Women’s Health USA – September 2019

WOMEN’S HEALTH SEPTEMBER 2019

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THE ADULT VERSION OF A BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLY: A PACK THAT HAULS IT ALL FOR

YOUR HOME-TO-OFFICE, OFFICE-TO-HOME, AND ANYTHING-ELSE JOG.

Runmute, but Cute

WATCH FOR

Shrugged Shoulders

As in, they’re close to

your face. Relax your

shoulders to avoid

straining the tiny

muscles around your

neck. (Use less weight

if necessary.)

WATCH FOR

An Arched Spine

You want as flat a line

as possible from neck

to hips in order to

protect your back.

Engage your abs more

if you notice an

unnatural curve.

TECHNIQUE

SCHOOL

Buried again at work? Release your

upper back—and sculpt do-it-all

shoulders—with the bent-over

lateral raise. Perfect it here:

THE STEPS

1. Holding a light weight in each hand, bend
   forward at hips about 45 degrees or until torso
   is near parallel to floor, knees bent. 2. Let
   weights hang below shoulders, palms facing
   each other. 3. Brace core as you slowly raise
   arms straight out to the sides until in line with
   shoulders, pinching shoulder blades together.

Open Up!

Pulsing—i.e., moving a part of

your body up and down in a tiny,

repetitive motion—is a staple in

barre, cycling , and even yoga

classes. But have you ever found

yourself in this bobbing motion,

wondering: Is this doing any-

thing? Well, heck, yes! “When

you shorten your range of mo-

tion, your muscles are contract-

ed the entire time, versus a full-

range exercise, where there is a

moment of release,” says Tiffani

Robbins, a personal trainer with

Obé Fitness and Fithouse in NYC.

Pulsing isolates the active mus-

cles and fatigues them more

quickly, which helps build their

endurance. Plus, you’ll get stron-

ger: “Staying in a pulse brings

more blood to them, which can

increase growth,” says Robbins.

But don’t nix your full-range

moves altogether, since those

activate the entire muscle group.

For a balanced workout, Robbins

suggests pulsing at the end of a

move in your routine: For exam-

ple, complete 10 reps of a squat

or lunge, then pulse for 10

counts. Repeat three times.

MAKE IT

BURN

1

2

3

2. BEST FOR HEAVY
   PACKERS
   Comfy, not suffocat-
   ing, and deceptively
   expandable. (You can
   fit a small laptop,
   outfit, water bottle,
   and more.) Lululemon
   Run All Day II, $118,
   lululemon.com


3. BEST FOR
   EVENING EVENTS
   Hide the straps and
   carry this pack by the
   top handle for a make-
   shift handbag. Rose-
   gold zippers scream
   chic. Sweaty Betty
   All Sport, $115,
   sweatybetty.com


4. BEST FOR
   MINIMALISTS
   The mini shape (about
   the size of this mag)
   and wet suit–esque
   fabric feel like nothing
   on your back. Dagne
   Dover Small Dakota,
   $135, dagnedover.com

WARM UP FITNESS