Top Tips!
n “Staying
hydrated is a
more important
component than
people realize,”
Matthew At-
kinson shares.
“Drinking enough water will not only
prevent your muscles from seizing up
and cramping but it’s also going to help
your muscles recover both before and
after a workout.”n “Epsom salt baths really
help,” says Victoria Konefal.
“It helps to make all your
muscles heal after
you go to the
gym, when you’re
sore on a regular
day, even when
you’re not injured.”have. You keep your heart in shape with
the cardio, you do a certain amount of
resistance training to keep the muscles
where they need to be. The yoga and the
flexibility are what I need more than any-
thing because of all the damage that has
been done to my body over the years.”
Exercising is a crucial part of the actor’s
daily routine. “If I am not physically active
every single day it’s like I’m not breath-
ing,” Hogestyn shrugs. “The gym is where
I go; it’s my sanctuary. I remember the
times in my life where I could not move.
And I’m not being facetious when I say
that. I remember times not too long ago
where I said, ‘Okay, I have to make some
major adjustments because this part of my
life may not be the way it was again.’ I
think if you are very, very determined and
you approach your health with focus and
intensity, your body will respond in amaz-
ing ways and you will learn self-discipline
if you don’t already have it. It carries on
for the rest of your life in all facets.”
But don’t rush through it, cautions
Konefal. “When I’m filled with adrenaline,
I get really excited and go a little bit too
hard,” she admits. “If I could give anyone
advice, it would be to take it easy. It’s not
a race, it’s a marathon. Go slow, go at your
own pace, and listen to your body.” w
quence, I’m having those conversa-
tions: ‘When you punch me, make
sure you know that you don’t have
to get so close to me, so try to
keep a foot distance.’ I’ve picked
up that. It doesn’t make you look
as cool and it’s not sexy to be go-
ing, ‘When you push me up against
this wall, make sure that you’re not
doing this because one of us could
get injured that way.’ It’s not cool
to have those conversations, but
it is important. I have much, much
less of an ego about that stuff as
a grown-up.”
TRYTHIS!SOAP OPERA DIGEST
nThe clothes you
exercise in affect
how you feel —
inside and outside
the gym, so check
out Tommie Cop-
per’s Shoulder
Support Shirt. The
high-quality compression-wear brand is
ultra-comfortable, so you can wear it all
day to relieve pain, help muscle recovery
and enhance posture. Plus, the 100
percent copper- and zinc-encapsulated
fabric offers permanent anti-odor tech-
nology to keep you smelling good. For
more, go to http://www.tommiecopper.com.PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK