Social Workout

SW Book Club

Jackie Warner Thinks You're Fat

Jackie Warner wrote a book. Unfortunately Jillian Michaels already wrote the same book. Yep, This is Why You’re Fat is pretty much the literary doppelganger of Master Your Metabolism.

Key points include: Your hormones are making you fat. Fat-making hormones are insulin, estrogen, cortisol. Skinny-making hormones are human grown hormone, testosterone, progesterone. The way to balance all these hormones is to always eat organic, sleep, drink lots of water, no carbs for dinner, whole grains, limit caffeine, eat a low fat diet, and always remember that sugar is made of Satan and cancer and never-ever-ever eat it.

Other Places

DVD Reviews

Bust a Gut with Body by Bethenny by Kristin

I’m going to swallow my snarky, self-righteous pride right here and say that I loved Body by Bethenny, the exercise DVD via Kristin McGee and Real Housewife Bethenny Frankel. I literally laughed out loud, and not in the LOL sense, but in the "there was audible noise coming from my mouth with the slight twinge of merriment at multiple points during said exercise experience" sense. "Boob-to-Knee Pose" and "Darth Vader breathing" have never felt so good. 

Online & Video

Scientific

More Evidence that Milk is the Best Recovery Drink

Last year, researchers at the University of Texas subjected volunteers to grueling workouts, then fed them cereal and milk or a sports drink and promptly biopsied their muscles to see whether milk or sports drinks led to a faster recovery. Milk won. Now, a new study out of McMaster University shows that milk wins in term of long term gains as well. Researchers divided women into two groups. Each participated in a 12-week strength training program, with one group drinking a sugar-based energy drink after working out, the other drinking a glass of skim milk. Over the course of the 12 weeks, the milk drinkers gained markedly more muscle and lost more fat. Sadly, if you prefer your dairy in ice cream form, the findings may not hold true...

Scientific

Stretching Actually Makes You Stronger

Stretching makes you feel good and prevents injuries, but we all skimp when we're in a hurry, right? Reconsider! New research shows that stretching after strength-training significantly increases your muscle gains. In the study, participants were divided into two groups: those who did just a strength-training regimen three times a week and those who did the strength training plus two stretching sessions. After eight weeks, the stretch + strength-training group close to tripled their strength, showing significantly greater gains than the strength alone group. "Stretching, like lifting, causes tiny tears in your muscle; as your body repairs them, the tissue becomes stronger," explains one of the studies coauthors. So it's official: Stretching feels good and makes you buff. Stop skimping! (via Women's Health).

SW Labs

Protein Blitz or Bust

I am slow to the recovery drink revolution. But I am now officially dabbling. This change of heart has come with my new mission to become seriously buff, as opposed to merely healthy and reasonably fit. Becoming seriously buff, everyone tells me, takes a lot of time, dedication, and the repetitive lifting of heavy objects. Oh, and recovery drinks. Who knew?

Home Stretch

I Heart My Trainer

"Today's workout was a strength training session that clocked in a little over an hour. Loved every single lactic acid inducing minute of it." — runleenarun, today at 10:30 A.M.

My Body

Oliver Steele on Body Building and Being the Only Boy in Dance Class

Oliver and his wife Teri are the founders of STEELEDANCE, and both are on the faculty at Dance New Amsterdam. Last week we talked with Teri. Today, we get the other side of the story from Oliver.

I started dancing with gymnastics, actually, when I was ten or so. And I always wanted to do the girl's exercises on the floor, and I always wondered why the men couldn’t do gymnastics to music. I just enjoyed that dance aspect so much. When I was 16, a friend of mine was dancing in a jazz group and wanted me to join. I said, if there’s ever a boy who shows up to practice let me know, cause I’ll come too. I just don’t want to be the only one. One day she called and said, "We have another boy!" But, of course, I went, and the boy wasn’t there. But I was hooked, and I didn’t care.

Workout

Sunday Morning Squats and Lunges That Don't Qualify as Particularly Inspiring or Exciting

Rowing followed by a series of strength training circuits....Followed by a birthday brunch, getting caught in the rain, a family dinner, and some Golden Glob stargazing, or rather, sleeping. 

Workout

4 - 7pm Dancing is the New Black

Felt very good to move my body this morning after a week of a pseudo-cold and very, very little energy. Did an hour of strength training, mixed in with some cardio intervals, followed by some dancing (with vodka) at Get Your Dance On at Brooklyn Bowl. Afternoon dance parties are fabulous.

Workout

Upper Body + Core

Added 5lbs to all upper body sets.  Gonna be so sore later