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Astronauts Share Workout Tips from Space Today: Watch It Live

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Mike Hopkins: Seeing Inside End Effector of Robotic Arm
This photo of NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins was taken while aboard the International Space Station on Jan. 15, 2014 “Rare chance to see inside the end effector of the robotic arm which was placed here so Rick & Koichi could inspect” Hopkins tweeted. (Image credit: Mike Hopkins (via Twitter as @ AstroIllini))

Ever wondered how astronauts work out in weightlessness? It's time to find out. NASA is hosting a Google Hangout with International Space Station astronauts and fitness experts today (Feb. 6) at 12:15 p.m. EST (1715 GMT) to answer questions and share workout tips with space fans around the world.

You can watch the space fitness event live on SPACE.com via NASA, and ask questions using the hashtag #Ask NASA on Twitter and Google+. Current space station astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins will talk about working out in space with NASA astronaut Jeannette Epps, U.S. Olympic bobsledder Curt Tomasevicz participating from Sochi, Russia, CrossFit Games Champion Rich Froning Jr., Houston Texans professional football player Jared Crick, and Peter Moore of Men's Health magazine.

Hopkins and Mastracchio spend about two hours each day exercising to help mitigate the negative effects of microgravity on the body, NASA officials said. The astronauts have three special workout devices they can use to help them stay in shape in the space environment. Both NASA astronauts are planning to watch the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games from their posts on the space station once the games kick off with the opening ceremony on Friday.

Get more information about the Google Hangout via NASA: https://plus.google.com/events/cpigjb8l5n1p9cjl98lueba0apc

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Miriam Kramer
Miriam Kramer
Staff Writer

Miriam Kramer joined Space.com as a Staff Writer in December 2012. Since then, she has floated in weightlessness on a zero-gravity flight, felt the pull of 4-Gs in a trainer aircraft and watched rockets soar into space from Florida and Virginia. She also served as Space.com's lead space entertainment reporter, and enjoys all aspects of space news, astronomy and commercial spaceflight.  Miriam has also presented space stories during live interviews with Fox News and other TV and radio outlets. She originally hails from Knoxville, Tennessee where she and her family would take trips to dark spots on the outskirts of town to watch meteor showers every year. She loves to travel and one day hopes to see the northern lights in person. Miriam is currently a space reporter with Axios, writing the Axios Space newsletter. You can follow Miriam on Twitter.