Do Your Workout Pants Shape Your Hips, Butt, and Thighs?

Ours do and they're 20% off through Sunday April 3rd!  Wearing a fitted capri or pant is more slimming than baggy pants, which may seem counter intuitive, but it's true.  The key is in the fabric.  It must be thick/dense enough while still offering enough stretch so that imperfections are concealed and your hips, butt, and thighs are "smoothed out."   The fabric used to make our running/workout capris is a blend of nylon, Lycra®, and Tactel®, which gives them a smooth feel against your skin.

ellasport new power capris - side shaping seams

The position and location of seams also help to provide a slimming look of your hips and thighs.  The picture above shows the side shaping seams on the New Power Capris.

Run and workout hands free!  The back pocket is made of Coolmax® mesh, which helps this particularly sweaty spot breathe.  You can even fit an iPhone in the pocket!  Cash, keys, and cards fit well too :).

ellasport new power capris

The ellasport running/workout capris are 20% now through Sunday, April 3rd!  Treat yourself to a new pair of slimming, sexy workout capris!

ellasport new power capris

Using The Rowing Machine for Cross Training

I have not been on a rowing machine since college when I was on the rowing team.  Since I was in New Hampshire and it was too cold to row outdoors all year, we used these during the winter to train.  And boy do I have poignant memories of training on the "erg" machine!  It was TOUGH! So today, in search of something different for my cardio workout, I revisited the rowing machine.  I forgot just how amazing they are!

With another Triathlon and running season upon us, lots of us are busy running, cycling, and Spinning.  You may find that you need to include some cross training into your training.  Among other benefits, cross training can help prevent overuse injuries by using your muscles in different ways.  It can also help you continue to build fitness while recovering from an injury. The rowing machine, also known as an ergometer or "erg" machine to those who row, is an amazing tool for your training and cross training!  Rowing works your legs, back, and upper-body and the impact is low on your joints and body.   Cross training on the rowing machine allows you to keep your legs, back and upper-body strong while further conditioning your cardiorespiratory system.  Because you are engaging so many muscles when you row, your cardio system works hard!  Additionally, one rigorous hour on the rower can burn 800 calories!

   

Learning the proper rowing machine technique is essential in order avoid injury and to maximize your efficiency and calorie burn.  The tendency for beginners is to use their upper-body too much while their legs follow.  When you are using correct form, majority of your power or effort will come from driving your legs.  This video clearly describes the three components to the row: the catch, drive, and recovery.  Check it out and definitely give the rowing machine a try!!


Do you use the rowing machine in your training?  Let's discuss!  :)

Power of The Mind: Are You Achieving Your Dreams?

Welcome to our new blog location!  Now our website and blog are living happily side by side :).  Speaking of living happily, are you?  Are you achieving your dreams?  Everyone has dreams and desires for their family, loved ones, career, etc., but how much of them can come to fruition by the power of your own mind?  According to Dr. Joesph Murphy, Ph.D., D.D., author of The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, we have the power to make all of our dreams come true!  Perhaps there is something to sayings like "mind over matter" and "you are what you think."

Dr. Murphy explains the scientific relationship between our conscious and subconscious minds.  Essentially, and I am paraphrasing here, your conscious thoughts control your subconscious, and it is your subconscious that brings your dream(s) into reality.  By picturing your dream and really thinking and feeling as though it is reality, you are making your dream become your reality.

This may sound a little out there, and honestly when I first started reading the book I was skeptical.  But then I thought what have I got to lose?!  So for the last week I have made every effort to choose my conscious thoughts carefully and not only visualize my dreams, but really feel them as reality.  At the very least I have been in a much better mood since I started :).  I look forward to writing about my dreams that have become my reality!

How do you make your dreams come true?  Tell us in the comment section!

Lunge with Shoulder Press and Rotation

Check out ellasport New Power Capris in action!  Fitness trainer extraordinaire, Julie Bobek, is the founder of "all about you" specialty classes at the Reebok Sports Club/NY which have the luxury of individual attention in a group setting.  Her fitness mantra is "aspire, act, achieve."

In this video she demonstrates how to do lunges with shoulder press rotation.  This is a total body exercise that not only works all the major muscle groups of the body, it will also increase your heart rate helping you burn more calories while you work your muscles!  

The Workout Skirt: 30% Off!

I have really enjoyed the passionate opinions of those in favor of the Workout Skirt (or running skirt) and those not so in favor if it!  So much so, that we have put our Workout Skirt on sale for this week. :)  The ellasport Workout Skirt is 30% off through March 14, 2011!  Happy shopping!!

ellasport's Workout Skirt

Corinne Ellison Models Her New ellasport Athletic Apparel!

ellasport's athlete across the pond in England is Corinne Ellison.  We are ecstatic to have her represent ellasport as she pursues the ultimate fitness goal: an Ironman! Corinne has recovered from the major heart surgery she underwent just eight months ago.  More about that in this post.

Corinne kicked butt in her first race since surgery a couple of weeks ago, finishing the Brighton half-marathon (in the UK) in 1:57!  Next up is the London Marathon in just one month and twelve days!  See pics below :).  Looking fabulous girl!

Corinne Ellison in her new ellasport athletic apparel!

Corinne in the Gramercy Racerback Tank and Power Capris!

Wish You Could Run Faster Than Most Men? Meet Keira Henninger - Ultra-Marathon Extraordinaire

I would like to give a little shout out to an amazing ultra-marathon-running woman: Keira Henninger! Keira is the race director of ultra-marathons all across California and is also a competitive ultra-marathon runner herself ranking in the top 20 women in the United States. Keira strongly believes in the positive mental benefits of running, as it has played an important part on her own emotional healing through life. In this article by Beyond Limits Magazine, Keira tells us how she discovered running and how it has helped her through challenging times. Her philosophy to life certainly isn’t one that avoids obstacles and she takes any challenge head-on.

Keira clearly kicks some serious butt - MEN'S butts!! "...One of the best things of all about my sport is that we actually race and compete against the men along with the women. I always say it’s never a bad day when you can beat 95% of the competition and most are men!”