Orca is a creator and developer of cutting edge sports apparel, born out of our success in the grueling and technically advanced sport of triathlon. For over 15 years, Orca has been leading the pack with innovation and design. 

Now Orca wants to offer customers products that will enable them to perform anytime, from the pre-dawn jog to running the gauntlet within the workplace. The chosen fabric for this new collection is premium New Zealand performance Merino wool – one of nature’s true superfibres. They’ve selected Merino because it is naturally thermo-neutral, meaning that the fabric responds to changes in the micro-climate around your body. Because Merino can absorb and release moisture, the garments cool when you sweat and warm when the temperature drops. It is also antibacterial so it won’t smell. And because Merino fibres are so fine, the fabric feels great next to your skin. Cross the finish line in Orca from Zappos.com.

Every year around this time, empowered new athletes start to worry about their aching feet from their New Year’s resolution workouts. Get into shape and beat the soreness with sturdy and comfortable SKECHERS Shape-ups. SKECHERS Shape-ups Toners shoes features Kinetic Toning Pods that are designed to help sculpt your lower body. Shape-ups Toners may help burn more calories, improve agility, strengthen muscles in legs, buttocks and core. 

If you need a comfortable shoe for work, the Skechers Work Shape Ups XW SR-Experience Safety Toe offers a durable leather upper with an aluminum allow safety toe that is lightweight and protective. The shock absorbin dual density midsole alleviates heel and instep pressure. The stabilized Kinetic Wedge midsole will help you tone those trouble areas without even thinking about it. 

SKECHERS Shape-ups are designed to improve your life by changing the way you walk. The rolling bottom simulates walking on soft sand enables the wearer to push off with your toes. By doing this, the movement results in stronger leg, back and abdominal muscles.

Cold weather shouldn’t keep you from getting in your daily jog and the team at Burton have put together a few choices of stylishly warm outerwear for the season. Stay warm,dry and fresh in the stylish Burton Expedition Quarter Zip top. The DRYRIDE Ultrawick™ 360G stretch microfleece will keep you perfectly warm and dry. The stretch 360° will give you unlimited mobility during every workout. The Burton Scoop Hoodie is another great option with its lightweight DRYRIDE Thermex™ grid fleece for quick-drying, breathable warmth. The inventive gingham check design  and contrast full-zip closure makes the Scoop Hoodie a certified winner for your Winter workout style. 

Burton has fueled the growth of adult and children's snowboarding worldwide through its groundbreaking product lines, its grassroots efforts to get the sport accepted at resorts and its team of top adult, child, and teen snowboarders. Put their expertise to good use on your runs this Winter.

True athletes never stop training – regardless of the elements. Before you go for your morning jog or evening cross-training, get yourself a comfy hoodie from Puma or Adidas to say warm while you get your workout on.

Hit the gym in a versatile Adidas Graphic Fleece Hoodie. This cotton poly fabrication makes for a comfortable, durable top that features flatlock seams, front kangaroo pocket and v-neck design that can be worn anywhere. If you need something a little bulkier, the Puma Promo Zip will add some style to your fitness wardrobe and keep you cozy through your workout. The men’s Contrast Hoody matches the Promo Zip perfectly, great for the athletic couple. We also recommend the Adidas Pro Hoodie for the competitive man in your life.

You don’t have to wait until next year to start on your New Year’s resolution. Don’t let the weather be a factor and look great while getting your pump on this Fall. Head over to Zappos.com for all of your fitness needs.

So often I have heard friends say that they would workout but they just didn’t feel like driving to the gym. It was raining too hard, they had to make dinner, etc. Yet, what too many people fail to recognize is that you don’t need a gym to get fit. Sure, fancy equipment and steam rooms are nice, but that’s all eye candy. If you’re motivated, you can create a tremendous workout in your own home that is on par with anything in a gym. All you need is a little space, a pull-up bar and a few light dumbbells.

This week’s workout focuses on your back and legs, two muscle groups that exist as independent of one another, thus making the training session intense because no real rest time occurs; the back muscles recover as you work your legs and vice versa. The best workouts offer little rest; and keep the heart rate up and the body sweating.

So, if you want to get fit in your own friendly confines, give this one a go.

Wide Grip Front Pull-Up: Palms facing away and hands more than shoulder-width apart. Go until you can do no more.

Lunge: On your toes, step out with your left foot, keeping the knee over the ankle. Lunge deeply until your right knee nears the floor. Repeat with right leg forward. Set of 20 repetitions.

Close Grip Pull-Up: Same as #1, but bring the hands in close.

Wall Squat: Lean your back and shoulders against the wall. Sit at a 90 degree angle. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

Reverse Grip Chin-Up: Palms facing you and hands shoulder-width apart. Do as many as you can.

Calf Raise: Place hands on top of your head and rise up onto your toes. Hold for a count of three and release. Set of 25.

Repeat this routine as you get more fit. Do two or three cycles through. Focus on good form and don’t let your ego take over. Be patient and you’ll be surprise at how soon you will see results.

Staying flexible is an important part of fitness but only some people stretch long enough and hard enough to ensure maximum range of motion of the joints. If you’re not stretching properly before and after your workout, you are putting yourself at risk for injury, soreness and poor recovery. Stretching is such a simple activity, but it’s often overlooked. Here are some important tips for stretching properly so you can make the most of each and every fitness routine:

1. Start slowly and gradually build up tension. One of the biggest mistakes of stretching before and after a workout is jumping right into the most challenging position. You need to gradually build up tension so that your tendons and muscles can adjust to the shift in position. Do a halfway stretch, hold for a few seconds, relax your muscles, then go all the way. This is a much more effective way to maximize the effects of the stretch.

2. Hold your stretch long enough. You need to hold most stretches for about 10 to 15 seconds. Any less, and your muscles won’t be challenged enough. Doing more really won’t do anything positive or negative, so just count the seconds in your head as you perform the stretch.

3. Pay attention to what you’re feeling. Pushing yourself to the point of pain isn’t going to benefit you in any way. Make sure you’re not hurting yourself when you’re performing a new stretch. Pay attention to how your body feels. Too much tension or pressure in a certain area may trigger a pain response which means it’s not the right position for you.

4. Breathe deeply. You need the oxygen to flow throughout your body as your blood pressure increases slightly as you move through your stretching motions. Make sure you are taking deep breaths throughout the process.

5. Drink plenty of water. Fill up a water bottle with some chilled H20 so you’re not at risk for dehydration before and after your workout. Drinking a few sips of water between each stretching position is a simple formula for staying hydrated.

Stretching is an important part of any workout routine, but there are some things you need to keep in mind to make sure you’re performing the stretches right. Use these five tips to make sure you’re keeping those muscles and joints in great shape.

Pull ups are one of the best exercises to increase upper body strength. Although pull ups have simple directions, they are not the easiest exercise to perform. Beginners may not be able to even do a pull up and have to do other exercises to build upper body strength first. To do any kind of pull up, you will need a pull up bar or some sort of strong bar that will support your weight and allow you to hang free from it. You may also want to wear gloves so you do not get blisters.

Here is how to do a basic pull up:

1. Stand below the pull up bar and grasp the bar in an overhead grip so that your knuckles are facing towards you. Your arms should be slightly wider than shoulder-length apart.

2. Hang from the bar with your arms straight and your legs straight. If the bar is not high enough, you may have to bend your legs backwards at the knee.

3. Pull yourself up towards the bar as you bend your elbows. Raise yourself high enough so at least your chin goes above the pull up bar. Be sure to keep your legs completely still and your stomach contracted.

4. Lower back down in a controlled manner so that your arms are straight again. Repeat the steps.

There are a couple of different variations of this exercise that you can do. Some may be more difficult while others will just focus on working specific muscles.

A wide grip pull up is done when you move your grip as wide as possible while still being comfortable. This variation focuses more on the upper back and rear shoulder muscles.

A jumping pull up is used by some beginners to gain some upper body strength. This variation involves squatting down and using your legs as well as your arms to propel yourself up over the bar.

You can also choose to add weights to your pull ups in the form of a weighted belt or a free weight held in between your legs.

Pull ups are a good exercise to add to your strength training routine, as this one simple move can work all the muscles of the upper body. This can save you time on your workouts.