds
Band side steps:
- Beginner | 15 reps each side
- Advanced | 20 reps each side

Set 2

Rounds: 3- start each set with 20 jumping jacks (for an extra challenge, use a band to make them harder)

Moves

Band hamstring kickbacks:
- Beginner |15 reps each leg
- Advanced | 20 reps each leg
Band double-arm core pulls:
- Beginner | 10 reps each side
- Advanced | 15 reps each side
Band squat and press:
- Beginner | 15 reps
- Advanced | 20 reps

The Workout Moves

Band Push-Ups

Fold the band and place it around your shoulders, holding one end in each hand, then get into the top of a push-up, tummy tight and bum squeezed (A). Keeping your spine straight, lower your body until your chest is a few centimetres above the ground. (B), then push back to start.

Band Pelvic Lifts and Pull

Tie the band to a pole about 30cm from the floor, then lie on your back, holding the band with both hands, shoulder width apart and extended above your head (A). As you lift your hips so that you form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, pull the band to your hips with straight arms, squeezing your bum (B). Lower back to start. That’s one rep.

Band Side Steps

Stand on a band, feet shoulder-width apart, then cross the ends of the band and hold one in each hand (A). Step your right leg to the right and then your left leg to the left (B). Return to start. That’s one rep

Band Jumping Jacks

Start by holding the band in both hands, with your hands above your head and your feet together (A). As you jump your legs apart, pull the band open in front of your face (B) then hop back to start. That’s one rep.

Band Hamstring Kickbacks

Tie the band at the bottom of a sturdy pole. Put one foot inside the loop and lift your heel to put the band underneath your foot (A). Stand upright, holding onto a wall for balance, and slowly kick your foot backwards by straightening your leg (B). Control the movement back to start. That’s one rep

Band Double-Arm Core Pulls

Tie the band to a sturdy pole at shoulder height and stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding the band with both hands together towards the pole (A). Use both arms to pull the band in front of you (B). Control the movement back to start. That’s one rep.

Band Squat and Press

Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, holding the ends in both hands. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart in line with your chest, palms facing upwards (A). Sit back into a squat (B) and as you come up, press with both hands overhead (C). That’s one rep. Immediately lower back into another squat for your next rep.

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Fabletics Co-Founder Ginger Ressler Shares Her 10 Favorite Wellness Products

admin — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 04:15:13 +0000

The Expert Edit features interviews with specialists about the products they swear by in their chosen field. For the latest installment, we spoke with Ginger Ann Ressler, co-founder of Fabletics, about her go-to products for staying active and healthy during holiday season travel.

Ginger Ressler launched Fabletics alongside her husband, Don, and Adam Goldenberg in 2013 with the goal to serve women with active lifestyles the most technologically advanced, quality-tailored workout clothes. After over 10 years, the brand has partnered and collaborated with some of the most well-known celebrities, from Khloé Kardashian and Kate Hudson to Kevin Hart and Kelly Rowland — which Ressler says helped establish the company with an even broader reach.

“As a lifelong athlete and someone who needs to feel healthy from the inside out, activewear has been a part of my life long before it became a trend,” she explains. And while she initially set out to design for women who need versatility — challenging her team to craft pieces that bestow confidence, accentuate a woman’s body and allow her to feel sexy, while also performing well — she hasn’t stopped welcoming change in the business.

“Always be open to expansion and diversification,” she says, continuing, “Being a founder of a business is about adapting to change and always being open to new opportunities. This approach also speaks to my personal life, as I have growing children who face new challenges and opportunities all the time. I’m always re-learning how to stay nimble and teaching them how to embrace and adapt to whatever comes their way.” Fabletics now includes men’s, lounge, sleep, any-where, swim, and scrubs as additional categories, and the team is currently gearing up to drop plenty of exciting new collections in 2025.

Ressler, who is frequently on the go, took the time to share her healthy product recommendations for staying active during the holiday season. From her personal favorite gear from the Fabletics Luxe360 line to her go-to running shoes and must-have noise-canceling, wireless headphones, shop her selects one by one when you scroll, and find out why she can’t live without them.

The post Fabletics Co-Founder Ginger Ressler Shares Her 10 Favorite Wellness Products appeared first on Diet Supports.

7 Easy Ways To Stay In Shape If You Genuinely Suck At Working Out In The Heat

admin — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:14:41 +0000

“Just landed in paradise… Can’t wait to hit the hotel gym!” tweeted no one, ever.

Working out on holiday (and in the heat) can be… a challenge. Maximise your leisure time by sneaking fitness into your itinerary. Here are 7 super-easy ways to stay in shape on holiday this time round…

Aside from saving on car rental and bus fare, you’re burning around 21kJ for every minute you spend hoofing it around town. Plus, walking strengthens your abs not to mention the heart and lungs and if you do it on different terrain, such as sand or pebbles, you’ll get your muscles working. To make your strides the fat-melting kind, think up and stay in shape. You’ll get a 60 percent boost in kilojoule burn from walking uphill or climbing a flight of stairs.

2. Carry A Load

Studies show that toting extra weight can help you torch more kilojoules — up to 12 percent more while walking! In the gym, you’d use a weighted vest; on the street, stuff a backpack with a load that’s three to five percent of your own bodyweight. Choose a bag with a hip strap to distribute the weight and minimise injury.

3. Burn 400kJ

While waiting in an airport security line for 15 minutes, walk through the metal detectors once, lift and lower a 20kg suitcase twice, then run for three minutes to catch your flight (stupid lines!).

4. Dance Your Butt Off And Stay In Shape!

So there was no room in your suitcase for running shoes. Don’t stress. Research suggests that busting moves on the dance floor can raise your heart rate as much as an interval session and torch mega kilojoules.

READ MORE: A Beginner’s Guide To Hiking

5. Broaden Your (Muscle) Horizons

Get out of your workout rut and try exciting new challenges to recruit muscles you forgot you had to stay in shape.

UPPER BODY
Tone your arms, shoulders and back with these activities…

Canoeing/kayaking
Stand-up paddleboarding
Zip-lining

LOWER BODY
Sculpt a gorgeous butt, legs and thighs in no time by trying…

Cycling
Hiking
Rollerblading

FULL BODY
Get a total-body turn-around with these summertime pursuits…

Rock climbing
Beach volleyball
Waterskiing

6. Gain The Outside Edge

Not keen to break your routine? You can still reap the benefits of a change of scenery by simply taking it outdoors. An Italian study showed that after two 20-minute workouts — one on a treadmill, one on an outdoor track — participants kept a steadier speed and reported a more pleasant experience when outside. Scenery might lead people to perceive exercise as less strenuous, says study author Dr Carlo Baldari.

7. Strike A Balance

Balance training can help you build muscle faster, according to a study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine. “Balance training may precondition muscles for strength training by improving coordination and motor control,” explains lead study author Dr Albert Golhofer.

Try this: stand on one leg on a rolled-up towel while you brush your teeth in the morning, then switch to the other leg when you brush at night.

The post 7 Easy Ways To Stay In Shape If You Genuinely Suck At Working Out In The Heat appeared first on Diet Supports.

I Tried Khloé Kardashian’s Glitter Compression Catsuit at a Solidcore Class

admin — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 04:05:14 +0000

As an athlete, my choice in workout clothes is determined first and foremost by function. Will I be able to perform to the best of my ability while wearing it, and will I feel at all constricted in my movement? But that doesn’t mean I’m not curious about gear with “viral” appeal. From tennis skirts to Taylor Swift’s denim Wiskii dress, I always wonder just how well pieces like these actually hold up in the gym. Khloé Kardashian‘s latest Fabletics drop incorporates plenty of fabrics and silhouettes that I wouldn’t typically wear to exercise — which is exactly why I was eager to try the Seamless Jumpsuit ($110) in sparkling lurex.

While Kardashian — who has been collaborating with Fabletics since 2023 — says the Cozy Fleece Wide Leg Sweatpants are the most popular item from the collection, her favorite style is the Lurex (she wears the Seamless Leggings in the campaign image above). “They are the perfect combination of flattering and supportive, and most important, comfortable,” she says. Since the one-piece jumpsuit version is even more striking and perhaps an even bolder choice for a workout, I decided to wear it to a Solidcore class, which involves 50 minutes of strenuous, controlled movements and repetitive contractions that are designed to help you reach muscle failure — all performed on a reformer machine.

While I had my doubts, Kardashian’s perspective is promising: “Fabletics really understands how to design functional and fashionable activewear. It’s all about looking good, feeling good, and performing well,” she says, continuing, “This collection is designed to be transitional, moving with you throughout your day whether it’s in the gym, shuffling your kids to/from school, or running errands around town.”

Ahead, you can read about my experience in the Seamless Lurex Jumpsuit and check out my full review of the festive, stretch catsuit that’s designed for working out.

About Khloé Kardashian’s Fabletics Seamless Jumpsuit

The extra shine is intended to add glam during the holiday season, and even transition to a night-out look, according to Kardashian.
The seamless fabric is engineered to sculpt and highlight your form.
It’s offered in sizes XS-XL, and the brand recommends sizing up for a true-to-size fit.
It comes in three different shades, including deep navy sparkle (pictured), everpine sparkle (green), and black sparkle.
It’s crafted from moisture-wicking fabric that’s 85 percent nylon, eight percent lurex, and seven percent spandex.
It has removable bra cups and a strappy, double-layered back.
The brand recommends it for studio and low-impact workouts.
It costs $110 for non-members, but you can save with a Fabletics VIP Membership.
It has four stars and 70 onsite reviews at time of posting.

What I Like About Khloé Kardashian’s Fabletics Seamless Jumpsuit

Of course, my most immediate take on this jumpsuit is that it’s eye-catching. The specks of glitter in the fabric definitely turn heads from a fashion standpoint, and the layered, multi-strap back feels sporty and sexy all at once. I also appreciate the darker, more flattering colors this suit is offered in, and the compression lines are subtle and work to visually elongate the legs. I opted for my usual size, XS, and it was a bit hard to pull up since you have to step in from the top. However, once everything was in place, I was actually glad for the tighter fit — I knew the fabric would stay taut at the bust line and that there’d be zero slippage.

Is Khloé Kardashian’s Fabletics Seamless Jumpsuit Comfortable For Working Out?

I was surprised to discover just how easy it was to perform low impact exercises in this jumpsuit. Although it originally felt tight when I first put it on, once it adapts to your figure it feels as though it’s providing support to your posture, rather than inhibiting your flexibility. I was able to work through each and every Solidcore movement as usual, and in fact, the compression encouraged me to stay cognizant of my form while I completed each set. I ended up feeling even more comfortable during the workout than I did right after I’d gotten dressed. The lurex fabric wasn’t itchy whatsoever, and the strappy back wasn’t too tight or distracting. I also expected that my sweat might seep through and weigh down the material, but the moisture-wicking properties prevented that from happening.

What to Consider Before Buying Khloé Kardashian’s Fabletics Seamless Jumpsuit

If you hesitate to purchase workout clothes that take some time to put on, this jumpsuit may not be right for you. The compression fabric is tight at first, so you have to work to pull it over your curves (though sizing up can help the situation, since many customers report it runs small). It’s also best for those who like to feel “held in” by their workout gear. As someone with athletic thighs, I did feel like it was tougher to tug the material all the way up in this area, so I was left feeling like there was a slight drop near the crotch, but I completely forgot about it once I started moving.

Where You Can Buy Khloé Kardashian’s Fabletics Seamless Jumpsuit

You can buy the Fabletics Seamless Jumpsuit on the brand’s website.

Rating:
★★★★☆

Sarah Wasilak (she/her) is the associate director of Shopping at PS. With plenty of experience in the commerce market, a keen interest in SEO, and 10 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing across the lifestyle and health-and-fitness categories. She has bylines at PS, InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit and aims to amplify minority voices in all her work.

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What Happens to Professional Athletes After They Retire?

admin — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 15:27:37 +0000

Dan Mullan, Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images

Retirement is a journey that poses different challenges for everyone, but professional athletes face a particular challenge: they enter their job knowing that they’ll age out of playing long before reaching traditional retirement years.

The disparities in men’s and women’s professional sports are undeniable. In 2023, the Women’s World Cup prize was still one-third the size of the men’s — and that was after a 300% increase over 2019 winnings. The average WNBA salary is about $150,000 per season, while the NBA’s average salary is roughly $10 million. These financial differences persist long into retirement, and affect not only how but also when female professional athletes choose to retire.

There has been a notable increase when it comes to investment in women’s sports. Women’s professional leagues are poised to generate $1B+ in global revenue this year, up 300 percent from 2021 . . . but we still have a long way to go. As much as we love watching players’ transitions from college athletes to professionals (hi, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese), pro leagues are focused on growing loyal audiences of the game, which means they need to attract more paying subscribers. As such, there isn’t much focus on athletes’ post-court journeys, especially for female athletes, who don’t always secure high-paying sponsorship deals like their male counterparts. (In 2020, women’s sports sponsorships accounted for just 0.4 percent of all sports sponsorships.)

Thankfully, there is progress being made, and programs that help. For example, soccer club Angel City FC (which became the world’s most valuable women’s sports franchise after being sold this summer, per NPR) offers Player 22. The proprietary small business grants program provides funding and resources to current and retired soccer players who want to start or grow their own businesses.

In general, a few of the major barriers to entrepreneurship include lack of access to capital, lack of knowledge (both legal and operational), and lack of mentorship, says Lauren Yildirim, chief of staff at Justworks HR software, which is designed to make administration easier for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The Player 22 program is designed to help chip away at these barriers.

“Starting, running, and scaling a small business is no small feat,” says Yildrim. “And, it’s no secret that, for athletes and non-athletes alike, it’s historically been even more difficult for women than men to do so. While progress has been made, there’s still work to be done.”

PS interviewed four amazing female athletes who are at various points in their retirement journey to learn more about how, when, and why they choose to end their athletic careers — and how they decided what to do next. A common thread among all of their stories? Wanting to give back to the next generation of athletes.

Mike Zarrilli | Getty Images

Jill Loyden, Former Goalkeeper for USWNT and Sky Blue FC

After the United States women’s national team (USWNT) won the 2012 Olympics, Jill Loyden knew that soccer wouldn’t fulfill her in the way she’d always dreamt it would. As much as the win meant to her, it made her realize that her life was meant to involve more than playing soccer. She decided to retire in 2014, and put her effort towards making a difference in the world.

Loyden describes her pivot from athlete to owner and CEO of The Keeper Institute as a seamless transition. “I absolutely was very clear in my vision for my life post-playing,” she says. “I wanted to start a business where I could really impact the goalkeeping community in the area that I grew up in.” As a youth goalkeeper in Vineland, New Jersey, Loyden had little to no access to quality goalkeeper coaching. It wasn’t until college that she had a coach who empowered and equipped her with the tools to succeed, and that was when her career took off. Loyden attributes all her success to her collegiate coach, who invested in her and realized that soccer was her calling. After witnessing such a mentorship, Loyden knew she wanted to help her community once she retired; that sentiment grew into a desire to impact players and coaches across the country.

To prepare for retirement, Loyden started The Keeper Institute, a training institute for young goalkeepers in 2013, while she was still playing for the USWNT and in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). It was becoming clear to her that she wanted to empower the next generation. “To me, helping young athletes take their next steps in their goalkeeper journey was incredibly more fulfilling than playing at the highest level,” Loyden says. “I knew that my playing career would eventually come to an end and I wanted something that I could immediately transition into, while simultaneously fulfilling a desire to change the goalkeeping game across the country.”

While her preparation made for a simple transition, leaving pro sports was more of a mental challenge than Loyden initially anticipated. She was coming from a world where someone had told her what to do every minute of the day. For the first few years of post-retirement, Loyden said yes to every opportunity and event that came her way. “I thought my time was infinite now that I wasn’t playing,” she says. “I quickly experienced burnout and knew that I needed balance and the ability to protect my yes.” Loyden jokes that (like many of us), she’s, “still trying to learn that whole balance thing.”

That said, Loyden refers to The Keeper Institute as the best job in the world. Her favorite thing about her current career is impacting younger players, both as athletes and as humans. “My business allows me to fulfill my passions and my strengths every single day,” she says. “I get to invest in the next generation of goalkeepers, empower them to strengthen their character, and embolden them to chase their dreams.”

Dan Mullan | Getty Images

Amanda McGrory, Paralympic Track and Field Athlete

Amanda McGrory began wheelchair racing and playing wheelchair basketball when she was 11. She loved both sports and went to the University of Illinois on a wheelchair basketball scholarship, where she played for five years. While there, she did her first marathon. She had always loved wheelchair racing and wanted to be a Paralympian; it was that marathon that helped her realize that she was a long-distance racer, rather than a track and field athlete.

She qualified for the Beijing Olympics and decided to compete as a Paralympian as long as she could. She continued training, worked part time, and occasionally had speaking appearances. In 2015, at 30 years old, she began feeling frustrated with her performances.

“Being a professional athlete is one of those careers that comes with an expiration date,” McGrory says. She had seen her friends, teammates, and competitors try to hold on to their athletic careers — only to get pushed out of the sport without a plan B. In order to prepare for retirement, McGrory started graduate school program for information science in 2016. Part of that decision came out of a conversation with her coach, after a period of frustration with her 2012-2015 performances. McGrory realized that she’d always competed her best while in school.

During her second semester of grad school, she competed in the Paralympic games in Rio. McGrory graduated in 2018 and moved to Colorado Springs to intern at the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Archives. Her plan was always to retire after the 2020 games, but around the same time that those games were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the head archivist for the USOPC Archives announced that she was stepping down. McGrory knew it was an opportunity that might not come again. She might not have put her training plans on hold for a different job, but being able to stay involved with the Olympics and Paralympics was a big selling point. “The timing wasn’t perfect, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” she says.

In July 2020, McGrory moved to Colorado Springs to become the archivist and collections curator for the USOPC archives, a position she holds currently. She spent her first year trying to both work and train full time; it was challenging, but she still qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.

“It was a very different experience for me, because I knew it was my last games. It was a nice swan song and gave me a chance to wrap up my career and enjoy the experience for what it was,” she says. “I had a lot of friends and teammates who had retired, and watching that transition and seeing what worked helped me make the decision the way that I did.” Since McGrory announced her retirement, she was recruited to moonlight as a broadcaster to cover major marathons in the US as an expert analyst for the wheelchair division. This summer, she covered paralympic track & field for the Paralympic Games for NBC. “I’ve been really lucky because I was in control of my retirement decision, but also because I’ve been able to stay very involved in the growth and development of the sport through my current career.”

“It fell into place perfectly,” she says. “I’m happy with the decision I made and it’s been a great opportunity for me to stay connected to the Paralympic world, the sports world, and this piece of my identity. One of McGrory’s biggest fears for retirement was that after spending so much time and effort growing and developing wheelchair sport it would be hard to not be a part of it. Thanks to her career, she has not felt that loss.

“I never felt like I had any unfinished business in the sport,” says McGrory. “I did the things I set out to do. I won a gold medal, broke world records, and won major marathons, and I felt like it was time for something new and was ready for a new challenge.”

However, despite the work that McGrory and others have done to bring attention to the Paralympics and alternative sports, there’s still more to be done. “There are huge disparities when you look at the difference between support, sponsorships, and awareness, for male-dominated sports versus female-dominated sports,” says McGrory. “When you move into the Paralympic world, as a female Paralympian, [that support] gets even smaller.”

When McGrory was competing, there were very few opportunities for endorsements or sponsorships beyond what she received from the national team program. She chose to focus on wheelchair marathoning in part because it’s one of the few adaptive sports with significant financial support and prize money behind it. The sponsors she did have were for products only, rather than financial support; she was relying entirely on prize money from major marathons in order to pay her bills, which wasn’t a sustainable setup.

Those disparities continue into retirement. “The smaller sliver of support that Paralympians receive makes it really difficult to fall into any sort of career attached to your sport,” McGrory says. “The opportunities to carry on with those sponsorships, endorsements, and speaking activities just don’t exist in the same way that they do for male athletes and for non-disabled athletes.” People with disabilities are significantly underrepresented in the workforce, so finding jobs and full-time employment coming out of the athlete space is difficult on its own, not to mention finding jobs within their sports or areas of expertise, she adds.

Ultimately, a lot of it is just about normalizing disability overall, says McGrory. The USOPC has been doing this work, supporting Paralympic athletes by changing the narrative of how disability is written and spoken about.

Robert Cianflone | Getty Images

Denise Parker, Olympic Archer

Denise Parker competed in her first Olympic games for archery when she was 14 years old. She competed in the 1988, 1992, and 2000 Summer Olympics. In between the 1992 and 2000 Olympics, she had put her education on hold and moved to California to train full time for the 1996 games, but “totally burned out,” and didn’t make the team.

“It was devastating. One of the things I learned was how important balance was for my life,” Parker says of the experience. She chose to finish her undergraduate degree and took time off, but quickly realized that she wasn’t ready to retire and wanted to do so on her own terms. “I realized that wasn’t how I wanted to end my career, even if I didn’t win a gold medal. I didn’t want to walk away like that,” Parker says.

At that point, she decided she would try for the Sydney games — but now with more balance. She negotiated part-time marketing work with a company sponsoring her while she trained in Salt Lake City. “I knew I couldn’t do a full time job or dive into my career, but I knew I couldn’t put it on hold, either. It gave me a sense of relief to know that I was still moving [my career] forward.”

Parker went into the Sydney Olympics knowing it would be her last competition. “The feeling was really mixed. When you know it’s your last Olympics, you enjoy it and soak in the experience a lot more, because you know you’re walking away from all of it,” she says. “But it’s also a relief because the training is a lot, takes a long time, and is disruptive. I wanted more from my life.”

Wanting more was ultimately what drove Parker’s decision to retire. “I enjoyed being an athlete, but that didn’t feel like all of who I was – that felt like a piece of who I was,” she says. “I wanted a career, to get married, and to have a family. Athletes nowadays are doing it all, and I’m happy for them, but at that time I didn’t see a path to be able to do that.” (While things have certainly improved for female athletes, Allyson Felix made headlines as recently as 2019 for writing about how Nike reduced her contract by 70 percent after she announced her pregnancy.)

Parker didn’t feel that she had other athletes to look to when she retired, and felt that she had to be “scrappy.” Now, she’s in a position where she can offer advice to others based on her own career plan.

“I often tell other athletes to leverage the network you have around you,” she says. As an Olympian, she worked with sponsors and an advertising agency, and leveraged those connections to get a job at an advertising agency. She started her career working for a manufacturer within the archery industry and was a CEO with USA Archery for eight years, thanks to her archery industry experience. “My career path is 100 percent driven from my Olympic and sport experience, and I never would have gotten those connections had I not been competing at such a high level,” she says. “You don’t have to work in [the industry] forever, but it sure helps when you’re starting.”

In her current role as the chief of national governing bodies services and sport operations for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Parker tries to help ease the transition for other athletes coming out of elite sports.

“A lot of the work we do is helping athletes realize that they do have work experience, and that a lot of the things they’ve been doing–commitment, work ethic, and things you learn in the industry–are valuable,” she says, “When I see people trying to transition into post-athlete [life], they think they don’t have any skills, but they do. They’re just non-traditional.”

Andrew D. Bernstein | NBAE via Getty Images

Ticha Penicheiro, Former Chicago Sky Guard and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer

Born and raised in Portugal, Ticha Penicheiro started playing basketball at age five, with her dad as her first coach. She received a scholarship to play at Old Dominion University and joined the WNBA in 1998, as a rookie with the Sacramento Monarchs.

“You know right away that you don’t know how long your career’s going to be,” says Penicheiro, who played for the Sacramento Monarchs, Los Angeles Sparks, and Chicago Sky over her 15-year career, as well as internationally. She retired at the age of 38, but started thinking about her next steps at age 35, because she could see the writing on the wall.

“My last year in Chicago, I spent more time in the training room than I did on the court,” Penicheiro says. “My body was literally falling apart, and I knew it was time.” She knew that she didn’t want to coach, but that she did want to stay close to the game–her “first love”–and wanted to pay it forward to the next generation. During her time in the WNBA, she noticed that there weren’t many women representing women as agents. She decided she wanted to be not just an agent, but also a mentor, as someone who had been in the players’ shoes.

Even though her first agent was a woman, and Penicheiro had done an internship with Wasserman (a sports & media talent agency in LA), the star athlete still felt like she had to figure out her next steps on her own. She also had to get certified by FIBA and the WNBA to be an agent, so she prepared by studying to pass the test.

“It’s scary, because you don’t know if the next step is going to be successful. But I’d already taken the leap of faith to leave my country, leave my family to go play basketball in a foreign country where English was my second language, and I didn’t know if I would be successful there either,” says Penicheiro. “But I would rather go, try, and realize it’s not for me, than never go and never try. I have that approach for a lot of things in my life, and I knew that if one chapter was going to end, I was going to go and make the next chapter work.”

Now, over ten years into her career as an agent, Penicheiro views her players as little sisters, and wants them to enjoy success both on and off the court. She also considers it part of her job to make sure they’re good professionals and members of their community. “When you’re an agent, you wear a lot of hats, and it’s important to me to be whatever it is I need to be for them, whether it’s a cheerleader or a big sister.”

In her latest role at On Time Agency (vice president and head of the women’s basketball division), Penicheiro helped launch the Next Chapter division, designed to provide mentorship, networking, and comprehensive support for professional athletes transitioning into life after sports. “A lot of players struggle a little bit with what’s next when they’re about to cross the line into retirement,” Penicheiro says. “Your agent stops calling you and there’s no one to help you.” The goal of the new division is to help provide support for that adjustment.

As for Penicheiro, the hardest part of the adjustment wasn’t the job search, but rather learning how to rest. “The hardest thing for me was to learn how to be OK not doing anything,” she says. After 15 years of playing year-round, with barely any time off and having to work out on her days off regardless, Penicheiro says that learning how to sit down and have a chill day was the hardest part of the adjustment.

As for improvements that she’d like to see in the game, now that she’s an agent? Penicheiro would love for WNBA players to get a pension, like their male counterparts in the NBA. “In this profession, you retire very young. You make so many sacrifices to play for the fans, the franchise, the city, and your country, and then it ends and it’s like ‘poof, you don’t exist anymore,'” she says. “I’m so proud of where the WNBA is, but there’s still so much more room for growth.”

Meg Oliphant | Getty Images

Brittany Wilson Isenhour, Former Goalkeeper for Angel City FC

Isenhour started her career in the National Women’s Soccer League playing for the Orlando Pride in 2020. In 2021, she was traded to Angel City FC. After a difficult season in 2023, Isenhour asked to be released from Angel City FC and attended the Kansas City Current’s preseason to help her make the decision to retire. “I wanted a fresh perspective before I made my decision, to be sure I was ready to step away,” she says. “It ultimately was a gut feeling knowing that my dreams had shifted and changed as I grew and evolved as a person. Once I finally accepted that it was okay for your dreams to change I made the decision to step away.”

For Isenhour, the hardest part of the decision was telling her friends, family, and coaches. “While announcing it on social media did make it feel more real, by the time I posted I had already done the hardest part,” she says. But mentally, she felt relieved, and felt she had made the right decision from the start.

The disruption of routine was also challenging. “I had lived my entire life getting up and being on a mission to become a better soccer player, and seeing my friends and teammates every day,” says Isenhour. “It’s been challenging but exciting giving myself space to explore my new passions and create a new structure and routine with the tools I learned as an athlete.”

She says that listening to what her hopes and dreams are now, rather than trying to force what was once her dream, has made her adjustment period an overall positive experience, As for her new career? Isenhour never planned to do social media full time, but gained an amazing community while she was playing. Her content has pivoted away from her life as a pro soccer player, and more to sharing the lessons and tools she learned during her career, to help others on theirs.

“Now that I’m doing this full time, it’s opened a lot of doors to travel and new and exciting partnerships to continue to share my love for the game,” says Isenhour. “I want to inspire the next generation of athletes to chase their dreams and fall in love with their sport, not just for the athletic achievements, but also for the growth and development only sport can bring.”

Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS who focuses on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has a background in the marketing and communications industry and has written for PS for over four years.

The post What Happens to Professional Athletes After They Retire? appeared first on Diet Supports.

This Simple Biceps Workout Is All About Building Foundational Strength

admin — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 03:24:17 +0000

Picture this: you just got home from the grocery store and you’ve got ten bags full of goodies. There is no way you’re taking multiple trips to get everything inside. Luckily you don’t have to, because you’ve been working out — and specifically targeting those biceps. So you load your arms, flex your muscles, and carry it all in at once. Sounds convenient, right?

Your biceps are the large muscles that run down the front of your upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. “Biceps are responsible for flexion and extension of the elbow. So functionally, think of everything that you do that requires bending your elbow — from things like carrying all the groceries from the car in one trip to bringing your coffee to your mouth for the first sip in the morning,” says Megan Cloe, Group X instructor and trainer at Bay Club El Segundo and; Bay Club Santa Monica.

“Training biceps could help reduce the risk of injury to the elbow joint and potentially help prevent things like tendonitis in the wrist, elbow, and shoulder,” Cloe says. If you’re not sure where to start though, we’ve got you covered. While the first move that might come to your mind to train your biceps is a biceps curl, there are plenty of exercises that involve the biceps as a secondary muscle group. “The great thing about biceps, is that even if you don’t love biceps curls, you can train biceps in many other compound exercises, like chest presses or push-ups,” Cloe says.

Ahead, she put together a simple biceps workout to help you build up your strength. Try these moves together as a full upper body workout, or add them to your current routine to train your biceps on your next arm day.

Simple Biceps Building Workout

Equipment needed: One pair of light to medium dumbbells (five to 10 pounds). We’re loving the PS Neoprene Dumbbells ($7), available in three, five, eight, or ten-pounds. If you have any injuries affecting grip strength, you may want to try a pair of PS Wrist Weights ($30), available at two pounds each. Make sure to choose a weight appropriate for your fitness level. You may also want a yoga mat like this one to perform your pushups.

Biceps Curl: 10 reps

Triceps Push-up: 10 reps

Single-Arm Row: 10 reps

Dumbbell Bench Press: 10 reps

Triceps Kickback: 10 reps

Hammer Curl:10 reps

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6 Products Tunde Oyeneyin Recommends to Every Marathoner

admin — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 03:04:59 +0000

The Expert Edit features interviews with specialists about the products they swear by in their chosen field. For the latest installment, we spoke with Tunde Oyeneyin, Peloton instructor, Nike athlete, and New York Times bestselling author of “Speak.” Oyeneyin offered her tips for running a marathon, along with her must-have products.

Tunde Oyeneyin is a longtime pro when it comes to cycling, but marathons are something she’s recently mastered. Oyeneyin completed the New York City marathon — her first 26.2 miles — in 2023, as well as the Chicago marathon earlier this year with Abbott, the healthcare technologies company. “I challenge people in my classes every day to do something that scares them; I realized I needed to challenge myself, too,” Oyeneyin tells PS, recalling her decision to run a marathon in the first place. “It was my turn to be scared and to be thrown outside of my comfort zone.”

While a fitness expert, the Peloton instructor says the New York Marathon “broke me down,” challenging her body in ways she’d never done before. “But it was ultimately to rebuild myself back up stronger. I found a new version of myself in the depths of the darkness surrounding the toughness of the marathon.”

In training for the Chicago marathon, Oyeneyin prioritized her mental fortitude just as much as her physical training — something that she says made all the difference. “There were definitely moments that felt more difficult during the race than others. There were moments that self-doubt and imposter syndrome crept in, but unlike the NYC Marathon I ran last year, this time I was able to identify those moments and remind myself that ‘I’ve been here before,'” Oyeneyin says. “Sure, it was a different route, but I knew what those moments were telling me; rather, I knew what they were trying to teach me. Being broken down in those moments of struggle were also the moments that were going to build me up as a runner during that race and as an athlete beyond it.”

Having turned her own marathon experience around, Oyeneyin hopes to encourage others to lean into the challenge of 26.2 miles. “Now as a two-time marathoner, my goal is to provide light for others to see themselves,” she says. And while the physical and mental training is crucial, the Nike athlete also believes in the power of good gear and tech. Ahead, Oyeneyin shares six items she depends on to support her fitness goals — whether that’s running a marathon or motivating her class.

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