It's practically bikini season which means for all of us who have been hiding under our big bulky sweaters, it's time to work it out and get your beach body back!
While it can be hard to stay motivated, if you can commit to working out even 3 times a week with these exercises that target your whole body, you should see a difference in as little as 1 month!
And if you aren't the type of lady who likes strutting around in a bikini, you will at least feel sexier naked! Bonus!
So let's kick off our beach body workout and start sweating, shall we?
Wood Chopping
I know, it sounds like a lumberjack's work out but have you ever noticed just how buff those men are? To get a lean and mean body simply start with a medicine ball, or hand weights if you prefer.
Hold your head up straight, draw down across your body in a axe-swinging, wood chopping motion. Once you've completed the exercise you will be in a squat position. Do 3 sets of 12 chops on each side and you will be targeting your abs, core muscles, glutes, hamstrings, hips, legs, quads, and shoulders.
The following video shows how to do the axe-chop exercise.
Walking Lunge With a Torso Twist
Again using a medicine ball, or hand weights, lunge forward while twisting your upper body to one side. Hold for 3 seconds and stand back up. Do 3 sets of 10 lunge twists and you will be toning your abductors, adductors, core, glutes, hamstrings, hips, legs, quads, and shoulders.
The following video demonstrates the proper technique.
Raising The Roof
Okay so you're not exactly "raising the roof" but I wanted to switch it up and not just call this exercise shoulder presses with squats. Raising the roof just sounds like more fun and when you're working out and trying to get through some grueling exercises you need all the motivation, or distraction, you can get!
To raise the roof begin in a squat position with one hand weight in your hand, hanging down between your legs. As you stand up out of your squat, bring your dumbbell up to your shoulder and then press it over your head. Repeat on the other side and do 3 sets of 12 to target your biceps, triceps, shoulders, deltoids, neck, back, lats, legs, quads, and glutes…we love targeting that booty!
A slight variation of this exercise is shown below:
Cross-Country Dumbbell Skiing…With A Twist
I know, I know, we don't want to think about winter anymore but cross-country skiing can be one heck of a workout!
To start, stand with one foot in front of the other, your feet shoulder width apart, weights in your hands and your elbows at 90 degrees. Simply swing one arm forward and one arm back, the way you would if you were cross-country skiing, but also make sure to twist your torso.
Make sure to alternate arms so you target each side of your body evenly. Repeat this 20 times for each side and do 3 sets and you will be burning in your arms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, deltoids, neck, back, core, lats, legs, and quads.
Here is how the basic cross country skiing motion is performed:
Planking And Crawling
While I am sure by this point you are either sweating buckets or cursing me, or maybe both, this final exercise will have you shaking in no time.
Planks have originated from yoga. They are much more effective as abdominal exercises than crunches. Starting in a plank position, walk your hands and feet in a sideways direction. Move your body sideways 3 times on each side to equal one rep and you will be targeting and toning your arms, chest, core, and shoulders. Do 3 sets of 10 in each direction and you will be rocking some serious svelty arms in no time.
Alternatively, follow this 5-min plank workout and you will get rock hard abs.
As always, before beginning any new beach body workout, make sure you consult with your physician to be sure you won't hurt yourself or aren't doing anything too strenuous for your body. Also it should be mentioned that this workout is for the beach goddess, or god, who is a little more advanced than a beginner.
Ultimately, if you can stick to this beach body workout routine incorporating these 5 exercises as little as 3 times a week, you will not only look and feel amazing in your bikini but you won't be able to stop staring at your nudie self in the mirror. Now that is something we all strive for, isn't it?
Vanessa is a lifestyle blogging babe whose work can be found on various websites around cyberland, including reviews on products such as this Capsiplex review and this LifeCell review.