You may think having flexible hamstrings is a badge of honor for outdoor athletes. And while you’re not exactly wrong (Don’t we all follow at least one yoga influencer ?), not everyone needs to have Cirque du Soleil-level stretching abilities to succeed at their sport. However, if you’re starting to experience pain in your lower back, knees, and hips, experts say that it may be time to give the back of your legs a little extra love.

Your hamstrings are complex: They’re comprised of , stretching from your lower knee to your hip. “The hamstrings’ main function is to bend the knee and extend the hip, which is key for various everyday activities such as walking, running, and jumping,” says Alo Moves trainer in Los Angeles. In other words, these mega-muscles support all of those triathlons, marathons, and hikes. And when they get stiff, all your everyday tasks—from walking to bending over—may become more difficult.

If you favor explosive workouts, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprinting, you’re likely familiar with hamstring pain. Injuries to the back of the leg are and are . However, focusing on hamstring mobility and flexibility can keep these pesky injuries away and allow you to move through your day, and your go-to workouts, without pain.

If you’re not sure about the state of your hamstrings, worry not. Below, Chandler offers a few clear giveaways that it’s time to pay more attention to these muscles.

3 Signs That Your Hamstrings Need Some Additional Support

You’re Experiencing Lower Back Tightness and/or Pain

In some ways, the human body is like a house of cards: Pull out the jack of hearts or the two of spades, and suddenly, the whole structure topples. While the anatomical equivalent isn’t quite that dramatic, muscle tightness in one area of the body can lead to overcompensation in other parts. For example, Chandler says that inflexible hamstrings can to take on extra work as you walk, sit, and go about your day. “The tighter the hamstrings, the more they pull on your sitting bones, tilting your pelvis backward,” he says. “This has a negative effect on the alignment of your spine.” Over time, this results in lower back pain.

Your Knee Hurts

Since your hamstring’s three muscles extend all the way to your lower knee, you may experience some pain in that joint due to a lack of flexibility. When those bands of tissue are tight, it to straighten and bend. Your knee may respond by pulling on that hamstring, which can lead to a slew of injuries, . If everyday movement makes your knee(s) ache, your hamstrings are practically begging to be stretched.

Your Hips Feel Tight and Cranky

That tilt in your pelvis doesn’t just affect your lower back. The imbalance can also contribute to stiffness in the hips, as they overcompensate for your rigid hamstrings by supporting your lumbar spine.

How to Work on Your Hamstring Flexibility

Here’s the good news: Stretching your hamstrings is an easy practice to incorporate into your day. Waiting for your microwave burrito to be ready? Drop into a quick forward fold and pet your cat until the timer goes off. Meeting your running buddy at the park? Place one foot up on a bench and reach for your toes.

If you want to take a more intentional approach to your routine, Chandler says you only need three stretches and five minutes a day. Even if you consider yourself completely inflexible, these movements will offer you some much-needed benefits.

Towel Hamstring Stretch

“This is great for clients who may not have the best mobility and struggle to reach toward their toes,” Chandler says.

Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you. Wrap a towel, yoga strap, or even a sweatshirt around one foot and gently pull it back towards you, creating a stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 30 seconds and switch to the other leg.

Simple Hamstring Stretch

Sit down on the floor. Extend both legs in front of you. Lengthen your spine, straighten your arms, and reach forward as far as you can without bending your knees. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.

Standing Forward Fold

Come to a standing position. Bring your feet shoulder-width apart or as wide as feels appropriate for your body. Hinge at your hips and reach for your toes, maintaining a slight bend at your knees if necessary. Aim to have your chest rest on the tops of your thighs. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

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You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again: Stretching is essential for a well-rounded workout routine, especially if you ask a lot of your body. But if you’ve been doing the same cool-down routine since high school track, trainers say you may have hit a plateau— especially when it comes to your hips.

“Stretching and mobility are key to and the effectiveness of your workout,” says , founder of the Pilates streaming service . If you’re neglecting the and flexibility of your hips, you may not be able to perform hip-reliant movements, such as squats. “When we’re limited in movement, our body figures out how to compensate for that limitation, which ultimately can lead to further problems due to this incorrect use or overuse of muscles and joints,” says , a strength and mobility coach and .

And hear this: your lackluster hip stretching and mobility routine affects more than just that critical joint. It also may tweak your back. For example, sitting for hours at a time can shorten your hip flexors and weaken your hip muscles, explains Donohoe. Eventually, this combination may cause your back to overcompensate and become injured. However, with the proper recovery regimen, you can counteract the effects of all that driving and desk work.

So, how do you know when it’s time to switch things up? Below, Donohoe and O’Carroll run through two key indicators that your hips are in need of some additional attention—and offer their advice on how to give them just that.

2 Signs Your Hips Need Additional Support

You Feel Core Workouts in Your Hips Instead of Your Abs

According to O’Carroll, this is a common sign that your recovery routine is becoming lackluster. If you’re feeling those crunches in your hip flexors instead of your abdomen, it may indicate that your hips are weak—and in need of some additional care. In this case, O’Carroll recommends focusing on building flexibility and mobility with (placing your feet on blocks when necessary), a butterfly stretch, and . By improving mobility, you can make sure you’re turning on those abdominal muscles during your workout, she says.

You Can’t Go Below 90 Degrees in a Squat

If you once could go below 90 degrees in a squat but now find it difficult, that could be another signal that you may need to revamp your stretching routine, O’Carroll says. Having difficulty squatting usually starts with inflexible hips. “Flexibility allows us to maximize our range of motion, for instance, allowing us to get deeper in a squat,” she says. The same logic goes for other workout moves. For example, if you notice that you can no longer lunge forward or backward, it may be due to a lack of mobility in your hips.

How to Strengthen Your Hips Through Flexibility and Mobility

It’s not just you and your hips. Donohoe says most of us could benefit from giving a bit more attention to these critical joints—especially if you’re not moving much during the day. “Your hips are the junction between your upper and lower body,” he says. “We’ve heard that ‘the hips don’t lie,’ and it’s true.”

He recommends committing to a daily 10-minute routine that focuses on mobility and flexibility exercises, such as kneeling lunges, a figure four stretch, and . Here’s how to practice them.

Half Kneeling Lunge for Hip Flexors

Performing this stretch will help open up your quadriceps, hip flexors, and psoas, Donohoe says. While in , maintain an upright posture. Engage your core and gently rotate the pelvis up towards your belly button to effectively engage the stretch.

Seated Figure Four Stretch

Sit upright on a bench or chair and cross one leg on top of the other, resting your ankle on the thigh of the supporting leg. Your legs should create a “figure 4” shape. Maintain a tall posture with an engaged core. To increase the stretch in your glute and piriformis, gently hinge your upper body forward.

Seated 90/90 Stretch

While in a seated position on the floor, gently rotate one hip externally and the other hip internally, creating a 90-degree angle with each leg. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds and switch to the other side.

These types of stretches will allow your hips to move in multiple directions—a key sign of joint strength. Plus, suggests that focusing on increasing joint mobility is a critical aspect of injury prevention and reduction, he says.

However, if you find that your best attempts at building mobility and flexibility aren’t cutting it, consult a professional, like a doctor or a physical therapist. They’ll be able to help you build the best regimen for your body’s needs so that you can focus on chasing waterfalls, climbing mountains, and running trails.

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Natalie Laser had trained herself to work to the point of exhaustion. As a former competitive soccer player for the University of Southern California, sprints, high-intensity interval training, and strenuous lifting sessions were part of her regular routine. But at the same time, Laser was fighting an internal battle. “I struggled with disordered eating and overexercise,” she says. “At some point, I was like, I don’t know if or how I’ll get out of this.”

In 2018, after her freshman season, Laser left the soccer team to focus on her mental and physical health. Over time, her mindset around��fitness shifted. Instead of hard runs, she prioritized low-impact exercises like pilates, yoga, and walking.

Laser isn’t the only one making time for low-impact activities. reported a 108 percent increase in pilates from 2020, the largest in any category among its users. And in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal’s , HIIT dropped out of the top five biggest fitness trends for the first time since 2013.

Elizabeth Endres and Dale Stabler, co-founders of the online fitness community , frequented a range of boutique fitness classes prior to the pandemic. And when the world shut down, they realized that their low-impact at-home workouts were just as satisfying as in-person treadmill classes. But they still felt like something was missing; they wanted a larger variety of virtual offerings that could keep them engaged and challenged. Earlier this year, they launched ($19/month), a virtual fitness app offering a range of low-impact workouts. Many of their members have mirrored their pivot from heavy dumbbells and sprints to light weights and slower movements, even after some in the community expressed skepticism. “I think a lot of people might be nervous at first to take that leap, and try out pilates or barre instead of their usual running and weightlifting,” Stabler says. “They’re surprised to see that they can feel really strong, that it’s a really big challenge, and that they’re getting the results they want.”

A reluctance to try out low-impact movement could be linked to the way many Americans think about exercise. Laser says she previously equated the intensity of her workouts with the amount of pain she felt or amount of sweat she released. That changed when she switched to low-impact. “You don’t have to feel like you’re crawling out of a gym to move your body and to have a good workout,” she says.

That mindset about pain, sweat, and exercise is common, especially for former college athletes. “You learn when you’re training that you have to train hard every single day,” says , an assistant professor in kinesiology at UNC Greensboro. This mentality can mean that many athletes never test out low-impact exercises, she says. she conducted, Brooks found former collegiate athletes didn’t consider walking to be a valuable workout. Some coaches may also be reluctant to let their athletes try out different types of movement, like yoga, out of concern that it might negatively impact their performance, she says.

A demanding training schedule can cause feelings of anxiety around high-intensity workouts that can linger even after the end of a formal athletic career, Brooks says. , some participants attempted to continue their training regime after graduating but couldn’t. Their performance anxiety remained, even without the competition. They were stuck. “They didn’t really have experience with other types of exercise,” Brooks says. “They didn’t like the track and field training just for fun, and so, they did nothing.”

For some, low-impact activities, such as walking and online yoga, may be more accessible than workouts requiring a gym membership or expensive gear. And in some cases, they may limit some of the stress that can be caused by grueling exercises.

It ultimately comes down to frequency. High-intensity exercises, like HIIT or fast running, and allow you to . However, over-exercising or overtraining, especially with HIIT and other strenuous workouts, can spike your cortisol, potentially leading to .

While moderate amounts of cortisol (or HIIT) aren’t dangerous, high doses can adversely impact your mental and physical health. In comparison, low-impact exercise . These slower movements can also help you focus on your form and protect your joints, compared to faster cardio movements, Stabler says.

Despite all of the benefits of low-impact exercise, it’s still not a magic bullet. Some TikTok users, for example, are quick to declare low-impact workouts as the solution to balancing your hormones and managing your weight. However, low-impact isn’t a cure-all, and in some cases, it may not be more beneficial than HIIT. TikTok enthusiasts of pilates, walking, and yoga often claim that such activities are better for those with polycystic��ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition impacting , compared to HIIT and other high-intensity workouts. That’s not necessarily the case. “There’s no real research to back up that low-intensity is better than anything else for PCOS,” , an OBGYN at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, says. “I think the key thing for PCOS is just consistent activity and exercise.” Like other health conditions, there’s no perfect workout for PCOS. Consistency is the key. “I usually tell my patients it’s really about creating a good routine for yourself and picking something that you enjoy doing—and doing a lot of,” she says. That could be pilates, running, or HIIT.

The real magic bullet is: do what feels right for you. Fitness fads will come and go, but Laser hopes that the value of low-impact workouts will continue to resonate. Instead of sticking to a particular plan or set of rules, she’s listening to what her body needs. And right now, it’s telling her to skip the bootcamp and go for a walk.

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The burning sensation of building core strength can be incredibly satisfying,��whether you’re holding a or struggling to finish your last set of crunches. That burn might bring you a sense of accomplishment, but it shouldn’t be your only measure of core strength.

The core is the literal center of your body, a key transition zone between your upper and lower limbs. When it is strong, it makes all of your movements more efficient.

But true core strength is not defined by tight, toned muscles and a flat belly.

The following misconceptions about core strength may be preventing you from fully developing your midsection. By learning how core strength is actually cultivated, you can develop your strength in ways that fully support your training and everyday life.

It’s All About the Six Pack

The formal name for the superficial “six pack” muscle, which runs from the base of the sternum and the front ribs to the pubic bone, is the rectus abdominis. You can feel this muscle engage during crunches, in��a , at the top of a push-up, and in yoga arm balances such as When it fully contracts, it causes you to scoop your belly and round your low back.

But there’s much more to core strength than the rectus abdominis. A number of muscles surround and support your midsection and enable you to move in all different directions, including the internal and external obliques, transverse abdominis, erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, and the respiratory diaphragm, as well as the pelvic diaphragm.

Explore core workouts that engage all of these muscles, which could be as simple as adding supermans and to your usual routine. While the results aren’t always visible, you will feel the difference in your ability to perform challenging exercises with less strain.

You Must Shorten Muscles to Strengthen Them

Concentric contraction, when you draw the two ends of a muscle closer to one another, might be the most common way to build strength. But it’s not the only way.

A muscle can also be strengthened with isometric contractions, which tense the muscle without changing its length. For example, when you stop and hold steady at any point during an ab crunch or maintain .

Strength also develops through eccentric contractions, which engage a muscle as it lengthens under load, such as when you lower your head and shoulders slowly back to the floor after that crunch.

A varied approach to core strength training is key to support your everyday movements.

Core Workouts Must Exhaust You

A truly functional core is about more than strength alone. Developing your abdominal muscles also includes stretching them in a variety of ways for flexibility and mobility. Your capacity to twist or side bend requires flexibility in the obliques and quadratus lumborum. Your ability to come into backbends relies on elasticity in the rectus abdominis and the other anterior muscles of the core. It’s more important that your workout be thorough and well-rounded than exhausting.

By all means, savor that burn if you like. But don’t let your core strength workout end there.

is a offering group and one-on-one yoga sessions in Queenstown New Zealand, as well as on-demand at . Passionate about the real-world application of her studies in anatomy and alignment, Rachel uses yoga to help her students create strength, stability, and clarity of mind. Rachel also co-hosts the new

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If you work in an office or, say, drive a bus, there’s no getting around the fact that you’re more than you’re on your feet. But say adding plenty of�� movement to your day is key to good health. That’s where chair yoga poses come in.

Chair yoga—poses modified for a seated position—have been a boon for people who have injuries, low mobility, or physical disabilities. But even the fittest person can practice asana in a chair to stretch stiff muscles, keep your joints limber, and help improve blood flow.

Almost anything you can do on your mat can be done in a chair. Below is a series of creative chair yoga poses that can help you keep active even when you’re sitting down.

13 Chair Yoga Poses

Chair yoga poses require a stable, sturdy seat. Yoga studios commonly offer a folding chair set up on a sticky mat to prevent slipping. If you are at home, a kitchen chair or any stable, armless chair will work. Find one that allows you to sit with your feet on the floor with your shins and thighs at a 90-degree angle. Putting blocks under your feet may help. For safety’s sake, avoid chairs with wheels when practicing chair yoga unless you can lock them to keep them from rolling.

Most chair yoga poses require you to sit with your back away from the back of the chair so that you are able to move freely. But the chair back can also act as a prop to give you more support and leverage, especially in twisting postures. You may also want to keep straps or blocks nearby to facilitate some of the poses.

Urdvha Hastasana (Upward Salute)

1. Sit with your back a few inches from the back of the chair. Lengthen your spine, reaching the crown of your head up and gently releasing your tailbone toward your seat. Lift your chin parallel to the floor.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor with your big toes touching and a little space between your heels. ��(If you experience , practice with your feet hip-distance apart. Place your feet on blocks if they don’t reach the floor.) Root down with your big toe mounds, your heels, and the outside edges of your feet.
3. Inhale, draw your shoulders back, , and raise your arms overhead with your hands shoulder-distance apart and palms facing each other.
4. If you’re able to keep your arms straight, reach up and touch your palms, bringing your gaze to your thumbs. If your shoulders are tight, take your arms out wider than your shoulders.
5. Take several breaths. Release your arms down.

Marjaryasana (Cat Pose)

1. Sit on your chair with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Let your hands rest on your .
3. On an exhalation��round your spine toward the back of your chair. Drop your chin toward your chest and draw your lower belly in and up.
4. Take several breaths. To release the pose, come back to your original seated position.

Bitilasana (Cow Pose)

1. Sit on your chair with your feet and knees hip-width apart. Let your hands rest on your knees.
2. Inhale and arch your back. Lengthen along the back of your neck and your lower back to create a long, even curve.
3. Lift your chin and sternum, broaden your collarbones, and allow your shoulders to fall back and away from your ears.
4. Take several breaths. Return to a neutral spine.

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

1. Sit on your chair with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Inhale and arch your back, allowing your to touch the back of your chair.
3. Lift your chin and sternum, broaden your collarbones, and allow your shoulders to fall back and away from your ears.
4. Reach your arms back to grasp the legs of the chair. Rotate your arms externally so that the inside of your elbows face out.
5. On your next inhalation, press your chest forward and up, allowing your rib cage to expand and creating a long even curve through your mid and upper back.
6. Take several breaths. To release the pose, release your hands, tuck your chin, and come back to your original seated position.

Happy Baby

1. Sit toward the front edge of the chair with your feet on the floor, a little more than hip-width apart.
2. Reach the crown of your head up and draw your tailbone down to find length in your back.
3. As you exhale, at your hips and bring your belly between your thighs. You may choose to widen your legs to create more space for your torso.
4. Inhale and reach down between your legs and grasp your outer shins, ankles, or feet.
5. Gently pull your torso down between your thighs, lowering your body toward the floor.

Take several breaths. To release the pos, let go of your grip and come back to your original seated position.

King Arthur’s Pose

1. Sit in a chair with your sit bones about midway on the seat. Shift yourself toward the right side of the seat and place your feet flat on the floor with your knees hip-width apart.
2. Keep your right thigh connected to the chair seat as you bend your right knee, lift your foot off the floor, and point your toes toward the back of the chair.
3. Reach down with your right hand and grasp your ankle. Gently lift it toward your body until you feel a strong stretch in your quadricep and the front of your shin. (If you can’t reach your ankle, loop a strap or towel around your foot.)
4. Take several breaths. Lower your foot and come back to your original seated position. Repeat on the opposite side.

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

1. Sit toward the front edge of the chair. Inhale deeply, lifting your chest, and exhale as you draw your shoulder blades down your back. Look straight ahead at a steady gazing spot.
2. Extend your left leg straight out in front of you. Flex your toward the floor.
3. Open your right leg out to the side, keeping your knee bent and your foot or toes on the floor.
4. Place your hands in Anjali Mudra at your heart or stretch your arms overhead.
5. Take several breaths. To release the pose, come back to your original seated position. Repeat the pose on the other side.

Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

1. Sit so that your body is on the left side of the chair and your left thigh clears the seat.
2. Extend your left leg straight out to the side.��Firm your thigh and straighten your leg as much as possible.
3. Inhale and raise your arms straight out from your shoulders��and parallel to the floor. Keep your shoulder blades wide and your palms down.
4. Exhale and lean your torso to the left, bending from your . Reach your left arm out and down toward your extended leg, resting your left hand on your shin or thigh. Reach your right arm toward the ceiling.
5. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn to look either at your right hand or down at the ground.
6. Take several breaths. Inhale and reach up with your right hand as you bring your torso up. Then bring your left leg back to center. Shift your body to the right side of your chair and repeat the posture on the other side.

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

1. Sit toward the front edge of your chair so that your buttocks are supported but your knees clear the seat.
2. Open your legs wide, so that your knees point away from each other.
3. Sit tall, pressing your shoulder blades against your upper back to lift through your sternum. Reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
4. Keep your knees wide as you bring your feet together. Open your feet as if you were opening the pages of a book, keeping the outer edges of your feet together.
5. Place your hands on your thighs and gently press your thighs away from each other.
6. Take several breaths. Slowly release and come back to your original seated position.

High Lunge

1. Sit facing the left side of your chair so that your thighs are fully supported. Shift toward the front of the chair so that your right thigh clears the seat.
2. Keeping both hips facing forward, extend your right leg straight back. with the ball of your foot on the floor. Firm your thigh and push it up toward the ceiling to straighten your leg as much as possible.
3. Inhale and reach your arms toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders wide and your arms aligned with your ears.
4. Take several breaths. To release the pose, release your arms and bring your right leg forward.
5. Turn to face the right side of your chair and repeat the posture on the other side.

Uttita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)

1. Sit facing the left side of your chair so that your thighs are fully supported on the seat. Shift yourself to the right, near the front side of the chair, so that your right thigh clears the seat.
2. Extend your right leg back. Open your hips toward the front of the chair. Straighten your right leg and place the bottom of your right foot on the floor with your toes facing forward.
3. Lean your torso toward your left knee, hinging at your hips to bring your left arm toward the floor. Place your left fingertips on the ground or on a block, so your arm and shin are parallel.
4. Reach your right arm toward the ceiling. Extend it alongside your right ear, palm facing the floor, or bend your right elbow and reach back to grasp the back of the chair.
5. Rotate your torso to turn your chest toward your top arm. Turn your head to look toward the ceiling.
6. Take several breaths. To release the pose, press yourself up with your left hand and bring your right leg in to return to your seated position.
7. Turn to face the right side of your chair and repeat the posture on the other side.

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes)

1. Sit facing the right side of your chair so that your thighs are fully supported on the seat.
2. Cross your right leg over your left.
3. Inhale as you lengthen your spine and lift both arms toward the ceiling.
4. Exhale and twist to the right as you bring your hands down to grasp the back of the chair.
5. Turn your head to the right, looking past your right shoulder. Make sure you don’t strain your neck.
6. Take several breaths. To release the pos, inhale and reach your arms up and then exhale and unwind your body. Place both feet on the floor.
7. Turn to the left side of your chair and repeat the posture on that side.

Marichyasana 3

1. Sit with your spine supported by the back of the chair. Lengthen your spine and gently release your tailbone toward the seat.
2. Place your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
3. Lift your right knee and draw it in toward your chest. Pace your right foot on the seat of the chair as close to your right sitting bone as possible.
4. Inhale and lengthen your spine. Exhale and twist to the right. Grasp your right knee with your left hand or wrap your left elbow around your right knee.
5. Drape your right arm over the back of your chair ��and either grasp the chair back or clasp your hands together.
6. Take several breaths. Lengthen on each inhalation and gently twist a bit more with each exhalation.
7. To release the pose, lower your arms, unwind your body, and place your right foot back on the floor. Repeat on the other side.

For in-depth descriptions, variations, and tips for practicing the yoga poses you see here, visit the .

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You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 rule before: once you’ve learned or figured out the first of something, the effort it will take to learn the last 20 percent might not be worth it—because the last 20 percent is almost always the hardest. The 80/20 rule, , applies to both physical and cognitive pursuits. For example, it’s��usually easier to go from running nine-minute miles to six-minute miles than it is to go from running six-minute miles to five-minute miles; it’s easier to get proficient at chess than to become an international grand master.

The 80/20 rule is interesting to consider, but it can also be misleading. That’s because both the early and the late stages of skill acquisition feature unique benefits despite their varied difficulties.

Beginner’s Luck

When author and ���ϳԹ��� contributing editor Tom Vanderbilt had his daughter, he, like so many other new parents, spent endless hours in awe of her capacity to learn new things and the joy those processes brought her. This got Vanderbilt thinking: When was the last time I learned anything new? So began his journey to learn five new skills—chess, singing, surfing, drawing, and juggling—which he details in his latest book,��. Vanderbilt makes a compelling case that learning something new has myriad advantages, including��promoting the brain’s ability to rewire itself, connecting you to new people and new communities, and reengaging our innate curiosity and open-mindedness. While all of these offer tremendous benefits, that last one may be the most important.

One of the ��is openness to experience (the others are conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism). shows that individuals who score high in this trait tend to have a richer life experience. They are more aware of what is going on around them, and in turn they feel more complex emotions because they’re accustomed to processing incompatible information. A 2016 of school children in China showed that this trait is associated with enhanced intelligence and creativity. And last, but certainly not least, particularly in these times of change and disorder, openness to experience is also a good way to prevent anxiety.

The work��that��Brown University neuroscientist and psychiatrist Judson Brewer chronicles in his recent book�� shows that cultivating a curious and open attitude toward whatever is going on around you helps��reduce the physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety. On����Brewer ran where subjects were��hooked up to functional MRI machines to monitor the activity in their brains, he��found that the more curious and open someone is about their experience, the less activity there is in brain regions associated with anxiety. “Tightness, rigidity, and a narrow view are all associated with contraction,” he says. “But curiosity and openness tend to bring about lightness and freedom.”

Adults tend not to try new things because they are worried that they’ll fail, or at the very least��believe they won’t be any good. The best way to break through that, of course, is to just start trying new things. When you become a beginner, you are, as much as anything, training your curiosity—and the related trait of openness to experience. Being a beginner is fun and playful. As Vanderbilt observed in his young daughter, the beginner’s way can often be carefree.

Becoming a Master

While some people are terrified to try anything new, there are also people who are perpetual dabblers that never go on to master anything. This, too, leaves much on the table.

Mastery, or throwing yourself fully into an activity and pursuing even the most incremental gains (i.e., the last 20 percent), is good for the mind and body. It teaches patience, self-determination, and persistence, and it’s the perfect antidote to the ephemeral, silver-bullet, hack-filled, dopamine-chasing ethos we find ourselves in today. It is one thing to keep going when everything is hunky-dory, when you are making swift and observable progress. It is another to keep going when you reach a stubborn plateau. Mastery teaches you about the latter.

“In the land of the quick fix it may seem radical, but to learn anything significant, to make any lasting change in yourself, you must be willing to spend��most��of your time on the plateau, to keep practicing even when it seems you are getting nowhere,” ��George Leonard, an author and pioneer of the 1960s , in his book .

For most, the plateau is a form of purgatory. But to advance beyond the low-hanging fruit in any meaningful discipline—lifting weights, writing, running, meditation, training a dog, parenting, marriage—you must get comfortable spending time there.��Just like there is a richness that comes with trying something new, there is an equal richness that comes with getting deeper and deeper into something familiar.

“To practice regularly, even when you seem to be getting nowhere, might at first seem onerous,” Leonard. “But the day eventually comes when practice becomes a treasured part of your life. You settle into it as if into your favorite easy chair. It will be there for you tomorrow. It will never go away.”

Perhaps the key to long-term fulfillment, skill, and happiness is to think about the 80/20 rule like this: embrace both zero to 80 and 80 to 100. Find ways to be a beginner, or at the very least cultivate a beginner’s mind. But also work toward��being a master in some way, prioritizing depth and experiencing��the granular texture that comes with it.

Brad Stulberg () coaches on performance and well-being and writes�����ϳԹ���’s��Do It Better��column. He is bestselling author of the books and��, and cofounder of��.

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When I buy workwear, I expect it to fit well and feel good. To find the best apparel��currently on the market,��I tested more than 30 pieces of women’s workwear for six months last fall and this winter. I wore the gear for wood cutting, splitting, and hauling, as well as trail building, raking my yard, repairing my trailer, chaining up my plow truck, waxing skis,��working on bikes in my garage, clearing storm damage, and��building a friend’s garage. These were the pieces that��stood out for their comfort, functionality, durability, and good looks, whatever the dirty, muddy, or��sweaty task at hand.��

Dovetail Workwear Maven Slim Jeans��($99)

I want my work pants to fit like my favorite jeans��but with more functional pockets. And they should last��for years, not months. checks those boxes. Sewn with a denim-Cordura-blend fabric, they’re��formfitting, not skintight, and have a midrise contoured waist that wasn’t revealing when I was benching trail or clearing yard waste. I’m not usually a slim jeans girl, but these had room for athletic thighs and calves and ran true to size. Double fabric on the thighs and knees is riveted to prevent it from ripping out at the corners with hard use. The left hip tool loop was easy to reach and held a hammer or wrenches, while spacious outer thigh pockets stashed a phone, gloves, a bar, a set of hex wrenches, and more. The no-fade black version felt softer than Dovetail’s other work pants yet was just as wear-��and tear-resistant—it’s made from a blend of 11-ounce��modal, polyester, nylon, and spandex.��

Patagonia Women’s Farrier’s Shirt ($89)

When I put on this this shirt, I knew it wasn’t just another button-down. Made from industrial hemp and recycled polyester, the ��resists abrasion��yet is gentle��against the skin. The details are all business, including four-hole buttons that never loosened or stretched the buttonholes during months of daily wear and regular washing. Pleated chest pockets held my phone, lip balm, a pencil, and a small notebook. They’re the first chest pockets I’ve ever found useful on a women’s shirt; most others are too small and/or placed in ways that let the contents fall out because of the slope of breasts underneath. The hem is long enough to tuck in or leave loose, and thanks to the shirt’s roomy cut, it didn’t gape at the chest. To top it off, the collar��folds up and kept��my neck warm on windy days.��

Ariat Rebar DuraCanvas Insulated Jacket ($120)

This heavy-duty is on the heavier��side—around 2.6 pounds for a women’s large. But its weight, plus the shearling-lined hood, quilted lining, and broad-ribbed cuffs, give it warmth and comfort that I’ve never felt from other outdoor-focused tops not made for work. The burly but flexible nine-ounce stretch canvas is triple stitched for durability. After six months of daily use, it shows��no wear, the quilting is as warm as the first day I put it on, and the water-repellent finish continues to keep me dry even when snow turns to rain. Ariat added features like fleece-lined hand pockets, which were a welcome feature when I wasn’t wearing gloves, and guesseted armpits that allowed me stretch and reach to set up a winch��or load a log without exposing skin. It’s no surprise the Rebar��earned the stamp of approval from Maine lobster boat captains, Nebraska farmhands, and other working women.

Cat Excavator Superlite Boot ($155)

Whether I’m splitting wood or chopping roots, I want my feet protected—that’s why I like the��. Under the beefy rubber toe bumper of this waterproof nubuck leather boot hides a composite toe protector that’s lighter, thinner, and more comfortable than steel. It still meets safety standards for protection against impact or compression, as well as electrical hazard protection against open circuits up to 600 volts in dry conditions. It’s running shoe–like midsole kept my back from hurting even after being on my feet all day, and the slip-resistant sole kept the rubber side down on wet roots, a slippery deck, and in the mud. The fit cushions��my Achilles and gives��me a blister-free experience each time I slip them on.��

Hestra Duratan Gloves ($19)

The looks like a gardening glove��meets fancy driving glove—soft, supple, and super lightweight. But Hestra sewed these from suede that’s ten times more durable than leather and��reinforced them to hold up to benching trail, bucking logs, and tying down a load. They were protective, not restrictive:��the breathable mesh back stretched, and the slip-on cuff was easy to get in and out of. They’re unisex��but come in a broad range of sizes to fit most hands. They do wet out, so these are best for dry projects.

Sealskinz Waterproof Cold-Weather Work Glove with Fusion Control ($95)

In cold and wet conditions, are a lifesaver. Waterproof and breathable, they’re as dexterous as many non-weather protective leather gloves, but they don’t get sweat saturated��or soaked with precipitation. Goatskin leather on the outside is bonded to a 100 percent waterproof membrane and merino layer on the inside. Because the layers are bonded, the gloves don’t bunch.��I had to take off other leather gloves for precise tasks. Not these—with them on, I could��feel my tools and use my fingers for picking up��dropped screws or nails.��They’re also more breathable than other waterproof options I��tried. When I had to chain up my plow truck or tighten my saw blade, I was able to get it done without fumbling. These Sealskinz also quickly became my new favorite ski touring gloves. They’re touchscreen-friendly and��have bash protection on the knuckles, a pull tab to ease them on, and a finger loop for clipping them to my pack.

Dickies Women’s Performance Workwear Full-Zip Fleece Hoodie ($60)

Taking the��sweatshirt to new heights, Dickies’�� is made from sustainably sourced cotton with a dash of viscose and a water-resistant DWR coating. It quickly became my go-to for projects and chores. With a brushed fleece lining, it looks and feels as comfortable as any medium-weight sweatshirt that’s shapely, not tight. But its details differentiate it from the fold: a three-piece contoured hood, thumb loops that extended the warmth, and eyelets at the armpits for breathability. This sweatshirt’s zippered pockets are another big plus. Standard pockets on other tops sewn along the front zipper are prone to snagging and ripping, but these are out of the way—they’re stitched into the side seams and have zippers to keep contents safe. A reflective sleeve pocket adds��visibility, which is ideal if you’re working in the dark.

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You might think of your yoga practice as something that is completely separate from your fitness routine. You do yoga to connect with yourself and get grounded. You run or cycles or take a Zumba class to get your heart rate up and release endorphins. But the two aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, when you use your yoga as cool down stretches after a workout, you get a one-two punch combination that can score you all of the above.��

Why Use Yoga Poses for Cool Down Stretches?��

Yoga can help reduce the that results from running, for example. One found that yoga can help reduce inflammation (which can result from exercise) in people who performed moderate and strenuous workouts. And don’t discount yoga’s ability to help you tap into the mind-body connection after other workouts, allowing you to relax and bring your heart rate back down to baseline.��

The major benefits of yoga, though, are an increase in , functional reach (aka range of motion), and relaxation, says John Porcari, PhD, the director of the clinical exercise physiology program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. “When you’ve been running or lifting for 30 or more minutes, your muscles have been contracting for that whole period of time,” says Poracari. If you don’t do cool down stretches, your muscles are going to relax in a shortened position. Stretching, or doing yoga poses, after your workout encourages your muscles to get back in a more elongated state, says Poracari.

How to Cool Down with Yoga

“My best advice for athletes using yoga to recover is ‘do what feels good,’” says , founder of in Valrico, Florida. “There are plenty of asanas (poses) that will specifically stretch the muscles that an athlete in a particular sport uses most. But one of the best things about yoga, and one of the gifts it can give athletes, is remembering the focus of a yoga practice is self study.” So, just get on your mat and move around with yoga-inspired cool down stretches, be playful, but be tender with yourself. “Hold poses that feel good longer and don’t force the ones that feel uncomfortable.”

The best way to create a yoga cool-down routine is by paying attention to your body during your next yoga class.��“If a yoga class is paced slowly or moderately, with cues designed to keep your focus inward, you can not only enjoy the class you are taking, but also use it as a way to understand your body’s needs beyond the mat,” says Ariele Foster, DPT, yoga teacher, and founder of .��

During your class, notice if one side feels different than the other (like if it’s harder to lower the back knee from crescent lunge to the floor on the left side, or if you have more trouble balancing in Tree Pose on the right side) and which body parts “feel it” during different poses. For example, you might feel your shoulders opening in Dolphin. Make a mental note, or write it down, and then revisit those poses after your next hike or run, Foster suggests.

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Until recently, 1,000-fill down has been a rare commodity. Jackets that included it were��always few and far between. But this year, there will be more of it than normal, giving weight weenies new options for ultra-packable warmth. Don’t get too excited, though: quantities will be limited, and prices will be steep��relative to what we’re used to.��Mountain Hardwear, for example, initially only made��2,000 of its flagship�� ($375), whereas��you can likely snag its��bestselling , and for $50 less. Is��the extra fill power, and two-ounce weight savings, really worth the hunt?

Down Math

Calculating fill power is a helpful way to judge the weight-to-warmth factor of different down jackets. Fill power is a measurement of the quality of the down, and it’s��the approximate��volume in cubic inches of one ounce of down.��So one ounce of 650-fill down takes up approximately 650 cubic inches of space, one ounce of 850-fill down works out to 850 cubic inches, etc. It’s important to note that fill power does not necessarily equate to warmth. Here’s what the numbers mean: Because 1,000-fill��down is high in volume, it’s��not as��dense as other fills��and has more room to trap air within the plumage. A jacket with��650-fill down takes up less volume than one with 1,000-fill down,��so it’s denser and has less space for warm air. But when it comes to warmth, what really matters is��how much��of that down is stuffed into the jacket.

We’ll use Mountain Hardwear’s Ghost Whisperer UL as an example. This��jacket features two ounces of 1,000-fill down (this important measurement is��frequently noted��alongside the overall weight of many jackets on the product page,��though not every brand lists it), which means the volume of the down is roughly 2,000 cubic inches. Keep in mind that warmth is tied to volume. So a jacket with 2,000 cubic inches of 800-fill down should be just about as warm as an otherwise identical jacket filled with 2,000 cubic inches of 1,000-fill down, like the Ghost Whisperer UL—the 1,000-fill version will just be lighter.

But how much lighter? Using a little high school algebra, we can work backwards, dividing��the Ghost UL’s 2,000��cubic inches of down by 1,000 fill to determine that the down weighs two ounces. How does that compare to an 800-fill jacket? The same 2,000 cubic inches (meaning the jacket is exactly as warm)��divided by 800 fill yields 2.5 ounces. Even a 650-fill jacket of the same warmth weighs only three ounces. In smaller jackets, the weight difference from 1,000 fill to 850 might be minimal, though the difference could be larger in products like sleeping bags, which use tens of thousands of cubic inches of down.

So��while fill power definitely shaves ounces for those looking to slim down their kit, the weight��difference in many jackets is minor, and real��weight savings are��likely to come down to everything around the down. If manufacturers spend��big bucks filling their jackets with 1,000-fill down, it’s likely because they’re trying to make them superlight. That means they’ll also try to keep the weight of the fabrics, zippers, and other features to a minimum. But if weight is less of a concern, they might boost durability and function and use cheaper down.

How I��Tested

I took these jackets��backpacking, ice climbing, and backcountry skiing across the West between the fall of 2019 and the summer of 2020.��Temperatures ranged from the low fifties��to bitter single digits below zero. Given the variety of jackets��and their differing warmths, each generally��fell into its own optimal activity��and temperature ranges. (The latter is a��subjective assessment based on my body, what I was��wearing with the jackets, and the activity of the day.)

Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer UL ($375)

Best For: Nerds obsessed with ultralight tech
Weight: 6.7 ounces (men’s medium)
Down Weight:��2��ounces
Optimal Temperature Range:��50 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit

There may never have been a more fully featured down jacket at this weight—or��at least��I’ve yet to see it. Largely thanks to the featherweight nylon face fabric (or outer layer)��that lends its name to the jacket, the Ghost Whisperer line has been able to claim that title for a while. But the brand’s newest iteration swaps out 800-fill down for the primo��1,000 fill and replaces ultralight ten-denier face fabrics with��a downright paper-light��five-denier version, bringing the ’s weight to that of a billiard ball.����

That��lightweight warmth was enough to take the chill off shoulder-season summits or while making breakfast on summer backpacking trips in Montana’s Beartooth Mountains, when��temperatures were in the low fifties. It makes for a toasty midlayer (it fits great under a ski shell) during the colder months, but it’s probably not going to be my only puffy on chilly ski tours (adding a parka would be nice for frigid transitions). And at this level of warmth, the difference between the UL and the 8.8-ounce 800-fill version is really only going to be noticed by picky ounce counters. Cost aside, the weight savings may or may not be worth the paranoia that comes from brushing this jacket against a branch. I babied mine and still saw a few small snags while bushwhacking.

��

Eddie Bauer Centennial Collection MicroTherm 1000 ($399)

Best For: Moving while bundled up
Weight: 9.6 ounces��(men’s medium)
Down Weight: 3.2 ounces
Optimal Temperature Range:��50 to 30��degrees Fahrenheit

The�� only features just over an ounce of additional down compared to��the Ghost UL, but Eddie Bauer��took few chances on the face fabric with a sturdy (for this category) 20-denier material. Plus, stretchy fleece panels under the arms boost flexibility and breathability.

This jacket��kept me slightly warmer than the Ghost Whisperer. I stayed��comfortable into temperatures in the high forties��without moving. The underarm panels didn’t seem to compromise warmth��but were a welcome feature while moving above the tree line during fall hikes up Bear Peak in Boulder, Colorado,��with early-morning temperatures in the high forties. The face fabric still deserves some caution around sharp objects, but I felt confident jamming it into my backpack or wearing it while walking over and around��blowdown.

Mont Bell Plasma 1000��($439)

Best For: Shoulder-season backpacking
Weight: 8.4 ounces (men’s medium)
Down Weight: 3.4 ounces
Optimal Temperature Range:��45 to 25��degrees Fahrenheit

While the ��down weight��of the Mont Bell is similar to that of the Eddie Bauer, the baffle design of the�� stacks the down a little thicker, making it noticeably puffier and warmer than the Mountain Hardwear��or Eddie Bauer��jackets. It was my go-to puffy for winter backpacking trips in the desert: I��took it down Little Death Hollow to the Escalante River in Utah, where morning temperatures��didn’t creep beyond the high thirties. It was also a comfortable jacket for ski transitions on days when the mercury dipped to the low thirties. The seven-denier face fabric feels a little crinkly��and lightweight and was just as delicate as the Ghost Whisperer’s—I grazed the cuff over a coarse boulder while hiking along the Escalante and introduced a small tear—but the warmth-to-weight ratio of the Plasma is nearly the best of the jackets I��tested. The whole thing packs down to slightly smaller than a 32-ounce Nalgene.

Rab Zero G ($550)

Best For: Super-cold adventures
Weight: 10 ounces (men’s medium)
Down Weight: 4.05 ounces
Optimal Temperature Range:��35 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit

Bigger puffies like Rab’s are where the value of 1,000-fill down becomes more apparent. With additional��down on the inside (it uses more than twice the down of the Ghost Whisperer), the weight difference between a similarly warm 800-fill jacket could be a lot more obvious. The Zero G was warm enough as an ice-climbing belay jacket or a puffy for full-on winter backpacking up Montana’s Hyalite Canyon. The trade-off, though, is that additional��1,000 fill makes this the most expensive jacket I��tested—by more than $110.

The Zero G quickly became my preferred winter puffy on days when the digits��dropped well below freezing.��Thanks to a ten-denier face fabric, it stayed surprisingly intact (I put one small nick in the body with an errant ice screw in my backpack), even though it saw more use than any of its competitors.��

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This year, I’ve been thinking of my garden a bit like the Victory Gardens of World War II—it’s a way to get fresh food safely, for one thing, but working in the yard is nourishing in more ways than one. Old clothes are a great gardening go-to—you really can’t go wrong—but if you’re looking for something new, these are my current favorites for keeping cool and protected.

DOVETAIL Freshley Overall��($119-129, sizes 000-24)

I’m a huge fan of the woman-owned brand Dovetail, which makes the best work pants I’ve ever worn, and their summerweight overalls are no exception. There are as many women’s body shapes as there are women, but these come in four inseam lengths and sizes from 000 to 24 (in denim) and 000 to 18 (in canvas), which means they’ll fit a lot more of those body shapes than most brands do. I like the double knees with room for kneepads, elastic-back straps for flexibility, and the approximately one thousand pockets—like deep, actual, carry-things-inside-them pockets, including a hidden zipper pocket, a pocket with an eyelet opening for twine or headphones, tool pockets, butt pockets, and pockets within pockets, which I literally keep discovering after weeks of regular wear. The overall style works well for when you have to crouch and bend a lot, because you never need to tug them up, and any clothing that makes it more difficult for ticks to find my skin is a summer win in my book. I like the for hot weather, because it’s breezy without being flimsy, but the Freshleys also come in , for maximum durability, and a versatile , which has the widest range of sizes.

MUCK Muckster II Flat ($65, sizes 5-11)

Muck took the neoprene from their classic chore boots and turned them into , which my high-school self would have adored, and honestly, these will probably be my shoes of summer. They have all the benefits of your classic gardening clogs—they’re waterproof, slip-on, and easy to wash—but unlike clogs, they don’t slip off or flap when you walk. And unlike gardening boots, the low top means the front of your ankles won’t chafe if you spend a lot of time crouching. Plus, thick rubber soles keep you stable on slippery ground.

JUNGMAVEN Topanga Shirt��($198, sizes XS-XXL)

I love a button-down shirt as a summer layer, largely because it seems like a shortcut to something that effortlessly stylish people would wear, and also because it’s loose enough to be breezy, easy to tie around your waist or drape over a fence post, and offers sun and bug protection in one without unnecessary warmth. The fabric of , a hemp-cotton twill, is slightly confusing at first encounter: it’s as thick as selvedge denim, but with no stiffness, so it drapes like jersey. This combination is ideal��for my life goal of only wearing clothes that feel like pajamas, and its also perfect when you want a protective layer for gardening—and/or life—that won’t restrict your movement, thorns and insects be darned.

ROO Joey Apron��($34, one size)

Sometimes a thousand pockets aren’t enough and you need to attach even more storage capacity to your body. is inspired by traditional harvest bags, with a large pouch that flops open at the bottom for easy depositing of, say, apples, but reimagined as a sort of enormous open-top fanny pack with a waterproof liner on the inner side. Since this year’s garden is still in its fledgling stages, I’ve been using the Joey to forage for fiddleheads and wild greens, but I also find myself filling it with tools, fencing materials, and other non-food items around the farm—it turns out it’s really useful to have a massive open pocket so you can reach your stuff without opening a zipper. For the sake of science, I also loaded it up with about twenty pounds of rocks, then waddled laps around the yard. It wasn’t comfortable, exactly, but none of the rocks fell out the bottom and broke my feet, and I was able to keep my hands free to wave at my husband so he could notice and admire my experiment. Throughout the summer, if all goes well, I’ll be using the Joey to collect veggies. And come winter, I think it’ll be great for gathering dog booties. Which is kind of gross, I know, but hey, it’s machine washable.

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