Latest news with #Cailin
Tom's Guide
27-06-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Goodbye, sit-ups! I'm doing the 'corkscrew' exercise to sculpt strong abs — and you should too
If I say ab workout, the chances are you'll immediately think of crunches and sit-ups, yet research has shown time and time again that these exercises aren't the best when it comes to sculpting a strong and stable core. I'm 16-months postpartum, so strengthening my midsection is about far more than just building visible abs — it's about toning and strengthening the muscles I use every time I bend down to scoop up my toddler, or carry him around on my hip. But what should you be doing instead? According to the experts, the corkscrew exercise is the equivalent of doing hundreds of crunches. It's a Pilates exercise that works all of the muscles in your midsection, as well as stretching the back, and improving spinal mobility. Sound too good to be true? Read on to find out how to do it, and what happened when I added it to my routine for a week. The corkscrew exercise is an advanced Pilates move, which works your lower abdominals and oblique muscles, as well as stretching the back. It can be done with zero equipment, although you'll probably want to lie on a yoga mat for this one. A post shared by Cailin (@mvmtwithcailin) A photo posted by on Here's how to do it: It's worth mentioning that this is corkscrew level three — the most advanced version of the exercise. As with all Pilates exercises, there are three different levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. You should be able to do strong repetitions before progressing. How to do a corkscrew level one: How to do a corkscrew level two: Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. If you're new to Pilates, or you're returning to exercise following an injury or pregnancy, it's always a good idea to chat to a professional before taking on a new workout routine. Even if you've been practicing Pilates for years, don't jump in with corkscrew level three before making sure you've mastered levels one and two. Keen to find out more and really test the strength of my core, I unrolled my exercise mat and got to work. I've been practicing Pilates for the past fifteen years, and even did an intensive week-long Pilates course in Thailand, but the corkscrew isn't an exercise I frequently come across in my Pilates workouts. I started with level one, which helped me get used to the feeling of circling my legs while keeping my hips stable. After a day or so, I progressed to corkscrew level two, using my abdominal muscles to crunch my legs up off the floor. I had to really think about squeezing my abs and zipping up through my pelvic floor — something that is often weakened following childbirth. I have tight hamstrings, so I found I had to keep a slight bend in my knees throughout the exercise. I also found I had to really think about keeping my pelvis stable as I lifted my legs off the floor. Finally, in the last few days of this challenge, I progressed to corkscrew level three, and wow, this exercise is no joke. There's a lot to think about, and a lot going on as you circle and lift your legs, but I felt this in every muscle in my midsection, as well as down the backs of my arms. Like most Pilates exercises, the slower you move, the harder this move becomes — it's all about moving with complete control. It won't leave you a sweaty mess, but if you're looking for an ab exercise that'll torch your core, give this one a go.
Daily Record
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rugby starlet from North Lanarkshire set to give it a try in the United States
Cailin Lardner has gained a scholarship at Queens University of Charlotte A teenage Scottish international rugby player from North Lanarkshire is set to take up a university scholarship in the United States. Cailin Lardner, 17, who lives in Hartwood, was amongst the forwards named by the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) for the Scotland Rugby U18 Women's squad for the Six Nations festival tournament earlier this year. The tournament was held at Wellington College in England in April this year. Cailin enjoyed a superb time away for her first caps and played from the start against France and Ireland, and was a replacement against Italy and in a historic win over England. The teenager, who previously lived in Allanton, is a former pupil at St Patrick's Primary in Shotts and has been playing rugby since she was 13 years old. Her talent and hard work led her being offered the opportunity of scholarships at two universities in Miami and Charlotte. Cailin has made the decision to study and play rugby at Queens University of Charlotte, North Carolina. She completed her school studies at Greenfaulds High in Cumbernauld and is now looking forward to starting at the university in August where she will major in Sports Management for her degree. Cailin said: 'I'm really excited to play rugby in the USA and to learn more in a multi cultural environment. 'Charlotte is a beautiful city and Miami is super cool but Queens play NCAA Division One rugby in the USA which would be the equivalent to Super BUCS here in the UK. 'Miami was offering Division 2 for next season so the decision around the course and rugby was easier to make. I've been in the performance pathway with Scotland for almost three years now and have to continue playing at the highest level I can.' As well as moving across the Atlantic, Cailin will also to sacrifice playing international rugby for the time being. As Cailin's dad Steven explained: 'Due to the fact she's leaving the country she'll lose her Scotland Rugby contract for now, but she's still young at 17 and with plenty of time to pick that up again. 'Scotland will of course keep an eye on her progress. 'It's not lost on Cailin or any of us that rugby has been the catalyst for this opportunity along with her studies at Greenfaulds High in Cumbernauld.' While the teenager is looking forward to the move she will miss some of the comforts of home and family. 'Obviously my mum, dad, sister, and my Border Collie Gin will be missed so much along with my wider family,' said Cailin. 'I will definitely miss a crispy roll and square sausage too! 'Queens is a fully residential university and I think coping will be made much easier with roommates, teammates and a strong student welfare culture'. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Los Angeles Times
04-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Los Angeles Times
They loved the beach too much to move. The solution? A sleek home and ADU upgrade
If ever there were a home that told the story of the emotional attachment we have to our neighborhoods in Los Angeles, this is it. Not because of the sweet bungalow, which is situated in a dense Manhattan Beach neighborhood where parking is scarce and neighbors are often on top of one another. Or the calm light-filled interiors. Or even the modern ADU above the garage that nicely complements the main house. Paul and Cailin Goncalves' home stands out for its relationship to the outdoors, symbolizing their love for the Pacific Ocean just blocks away. 'My son and I surf regularly down the street,'' says Paul, who is an entrepreneur. 'The beach is our backyard.' 'We love our neighborhood,' adds Cailin, an executive at Condé Nast. 'It's alive with kids everywhere.'Additionally, the home had outdoor space, something the couple thought they wouldn't get close to the beach. When the couple purchased the 1949 Craftsman-style home in 2013, the home's location on a street-to-alley lot was another plus. But after more than a decade in the three-bedroom house with their two children, now 12 and 17, they wanted to break free of their compartmentalized interiors. Like many homeowners in Los Angeles, one of the most unaffordable cities for homebuyers, the couple faced a dilemma. They wanted something more contemporary without sacrificing their neighborhood for a new home. They also didn't want to add a second floor, which is common in Manhattan Beach, where they would find themselves looking into their neighbors' living spaces and not at the ocean. Similarly, the loss of the backyard was nonnegotiable as the family enjoyed spending time outdoors. 'We definitely looked around prior to embarking on the renovation to see what was out there,' says Cailin, 49. 'But the more we looked, we realized we would never secure exactly what we wanted unless we did it ourselves. We really felt like our location was the perfect spot.' Architects Harper Halprin and Aaron Leshtz of AAHA Studio proposed a solution. They suggested rethinking the home's awkward layout in favor of something open that maximizes natural light, allowing the family to stay in their beloved neighborhood without adding on to the 1,744-square foot floorplan. 'Paul and Cailin are creative people, ' Leshtz explains. 'They wanted to make the most of what they had by reshaping it in their image. For us, it was about enhancing the spaces and creating clever ways to open up the interior, so it flowed better and felt connected to their backyard.' 'You have to be careful about what you add when you are creating a minimalist interior,' Halprin notes. Inspired by the simplicity of Scandinavian design, with its focus on natural materials and light, the couple wanted their living spaces to be streamlined and flush, which the architects achieved by using uniform light wood tones throughout the house. On the outside, the architects removed the gravel roof and added a standing-seam metal roof to achieve a more contemporary look, wrapping the house in durable western red cedar from Delta Millworks to give it the clean-lined look of a modern surf shack. Because there was a fundamental disconnect between the living room and the entrance to the house, the architects moved the front door, which previously opened on to a side room, to the center. They also widened the circulation zone between the living room and kitchen, which opened up the interiors further. To give the kids privacy, they added large pocket doors to the study, allowing them to close the door while watching television or socializing with friends. The bathrooms were gutted, reorganized and made more functional with careful attention to natural light, in keeping with the clean aesthetic of the house. The newly renovated kitchen is outfitted with custom cabinets in light wood that open onto a south-facing courtyard courtesy of a Fleetwood pocket door system that replaced a series of French doors. The process, however, turned out to be more extensive than they had expected. 'It was more down to the studs than anticipated,' says Leshtz. 'I showed up one day and found the roof was off because the house was falling apart.' Ultimately, the architects reframed the kitchen and added vaulted ceilings and skylights, which make the interiors feel much larger than they are. 'The new pocket door makes the kitchen feel like you're outside,' adds Paul, 52. With little extra space in the three-bedroom house, the couple sought to expand their footprint by updating the existing accessory dwelling unit above the garage to create a more versatile space. 'It was underutilized, and it felt like it had nothing to do with the main house,' Leshtz says. 'Our goal was to make the access feel like it connected to the yard. That's why we installed a steel staircase, which gives the space so much flexibility. It was a rickety wooden stairway before. We wanted it to be an obvious form in the back because it's looming so much over the yard.' According to Paul, whose family from Portugal often resides in the ADU, the couple wanted the 400-square-foot studio to 'feel like a hotel.' 'My parents have stayed in it for a month,' he says. 'Cailin's parents stay in it when they visit from Philadelphia. We never used it before the renovation, but now we work in the ADU, and the kids love to hang out there,' including their son, who enjoys practicing his DJ skills without disturbing anyone. Looking ahead, they also have the option of renting out the ADU, which can be entered privately through the alley behind the house. The studio features a sleeper sofa and a sleek kitchenette with Fenix black matte laminate cabinets and a backsplash, along with matte black fixtures that add drama and a nice contrast to the white walls. Like the main house, the couple wanted the ADU to be simple, so the architects carefully installed the windows to capture the light and allow for privacy. These design elements, along with the thoughtful layout, make the ADU a versatile space that can serve as a guest suite, a home office, or a place for the kids to hang out. The home and the ADU are connected by a new courtyard, which was formerly composed of red brick and is now lined with smooth concrete. The outdoor space includes a welcoming firepit, dining and seating area that feels like an extension of the house. It also includes an outdoor shower. 'We use it all the time,' Paul says, standing in a garage filled with surfboards and bikes. Despite the project taking two years to complete, the couple, who rented a house in the neighborhood during construction, say it was well worth the wait. (They declined to share their budget.) 'I grew up surfing in Montauk, and I wanted to create that feeling here,' Paul says before adding, 'It's heaven.'
