9 Expert Moves to Firm Up as Summer is Coming!
Today, the fitness pros at Neighborhood Barre share some of their top moves to get swimsuit ready.
We here at StyleBlueprint are no fans of fad diets and crazy, get-ripped-overnight exercise plans. We all know that eating clean and exercising are the best ways to maintain a healthy body. BUT it is almost swimsuit season, and some of us may not have been keeping up with those New Year’s resolutions (Ahem, no finger pointing, please!). So we asked the fitness experts at Neighborhood Barre to share some of their top moves to get a jump-start for a more toned body. (Now, we must say that EVERY body is beach ready, okay? We’re just passing along some moves that many of us are wanting to firm up a bit. We can’t help but want to lose a little jiggle. But, don’t let anyone say your body is not beach-ready at any point, understand?!)
Before you get started, some great equipment to have on hand includes small weights, resistance bands, a small medicine ball and a water bottle. Here are nine moves they love that target the three main body regions—arms, core/abs and lower body:
FOR THE ARMS
Perform three sets of 30 reps for each exercise. Increase the burn by mixing up full-range moves with small pulses.
Tricep dips
These work well to shape the back of the arm. Make sure to keep your seat pressed back toward your fingertips to get the maximum benefit from this move. You can get a deeper workout by extending one leg, then the other, to rock more weight into the back of the arms. Squeezing a five-inch ball between the legs will increase the difficulty, giving you more results.
Shoulder fly
The upper back makes a huge difference no matter your swimwear choice, so shoulder flies are a key component of arm work. Alternate full range flies with small pulsing movements, and make sure to hinge forward with a flat back and start with your elbows high and wide like you have your arms wrapped around a giant beach ball. Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the exercise. Use two- to three-pound weights for this exercise.
Bicep stretch
Toning the biceps is a must to round out the sculpting of your upper body. To get the most out of this move, start with your elbows held out and away from your body like you are holding a giant tray. Push your bicep up toward the ceiling like you are trying to press it up and off of your arm. Use three-pound weights for this exercise.
CORE/ABS
Plank
Always great for toning the core, planks will work your entire body. When holding a plank, focus on trying to flatten your abs all the way across and all the way down. Start out by holding for 60 seconds. Add 10 seconds every day until you are up to two minutes. Remember that it’s always okay to drop to your knees — you just want to avoid swaying into your lower back.
Perform three sets of 30 reps for each of the following exercises:
Round back
The round back abs move helps to flatten the midsection by using isometric contractions. Start by propping your elbows under your shoulders and pressing your palms down. Draw the navel back to round the top of your waist towards the floor and extend your left leg while pulling your right knee into your chest. Once you feel your hips tilt, extend your right toe to the ceiling and start tucking your hips up. Think about lessening the space between your hips and your ribs and drawing your navel in and up with each tuck.
Oblique twist
Shaping the waist comes from working the obliques (side abs). Start by loosely gripping the backs of your thighs and rounding the top of your waist toward the floor, leaving your elbows lifted high and wide. You want to curl your tailbone underneath your body and sink back so low that you feel your abs pull. Take both hands to your outer thigh and use your abs to twist your opposite shoulder across. It should feel like you are wringing out your abs and the work should wrap across your waist. If you don’t own a band, a hand towel works just as well for this exercise. Place a small ball behind your lower back for added support.
LOWER BODY
Perform three sets of 30 reps for each exercise. Increase the burn by mixing up full-range moves with small pulses.
Diamond
Sculpting the inner and outer thighs—problem areas for most women—is key. In diamond, keep your feet in a narrow V and use your heels as a pivot point to press the knees out. By adding additional resistance with the red tube, you’ll work a larger area of the leg and isolate both inner and outer thigh muscles. Focus on small up-and-down movements, isometric presses against the band and small tucks forward. A power loop resistance tube is helpful here, or you can tie a resistance band around your thighs.
Standing pretzel
The focus is on the upper seat and ledge above the seat. To get into this position, start by bringing your feet into a V, softening your knees and crossing your right ankle behind your left knee. From here, swoop your right knee back and behind your hip, while keeping your chest and shoulders square. The more upright you stand, the more you will work the ledge above the seat and into your back. Work through this exercise with small lifts of the knee and squeezing to the mid line of the body by wrapping the leg behind the back.
Hamstring curl
This is a great, well-rounded move to carve out the back of the leg. Start by wrapping the red band around the arches of your feet, extending the working leg back and then curling the heel up until you feel the muscles catch. The key is to maintain a window in between your knees, so deepening the bend in your standing leg will help you to work deeper in this position. Focus on pressing back against the band and curling the heel toward the seat to shape the muscles. A resistance band will help increase the level of intensity.
Are you sweating yet? If you’re like us and need a scheduled time and instructor to stay on track, check out the SBGuide to find local fitness facilities that can help you stay accountable.
Image credit: lululemon athletica
