6 Makeup Hacks to Make Getting Ready Easier

As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie, my day is not complete if I haven’t tried to replicate at least one trend or technique. And as much as I like to think that I have nerves of steel when I attempt to free-hand paint those cute, little chevron stripes on my nails, the chicken scratch I end up with says otherwise. That’s when I spy a roll of sticky film sitting casually on the corner of my desk… via

16 Advanced Plank Variations That Work Your Core Hard

Place both feet on paper plates and lift up into a standard plank. Maintaining plank position (you know, without sticking your butt up in the air), bring your right foot forward toward your hands. Quickly switch your left foot forward. Alternate quickly back and forth, like you’re running in place. via

Get fit and toned with these 10 exercises.

Bend forward at your hips, and slowly lower your body as far as you can. Pause, then push your body back to the starting position. As you come up, think about using your glutes to push your hips forward instead of lifting from your back. Keep core engaged and chest up during the entire movement. via

Fitness motivation video all women should watch!

his is NOT about men. This is NOT about feminism. This is about STEPPING UP your fitness participation TODAY no matter what shape or size you’re currently in right now. Don’t be embarrassed about the way you look right now or what you think how others perceive you, just start moving and you will get there. via

5 Strength Training Myths Debunked

Strength training is basically progressive resistance training with compound exercises (and their appropriate variations) such as squats, deadlifts, single leg exercises, push-ups, chin-ups, inverted rows, overhead presses, and other similar movements.

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8 Strength Training Moves To A Fit and Toned Body

Human movement can be reduced to three basic categories: pushing, pulling, and hip extension (squatting, jumping, running, and even riding a bike). Functional fitness begins with learning good form for this essential repertoire and then gradually adding weight and difficulty to build stability and strength.

Doing the below exercises correctly with five pounds, in other words, is better than doing them poorly with 100 pounds. In the words of Gray Cook, one of the founding fathers of functional training, “Don’t add strength to dysfunction.”

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5 Best ABS Exercises For Women

If you’re overweight and looking to get flat abs, it’s going to be a must that you’re paying attention to the exercises that you’re including in your workout program. However, exercise selection alone is not enough.

The biggest must-do if you want to achieve flat abs is to focus on cardiovascular exercise and eating a calorie reduced diet. If you aren’t eating a lower calorie diet, fat loss will be virtually impossible and this will mean your abdominal appearance will stay as-is even if you perform abdominal exercises daily. In combination with diet, cardio is also a necessity if you’re trying to burn fat from your waist.

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How to get more out of your workout

Counting reps or watching the time elapse on the treadmill can be boooring (even if there is a Real Housewives marathon on to distract you). Even worse, your workout might not be getting you results. When you go to the gym, every minute should count — otherwise, what’s the point? Get more out of your hard work with these six easy tips from Jessi Kneeland, personal trainer, coach, and founder of Remodel Fitness. | via

I'm not sure I'm impressed by her skills or weirded out by her expession in the after pic

BASIC CONTOURING & HIGHLIGHTING 

8 lower body exercises that won't cause achy knees

Sure, the temperatures outside are reaching polar vortex levels — but just because you’re more likely to be sporting over-the-knee boots than flashing any thigh doesn’t mean you can skip your leg and butt workouts. But, how many squats can one person really do? Yes, they’re a magical, all-over toner that gets the job done in basically one more, but they can also wreak havoc on your knees. via

How-To: Contour and Highlight ( Featuring Luxe Liquid Bright Concealer )

Highlighting and contouring has been a popular topic in the beauty industry. From celebrities to Youtube stars, everyone seems to have tips and tricks for creating the perfectly highlighted and contoured face. With the launch of Luxe Liquid Bright Concealers we thought it was time for a step-by-step guide on contouring and highlighting featuring our lovely National Educator, Janeena Billera. 

Use this photo as a guide but before you start you will need to find the shades that work for your skin tone. We recommend picking three different shades: a contour color, a light highlight color and a medium highlight/ transitional color. The contour color should be two shades darker than your natural complexion, the lightest highlight should be two shades lighter than your natural skintone and the transitional/ highlight product should be one shade lighter than your natural skintone. | via

how to figure out your hair type #beauty

Remember the good old days when that fish-shaped 2-in-1 shampoo conditioner was all your haircare routine consisted of? Yeah, and I bet your ‘dos didn’t look as sweet then either, which is why it’s so important to determine your hair type before you go testing all the fancy new shampoos, conditioners, and beyond at Target. 

“But Kara,” you say, “I’ve had this hair for my entire life. I know what’s going on on my head.” Well, sure. You probably know if your hair is super curly or if it’s so thin that it slips out of hair ties. However, if you’re in between textures and curl patterns (which most of us are), knowing for sure whether your strands are medium or coarse can be the difference between good hair and OMG AMAZING EVERY DAY hair. | via

29 cool tattoo ideas

Gone are the days when tattoos are only for sailors and bikers. Getting a piece of ink is almost a rite of passage these days. And if you’re considering going under the needle, you’re in good company: according to an NBC News poll, 40% of respondents said someone in their household has a tattoo. | via

10 beauty hacks to prevent major beauty problems

Getting ready for anything — whether it be work, the weekend or a night of crazy crunk dancing — is always an ordeal. There are preparations to make (do I have to shower, or can I rock second-day hair?), steps to follow (hair first, makeup second, outfit last) and a multitude of things that must be done to achieve desired greatness. Those of us who engage in the dedication of makeup, hair and a sense of personal style have these steps down to an art. You’ve timed your hair and beauty routine to the minute, so you know exactly how much time you need to get ready in the mornings (and how long you can delay your alarm clock). You’ve scheduled in what days you’re washing your hair, so you know exactly what hairstyles you can rock the first, second and even third day (greasy hair = chic bun, or opt for the hat), and you’ve developed an excellent sense of putting together a killer outfit in the blink of an eye. Boom. Ready for the day, bring it all on. | via

How to tell if you're wearing the wrong sports bra

There’s more to sports bras than adding a pop of color to your gym gear (although, I’m definitely guilty of owning one in every variation of neon). A sports bra can make or break your workout — with a good one, everything’s in the right place and you look as hot as one can while breaking a sweat on the Stairmaster; wear the wrong fit, and you’ll leave the gym with sore muscles and sore boobs, which is a bummer all around. 

To purge our underwear drawers of unhelpful sports bras, we turned to Tracy Byrnes, Senior Innovation Manager at Athleta. She breaks down all the red flags that tell you if your sports bra is the wrong fit. | via

4 pushup variations to try

There aren’t many things we’d consider fitness miracles (sorry, Shake Weight), but the push-up sure comes close. This no equipment, just body weight exercise may seem basic, but many experts call it the world’s perfect exercise. Why? Well for starters, you’ll score all-over body benefits: toned arms, shoulders, core, chest, and legs. Plus, you can literally do push-ups anywhere: at the gym, in your bedroom, or while watching the latest seat-grabbing episode of Scandal. True, this is a tough move to nail, but once you have the form down, the benefits come rolling in.  | via

Remove all of your makeup and get a clear complexion using ingredients you already have around your house.

While I truly love my amateur experimentation in the world of makeup, I gotta say, it’s tough on the skin. A little mascara is one thing, but a full face of makeup — whether it’s your regular foundation/blush/highlighter combo, or pale white vampire skin — can be hard to get off, resulting in irritated, scrubbed-raw skin that’s just crying out for a little hydration. Well, here’s how to remove an entire face of makeup in mere seconds, while simultaneously giving yourself a mini facial. | via

Most popular fitness misconceptions — and what you should know instead healthy!

There are a lot of ideas that people accept as gospel when it comes to fitness: sit-ups equal six-packs, cardio burns the most calories, strength-training will turn you into a she-hulk, and so on. These workout “rules” have been repeated so many times, we don’t even question the science behind them — or lack thereof. 

To separate truth from fiction, we asked New York Sports Clubs‘ Daryl Kallenberg and Mark Koester, Director of Fitness and Fitness Manager, respectively, to take us through the most popular fitness sayings that are totally false — and tell us what we should know instead. | via

5 yoga mistakes you're making

Even though it’s been around for centuries, yoga is still one of the biggest workout trends and has thousands of Lululemon-clad devotees hitting the mat every day. Once you start going to class a few times a week, you get into a rhythm, enjoying the consistent class structure and the workout you’re supposedly getting out of it without going anywhere near a treadmill or free weights. Just breathe, and you’ll be toned, lean, and zen, right? 

Not so fast. There are a lot of little ways that you may be making your yoga classes less effective. Every yogi can make some tweaks to improve her practice, whether you’re a downward dog newbie or doing headstands on the regular. We asked Sara Ivanhoe, a yoga instructor and trainer to many celebrities and yoga spokesperson for Weight Watchers, to share the top five yoga mistakes she sees, along with quick fixes so your next mat session is better than ever. | via

7 5 minute workout routines to do every day

If you’re the multitasking type, you want your workouts to be three things — fast, efficient, and effective. Well, multitaskers, you’re in luck: We’ve designed seven quick, equipment-free workouts that can be completed in five minutes tops, so you can squeeze in some exercise while you’re waiting for the coffee to brew or for your love interest to text you back. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, combine all seven circuits for a 35-minute total-body blast. 

PS: Confused about any of the exercises listed? Wondering WTF a burpee is? Click on the hyperlinks to watch a step-by-step YouTube demo! via

11 DIY face masks

Getting clear and flawless skin can be a lot of work. Between using the right cleanser, choosing the perfect moisturizer, and knowing when to exfoliate, keeping your face looking its best can be not only time-consuming, but expensive. That’s where the do-it-yourself face mask comes in.

Lucky you for you, it’s entirely possible to get fresh looking skin with ingredients you have at home. Many food products not only keep you healthy on the inside, but they’ll also help you glow on the outside. I’ve gathered a list of 11 easy, DIY recipes to have your skin looking clean and clear in no time. 

Image: notahipster/Flickr

Build your lower body strength with this 30-day squat challenge!

If you’ve been following along with our monthly challenges, then you’ll be thrilled to learn that April’s challenge is the 30-Day Squat Challenge! Follow along with us every day for a tighter tush and stronger lower body. Each day you will complete a certain number of four squat variations. The number of reps will increase with every passing day, and by the end of the challenge, you’ll be able to do 375 squats in one day!

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How to get strong, toned arms

Ever thought that Michelle Obama’s strong, sculpted arms could come in handy while cranking out push ups in boot camp or holding your plank in yoga? Us too. It turns out that getting guns like MObama just takes the right kind of moves — and, hallelujah, they don’t include endless bicep curls. 

“For nice, muscular arms all over, you actually want moves that will get multiple parts of your body involved, which will help boost muscle, shed fat and increase calorie burn,” says Naeemah Brown, fitness manager and trainer at the Reebok Sports Club New York. She created this super easy arm toning workout exclusively for Bustle. Add these moves to your workout regimen, and you’ll have an envy-worthy upper body in no time. | via

7 Effective Tips To Get Rid Of Cellulite Fat

Every woman hates to have cellulite! Those hideous looking fat deposits attack those points that are clearly visible –thighs, hips, and lower abs. However, there are women who have cellulite in their arms as well. Is there an effective, yet quick way to get rid of the cellulite? The answer is definitely a big YES! Before guiding you through the 7 techniques to get rid of cellulite quickly, let’s understand what causes cellulite in the first place.

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How To Get A Good Workout In 10 Minutes!

Right about now, you’re probably feeling more meh than motivated about your New Year’s fitness resolutions. But working out more often doesn’t have to mean slaving away on the treadmill for an hour. Scientists at McCaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, recently found that even a few minutes of working out at a high intensity can affect your muscles as much as several hours of running or bike riding — awesome. | via

6 Strength Training Exercises For Women

This strength training workout is designed to help you build more muscles, get stronger and burn more fat. Each move works multiple muscle groups, so you’ll burn a ton of calories while you workout and rev your metabolism into high gear for 24 to 48 hours afterward. Try these exercises and see the results in no time.

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10 Best Fitness YouTube Channels with Great Workouts

When making a commitment to yourself to get in shape, you most likely consider joining a gym or taking group workout classes, both of which can be unappealing due to the time and financial commitments they require (not to mention the fear of humiliating yourself in front of all those intense spin devotees). Sure, YouTube is your go-to when you want to watch your favorite singer’s newest music video or are in dire need of some kitten cuteness, but it’s also a pretty effective tool to get fit. There are tons of YouTube channels with free, full-length workouts that will tone, sculpt, and strengthen your computer-chair-loving body. Yes, the videos really are free, and you can do them whenever and wherever you like, with limited required equipment, giving you full control over your workouts. via

8 Moves to Build Balance and Core

Icy sidewalks. Uneven pavement. High heels. Even the non-clumsy among us stumble almost daily. Many people trip all the time, on the treadmill, or over dumbbells at the gym. But because some are constantly working on their balance, it’s no big deal—they can recover without falling.

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17 short stories every woman should read

Novels let you settle in. They give you time to hang up your clothes, do a little sight-seeing, enjoy a few home-cooked dinners. They take you out for scrambled eggs and pancakes in the morning and wave you goodbye from the platform. Short stories, though, can be inhospitable. With their clipped length, they kick you out just when you’re getting used to your cousin’s lumpy futon.

But (to belabor this metaphor), sometimes short trips are the best ones — the most memorable. Short stories are like a day trip to Paris. Exhausting, sure. But you still get to see the Eiffel Tower and eat a croissant. (Metaphor… finally… over.) If you don’t read short stories, you could be missing out; some of our greatest writers do their best work with the short story form. Alice Munro, Ann Beattie, and Lorrie Moore all fall into this category. And some short stories made big splashes when they first came out in Vogue or The New Yorker, shocking readers or drawing their attention to an important issue. Years later, they’re still talked about in English classes and book clubs. | via

10 Most Effective Butt Exercises Ever

Everyone wants to get in shape as soon as they sense that summer is around the corner. However, shaping up means different things to different people.

While guys focus on losing a few pounds and buffing up their chest and arms, most girls and some guys like to sculpt the perfect derriere that will give them the confidence to strut around town in those tight new jeans. If you want to really target the glutes, you’ll definitely need some of these great butt exercises.

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8 etiquette tips that will make you seem classier

Maybe it was the time you stepped wrong on your high heels and fell in front of a new work friend, or the time you got to a date and realized your roommate’s pet’s hair was decorating your black dress. These moments can make you feel frumpy and lose your inner Beyoncé. It probably had you thinking about how you can go to whatever school Kate Middleton went to, so you never have to embarrass yourself in public again. via

11 tips to get rid of & prevent UTIs

We at Bustle love giving you tips for how to tap into your sexual potential and troubleshoot when things aren’t going your way in the bedroom. But what about finding solutions to those stressful sexual health situations that inevitably crop up when you’re getting down? Emma Kaywin, a Brooklyn-based sexual health writer and activist, is here to calm your nerves and answer your questions. This week’s topic: How you know you have a urinary tract infection — and how to get rid of it.  | via

how to apply makeup for your eye shape

Mimicking the makeup of favorite celebrities we see on the red carpet is a common practice of anyone looking to step up their beauty game. But sometimes the application just seems … off. It’s not the makeup colors that we try, but the technique in which you applied that didn’t suit. 

Eye makeup isn’t one size fits all. Applying eye makeup for your individual eye contour is all about deploying subtle tricks that may not even be noticeable — yet make all the difference. Whether you choose to accentuate your eye shape, or use shadows and highlights to balance it out, do what looks good to you. | via

21 songs to make you work out harder

No doubt about it, music can make or break a workout. We’re not just saying that — science proves the right tunes can enhance your time in the gym. Just this year, studies showed music can make long cardio sessions more enjoyable and help you work harder during high-intensity interval training. 

And, in 2014, our favorite artists delivered countless jams that keep us going harder, faster, stronger. Not to mention, some of their epic videos provide just the kind of inspiration we need to get off the couch (“Booty,” anyone?). From Meghan Trainor’s body-love anthem to pretty much everything Ariana Grande worked on this year, 2014’s best workout songs are guaranteed to make you want to move. | via

5 tips for the perfect blowout

I try as hard as I can to embrace what my mama gave me, but no matter what, I just can’t get down with the natural texture of my hair. It drives me crazy. Don’t get me wrong — I am thankful to have a full head of healthy locks, but sometimes I forget to be grateful for it when blow drying my hair becomes something that requires advanced planning. The thought process goes a little something like this:

-I should probably wash my hair today. (Makes a mental note to skip the shower cap tonight).

-Eh, actually, it’s only been three days. I could stretch it to a fourth. (Shower cap is back in, and this means I’ll actually have time to watch an episode of House Hunters tonight! Woohoo!)

-Ugh, but I danced so much at a wedding this weekend and definitely worked up a sweat. I should really wash my hair. (Guess I can DVR House Hunters…)

-Oh, wait! Dry shampoo!!!  via

7 hairstyles you can do when you haven't washed your hair

Raise your hand if you haven’t touched your shampoo bottle in three days? Four? FIVE? Me, too! Kudos, you’re part of a movement that embraces actually having a life and feeling gorgeous at the same time. The trick? Easy hairstyles for dirty hair. Guess how many times Kim Kardashian washes her hair (or has someone on her team wash it for her?) Once. A. Week. And yes, Gretchen Weiner’s hair is so big because it’s full of secrets, and the main one she’s been keeping from all The Plastics is that she goes the entire week without washing it. | via

How to Start Running Now: 7 Tips to Get You on Your Way

It seems like after a certain age (26?), everyone embraces long-distance running.  Goodbye, day drinking; hello, marathon training. Running has many benefits, from increased happiness to weight loss. It may even reduce your risk for certain kinds of cancer. But if the farthest you’ve ever run is to catch the subway, the idea of doing it for exercise can be daunting — even if you are totally in shape from other workouts. Just one jog can make you question why anyone would ever want to run 26.2 miles, especially for fun. 

So we got Elizabeth Corkum, a top running coach with the Road Runner’s Club of America, to share her tips on pounding the pavement the right way — whether you’re just trying to survive one mile or you’re dreaming of future marathon medals. | via

8 ways to make your hair look less greasy

Oily hair is like oily skin. Sometimes that’s just how it is. And other times it’s that way because of the habits we keep. Of course, hair-type also plays a role in how oily strands will appear. All my fine-hair ladies (and I’m sure some with coarser hair too) know the slick hair struggle all too well; we’re constantly trying to find ways to make your hair look less greasy. It’s planning at exactly what time during the day hair needs to be washed so it will still look good during your evening date. It’s trying to avoid touching it and flinching away when others do. It’s extended time in front of the mirror wondering if an up-do is good enough or if today is just a hat-day.  | via

4 workouts for pear-shaped bodies

The rules of fitness are pretty simple: eat healthy and put time into breaking a sweat, and you should see the results you want, right? Well, that’s a sound starting point. Any workout is a good workout, but to maximize your results and target any trouble spots, you’ll want to get in tune with your body. Figuring out your body shape can actually help you see results sooner. “Getting specific about your goals can be really helpful and you can customize your plan,” says Jessi Kneeland, personal trainer, coach, and founder of Remodel Fitness.  | via

3 Ways to Say Goodbye to Belly Fat

Eating 80/20 and hitting the gym have helped you reach your weight-loss goal, but you're still trying to get rid of that little extra pooch around your midsection. Here are three things you can do every week to help you achieve a trimmer belly. | via

Five Ways to Reduce and Prevent Bloating

Feeling like you gained five pounds in five minutes is an unpleasant experience, and not for reasons having to do with appearance. Complaints of bloating are common, and while this abdominal-area discomfort affects many, the word is heard extra-frequently because it describes multiple conditions.

Dr. Lisa Ganjhu, D.O., clinical assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, deals with many cases of bloating and, as a gastroentorologist, works to discern the causes and help patients understand their symptoms. According to Ganjhu, there are two main varieties of bloating. | via

5 tips from marathoners that make running easier

Marathon runners know what they’re doing. On a cold day, they’re still wearing a tank top and shorts because the sheer speed and power at which they are performing warms them up, just fine. But most of us do not, uhh, execute our runs with such vigor. 

We’re not purchasing a new pair of running shoes each month or pounding a spoonful of peanut butter on odd miles (OK, not a totally scientific description of a marathoner, but you get the idea).

But it doesn’t matter if you’re planning to undertake a 26.2 in the near future — or ever; the time and effort required to prep for a marathon means the people who do it have survival secrets up their sleeves that any type of runner can benefit from. So, if you want to step it up and start breaking your own records, take your cues from career runners. 

Let’s face it — listening to music like a true running enthusiast and stealing snack ideas will empower your body and mind to think of yourself as a real runner, not just some girl who jogs occasionally.  | via

BOOTCAMP VIDEO: This bootcamp workout focuses on your lower body and will have you BLASTING calories while sculpting your legs and booty!

Time to make that booty work! Real Mom Model Tina counts you through three rounds: 30 reps of each exercise followed by round two of 20 reps and round three of 10 reps. Between each set, you’ll perform high knees (30, 20, then 10). This workout will activate the glutes, abductors, obliques, quads and hamstrings. Give them a good stretch before and after. Click here for a basic warm up!

Moves You’ll See

• Alternating Lunges
• Sumo-Calf-Raise
• Alternating Side Lunges
• Alternating Side Bends
• Bow and Squat
• Donkey Kicks
• Right & Left Lying Leg Lift

6 hair drying mistakes you're making

Washing hair is not as simple a task as it might seem. It has to be taken into account how often hair should be washed, and with what. These days, the focus is on eliminating any techniques and products that might be doing unnecessary damage. So that means not washing hair every single day and skipping products that contain sulfates, phtalates, parabens, and all of those other beauty product no-no’s. But we also go to lengths to ensure our hair is properly conditioned. We use oils, masks, and even DIY treatments from our kitchens to help replenish moisture and protect hair from damage. But for what? Many of us reverse our in-shower treatments with the mistakes we make drying our hair. 

Activated Charcoal - DIY ALL natural teeth whitener

Activated charcoal is the next thing in the beauty industry that has wowed the beauty enthusiast worldwide. This simple ingredient is in actuality a bundle of treasure when it comes to beauty. I say this because activated charcoal can be used for everything starting from face masks to teeth-whitening to a cleanser.

Charcoal is said to absorb about 100 to 200 times its weight in impurities, which makes it an awesome ingredient that helps to purify and deep clean the skin. Activated charcoal is a heavy duty agent that will pull out the impurities settled in your pores making it super clean and pure. This when combined with other equally good ingredients can turn out to be superb as many skincare products. | via

12 tips for getting in shape (and keeping it up!)

It takes about 66 days to form a new healthy habit. That’s more than two months, which can seem a liiittle overwhelming — especially if your goal is something like “get in shape.” But, it doesn’t have to take that long to get your butt in gear. You just need the right motivation, and some easy tips to trick your mind into actually looking forward to your next sweat sesh. 

Yes, that is possible, even if the most working out you’ve done recently is lifting a drink from the table to your mouth at happy hour (we’ve all been there). We polled our favorite fitness pros for their best inspirational workout tips — they’ve built their careers on helping other people learn to love working out, so if they don’t get you pumped, well, we don’t know what will. 

So, whether this is the first time you’re really committing to getting in shape, or the ninth time you’ve tried to make a fitness resolution, we guarantee this advice will get you moving. No excuses this time — you’ve got this! via

6 moves for beautiful, toned shoulders

There’s nothing sexier than a little shoulder pop, which means we need get ours ready for sundresses, sleeveless tops and strapless swimsuits STAT. Quick anatomy lesson: Your shoulders are made up of three muscles, the anterior (front), lateral (side) and posterior (rear) deltoids. The key to reshaping your upper body, according to The People’s Bootcamp founder and trainer Adam Rosante, is working all three — this approach will help you shrug off that slope-shouldered desk jockey look. 

Here’s your new shoulder sculpting routine: First, grab a pair of five- to 10-pound dumbbells (if you’re a beginner, go lighter — you can always add more weight as you get stronger). Do each of the moves below back-to-back for 30 seconds each, resting for 10 to 15 seconds between moves. After that first round, rest for a minute, then repeat all the moves for a total of three rounds. Then, pop that shoulder — you look good! via

13 Gym Motivation Tips From the Pros

We all have the best intentions when it comes to working out, but, sometimes, life just gets in the way. Maybe you overslept, maybe there was wine involved, maybe there was a Criminal Minds marathon on and leaving your couch just seemed like too much effort. (No judgment!)

We get it — and it’s totally OK to skip a workout every once in awhile. But, sometimes, you need a kick in the ass, whether that’s to actually get you to the gym, motivate you in the middle of a tough workout, or snap you out of a rut. So, we turned to those who know best — the trainers and instructors who create and teach the workouts we love — for their secrets to motivation. Because, you know, even the most hardcore gym buffs want to slack off occasionally. With their tips, you’ll have no excuses! via

5 Kettlebell Exercises That Will Completely Transform Your Body

When I go to the gym, swinging a heavy metal weight around my head is not high on my list of to-dos. I tend to avoid equipment I don’t know how to use—even the kettlebell, a simple-looking weight (that handy grip!) that promises better results than simple dumbbells. 

Turns out the only thing you could do wrong when it comes to the ‘bell is not include it in your regular workouts, at least according to trainer and martial artist Dasha Libin, who totally schooled me in her kickass Kettlebell Kickboxing class. | via

5 ways to improve your running stamina

Whether you’ve just started running or you already have a few 5Ks under your belt, there’s one area runners can always improve on: stamina (that would be your ability to actually go the distance). We’re not talking speed here, but rather, endurance — the ability to run longer without feeling completely bushed at the end. | via