Top Five Tips For Getting Your Bod Bikini Ready

The summer holiday season means two things; BBQ’s and jetting off on a summer holiday. If the word ‘holiday’, however, instils you with fear don’t panic because you are not the only body-conscious female. Luckily, holding a BBQ is pretty simple (so long as you have matches and pre-packed burgers!) but getting your body bikini ready is a harder task so we have put together the top five tips for getting your body tip top so that all you need to worry about on holiday is what flavour cocktail to order…

Lunges

To tone the muscles in your bottom (the glutes) and tops of the legs (quadriceps) lunges are a great exercise. There are a number of alternative ways to lunge but the tips are to ensure that the lower part of your forward leg remains vertical as you lower yourself and do not let your front knee protrude forward over your toes.  The most obvious lunge, the forward lunge, is where you bring one leg forward, as if to take a step but with a much further stride, and then with your back straight squat down by bending both knees. To return to standing push up on the heel of the front foot and repeat this exercise on alternate legs.

Work up to 3 sets of 12 or 15 repetitions and try to do this two or three times each week. You should be able to build lunges into everyday activities like hanging the washing on the line, or walking the dog.

Squats

Squats target the same muscles as lunges but can be better for toning the bottom specifically. When you squat do not over-stretch as this will actually engage different muscles – you want to bend from the knees into an imaginary seated position where your bottom is aligned just above your knees forming almost a right angle. To intensify the workout try holding dumbbell weights with your arms bent so that the weights are about chin height.

Ideally, you should attempt 3 sets of 12 or 15 repetitions every other day to notice an improvement. Or, rather than count how many you do, you can also try doing them in the advert breaks of your favourite soap on TV – if you aim to keep on until the break ends you may just manage 40 or more!

Running

Running is another free, convenient exercise which works your leg muscles, bottom and arms and gets your heart moving more than stretches. Also, you can choose where you do it meaning you do not have to face a scary packed gym if you do not want to. Local parks, greens and canal sides are perfect as they create stimulating environments for you to breathe in some fresh air and take some undisturbed ‘me’ time. A good idea is to make it a social event by getting a buddy on board for a bit of moral support (or for a good gossip!).

You must also make sure that you are exercising in the right running shoes so that you do not experience discomfort or injury. Some of the best on the market currently are the Brooks Lady Adrenaline GTS 11 Running Shoes which were given the Editor’s choice award from Runners Fitness.

Walking as many places as possible in toning sandals or shoes can also help to tone the bottom of the legs (the calf muscles) – check out the Reebok Easytone range for some great girly sandals and shoes.

Stomach Crunches

Every lady is envious of celebrity mums whose stomachs springboard perfectly flat within a month of giving birth, but for us real ladies out there who don’t have five hours a day to exercise, personal trainers and micro meals delivered to our door there is only really one option: stomach crunches. As painful as they are they are the most effective and quickest way of toning that tum.

Depending on whether you are a morning person or not will depend on when is best for you to do these but as soon as you wake up is a good time as it awakens all your muscles and energises you for the day ahead. Alternatively try doing these before bed, but remember to always allow at least 2 hours between eating and exercising or you may experience cramps.

Take Up An Exercise Class

There are such a wide variety of classes out there from the cardio-intense zumba and boxercise, to slower-paced core strengthening and toning classes such as pilates or yoga. What’s great about a class is that you will often be taking part with a room full of other people, some fitter than you and some not so, but whichever fitness level you come under, being around other people will improve your motivation and encourage you to test your boundaries to reach that body beautiful target.

Cardio intense sessions are great for burning excess fat and getting the heart rate pacing. If you need to let off steam, boxercise uses punching and kicking repetitions which work the arms and legs hard. Zumba, or a similar dance class, is better for those of you who prefer not to feel like you are working out as it combines fast-paced, exotic dance moves with high-energy Latin and international beats to simulate more of a party atmosphere than a gym studio.

Pilates strengthens the mind and body by repeating small, controlled movements which help to develop the core muscles. Often props like large rubber resistance bands or small inflated balls are used to assist in balance training and deeper stretching. Yoga on the other hand is much more focussed on a person’s spiritual tranquillity and focuses on breathing exercises and set poses which help to stretch out the muscles and elongate the posture.

If you don’t have time to attend a class, fitness videos are another great option for a home work out. You can pick up training aids such as wobble cushions, yoga mats and exercise balls from Sportsshoes.com too which can make your work out more interesting and challenging.

Whichever combination of exercise you choose, you know it will be completely worthwhile when you can rock that hot body on your summer holiday – perhaps even treat yourself to a new, figure hugging bikini!