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Chi Running: Use Your Mind to Run, Not Just Your Feet

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 14:00:00 PST

Chi Running (or Mindful Running) is the latest trend to quietly hit the streets, literally.

WebMD got the basics of Chi Running from Danny Dreyer, an ultra-marathon runner and author of the book Chi Running: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running.

Focus Your Mind: Your mind instructs your muscles to start working or relaxing. Your mind orchestrates the perfect run, starting out slowly, finding the perfect tempo, he adds. Your mind takes in the beauty of your surroundings so that you finish relaxed, and full of energy.

When you begin running, your mind must also push against the body's natural inertia. "Your body is like a dumb animal," Dreyer tells WebMD. "It will stay at rest until acted upon by an outside force like your mind. You have to train it."

Sense Your Body: Pay close attention to what your body is doing. Practice listening to any little nuances that you can detect. Feel your foot hitting the ground. Feel your posture.
Is your body moving in the way you intended it to? Is your movement easier or more difficult? Are there subtle changes you should make? As you begin running, you must develop body sense. Then you will become your own best teacher and coach, says Dreyer.

There's 4 more basics, so

Breathe to Tap Into Chi: The more efficiently your body can take in oxygen, the easier running will feel, Dreyer explains. If you're not breathing deeply into your lower lungs, you're not getting as much air as you could -- a common problem when people begin running. To belly-breathe, stand or sit and place your hands over your belly button. Now purse your lips as if you're trying to blow a candle out, and exhale, emptying your lungs by pulling in your belly button toward your spine. When you've blown out as much air as you can, relax your belly and the inhale will occur naturally. Practice breathing out for three steps, breathing in for two steps. Try matching your breath with your cadence.

Relax Your Muscles: Tight muscles can't get the oxygen they need. The cure is easy: Just relax! Don't take yourself so seriously. Drop your shoulders. Smile. Relax your glutes. Float like a butterfly... lighten up, says Dreyer. When muscles are loose and relaxed, the oxygen carried in your blood can enter the muscle cells much more easily than if your muscles are tense. Keep telling your muscles, "Softer is better!"

Practice Good Posture: Your aligned body has a centerline that runs from head to foot. It is the "steel" that supports your body, which allows your arms and legs to relax. Running with your posture out of alignment creates tension and fatigue. Stand in front of a mirror. Straighten your upper body. Then look down at your feet. If you can see your shoelaces, it's a good bet that your dots are connected in a straight line - perfect. Memorize how this feels. Practice it.

Start Slow: When you begin to run, take it gradually, says Dreyer. "Practice your posture. Really memorize what it feels like to have good posture. Feel yourself standing in straight line. Practice alternating do on one foot, then switch. Shift weight back and forth. Feel yourself keeping posture line straight while on one foot a time." Then, it's time for a little jog. Connect with your posture. Feel your feet down at the bottom of your posture line. Start to jog slowly. When one foot hits the ground, feel it hitting at bottom of your posture line. Practice moving from one foot to the next, taking baby steps. Speed is not a factor here," Dreyer says. "That's the very last thing you should think about. You're working on form -- holding it little bit longer each time. Stretch that over a block, two blocks, three blocks. That's building distance, until you can hold your form over distance."

To read Dreyers book on Chi Running, buy it from Amazon.com for $11.21.

More Free Stuff and Savings at Drugstore.com

FabSugar — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:09:41 PDT

If I had the time and the money, I could probably spend a good hour and a good $100 at Walgreens every day. Your local drugstore is an endless supply of new products to be discovered and because everything seems relatively inexpensive it's easy to go a little crazy! Thanks to drugstore.com, I can indulge in the wonders from the comfort of my desk!

Here are three additional promotions and giveaways happening this month at drugstore.com:

Buy two Philosophy items and get a free 6 oz pure grace salt scrub, click here

Two more, so

read more Buy the Infiniti by Conair Hair Designer Professional Tourmaline Ionic Styler and get a free Conair Pro Velvet Vent, Click here Get 20% of CHI hair irons, Click here

The Quest For The Perfect Flat Iron

Community Manager — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:27:23 PDT

Besides mascara, the other thing I am constantly searching for is the best flat iron for my hair. I probably have about four that I have replaced for various reasons. I did a little research and of course, wanted to share with you.

According to my research, one of the best and safest flat irons for your hair is the Sedu Ionic Ceramic Flat Iron. Although it's pretty costly (Around $125.00), it smooths any type of hair, leaves no frizz and if blow dried straight first, this iron gives hair a shiny, perfect finish!

To read some tips on what to look for in the perfect flat iron

read more The most important element to look for when buying a flat iron is that it's ceramic. The older versions are made from metal which are rougher and result in more breakage. But don't let any of these advertisements fool you. No iron is 100% safe for your hair. The amount of heat that is generated by any styling tool is potentially damaging. If you buy one with teeth on it, make sure the teeth are aiming downward and that your hair is completely dry when you begin. If wet, the steam will directly enter your hair shaft and could erupt causing severe breakage. Lastly, always keep the iron moving on your hair. When you are finished, rub a peanut-sized amount of Kerastase's Lumiere Nutri-Sculpt between your fingertips until the consistency is slippery. Then rub it into your hair where the fly always are. It works like a charm and the little bottle should last you over a year! fabulous Finds Online

Martial Arts Classes to Try: Krav Maga, Tai Chi, and Tae Kwon Do

Heather Dale — Fri, 06 May 2011 02:24:53 PDT

Martial arts is an umbrella term used for systems of training for combat. Boxing, karate, tai chi, tae kwon do, krav maga, kung fu, kickboxing, wrestling, and jiu jitsu all fall into the martial arts category, because they all have the same underlying principle - protection from physical threat. Martial arts can be broken into five categories including: grappling styles, stand-up or striking styles, low-impact styles, weapons-based styles, and MMA (a hybrid sports style).
Now that the weather is finally workout-friendly, you've gotten back into your Spring training groove. To keep your momentum from losing any speed, be sure to mix up your workout routine with interesting new classes. Here are three types of martial arts sports that are guaranteed to mix up your regular workout routine!

Editor Budget Faceoff: Cozy Cabin Getaway

FabSugar — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:01:59 PST

We all operate on our own budget - and as fashion editors, it's our job to seek out the trends at all price points. With that in mind, we're kicking off a new series and something of a fashion challenge here at Fab. We've put two of our editors to the task of outfitting one cozy look for a Winter getaway. There's a catch - each one has their own respective price points. Associate editor, Chi Chau, set out to shop with $1,000 in her pocket, while assistant editor, Hannah Weil, is out to find the look for under $150. Want to see what they came up with? Click through to see and shop the selections - then be sure to tell us whose picks you prefer as our two editors face off.

6 Unique Ways to Fend Off Illnesses and Avoid Medical Bills

Emily Co — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:16 PST

There are very few things that are worse than getting sick. Not only will you have pricey medical bills to pay, but you may also have to skip out on work. Fortunately, you can employ plenty of preventative methods to avoid falling ill. We've heard the usual "eat right and exercise" advice, so here are a couple of tactics that you may not have heard of:

Immune boosters in a pill: Although you've heard of the usual immune boosters like vegetables and fruits, there are a couple of holistic cures you might want to try. There's New Chapter's LifeShield Immunity ($20), which is a supplement made out of a combination of mycelium, fruiting bodies, spores, and extracellular compounds from tonic mushrooms.
Take ginseng with your vaccine: When you get a flu vaccine, try taking some ginseng with it so you'll bounce back from the effects of the vaccine. There was a study done in which only 13 percent of the group of participants who took ginseng with flu vaccinations caught colds vs. 37 percent of the placebo group.
Trick yourself psychologically: Don't discount old wives' remedies! Even if you don't have any scientific proof, perhaps the cures have some sort of psychological effect that results in physical effects. For example, a cure for cough that works for me is rubbing vapor rub over my feet and wearing socks at night. Another scientifically disproved treatment is Airborne, which somehow always fends off a cold when I feel one coming on.

Read on for more tips.

8 Money-Saving Beauty Tips

OnSugar Blog — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:51:20 PST

In need of a few good tips? Check out this great story from OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget:

Of course, we'd all love to have a major beauty stash, but sometimes we just don't have all of those cool tools at our disposal. When you're in need of a quick beauty fix, here are a few tips to get you through!

Gisele Bundchen Gets a Head Start on a Workout With Her Tai Chi Teacher

Lauren Turner — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:11:55 PDT

Gisele Bunchen ran into her Tai Chi instructor on her way to class in Boston this morning. She was up early for a workout session after running errands with her dog, Vida, yesterday afternoon. Gisele's back in Massachusetts with her family following a getaway last week to the Jamaica, where Gisele hit the beach in a bikini with her son Ben. The timing of her trip lent support to the rumors that Gisele's the face of the 2012 Givenchy campaign, stories that started when male model Noah Mills tweeted that he was heading to the Caribbean for the shoot. Gisele's latest gig may be a hot topic in the fashion world, but the Bundchen-Brady family will switch focus to Tom's football career this weekend as his Patriots take on the New York Giants.

See Inside Lady Gaga's Whimsical Gaga Workshop at Barneys NY!

Allison McNamara — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:07:00 PST

Lady Gaga launched her newest endeavor at Barneys New York last night - a whimsical Gaga Workshop just in time for the holiday season. Filled with trinkets inspired by Lady Gaga's childhood and career, the fifth floor of Barneys has been transformed into eight mini shops, complete with a huge Lady Gaga spider, a wig boudoir, and an out-of-this-world bookstore. Celebrities and designers came out to support the singer, including Blake Lively in a stunning cobalt blue suit from Elie Saab's Spring 2012 Runway. Surprisingly, Lady Gaga opted for a more conservative ensemble for the evening, a custom tweed Chanel gown designed by Karl Lagerfeld, tres chi! On Allison: Topshop top, House of Harlow necklace, JewelMint bracelet.

One Editor, One $500 Budget - See How She Spends It!

Chi Diem Chau — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:44 PDT

Ever wonder how a fashion editor shops? It's essentially our job to shop - to find the most gorgeous things, assess the trends, and put together outfits for your viewing pleasure. That said, it's hard not to shop for ourselves when we're constantly tempted. Today, we're kicking off our budget shopping challenge in our Fab offices. Each editor gets a $500 Winter fashion budget and is able to spend it however she wants. First off is our associate editor, Chi Chau. She has a knack for cool cuts and bright tennis shoes - how cute are her Isabel Marant sneakers? See how she spends her $500 now.

I tend to move towards darker palettes during the Winter so in an effort to counteract my black and gray hues, I play with texture. Since I already have a nice supply of pants and skirts, my picks are all about cozy jackets and sweaters. I'm also in the mood for fun jewelry and accessories via feathers and beads to add a slight bohemian look to my everyday look. Want to see how I spent my $500 budget? Just click the slideshow to see and shop my picks.