Getting in Shape for that New Swimsuit
By Rochelle Caviness
YIKES – IT'S ALMOST SWIMSUIT TIME!
To be honest, could you use a little tummy tightening before you parade around in that oh so skimpy bikini? Well never fear, if all you need is a little touch up, there is still time to get in shape before summer arrives.
Start today! Plan to devote at least 15 minutes a day to your quick fix shape up program, and don't forget to eat your veggies and drink plenty of water. Before beginning a new exercise regiment, stop by your doctor's office for a quick consultation.
THE NUMBER ONE QUICK-FIX SLIMMING TECHNIQUE IS TO SIMPLY STAND UP STRAIGHT.
- Good posture not only makes you look taller and slimmer, but is also helps to tighten and strengthen your abdominal and back muscles.
Now onto more energetic slimming techniques:
- Walk whenever you can – it helps to firm the buttocks and slim the thighs.
- Steal a minute or two out of every hour and stretch – it will help increase your flexibility and will increase circulation.
Zone Specific Exercise
To work your stomach muscles work out with "The Crunch." Start slow, and try to build up to the point where you are doing at least 25 repetitions of each exercise. You should start to notice some improvement in as little as four weeks.
- The basic "Crunch". Lay down on a firm, flat surface, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tilt your pelvis so that your backbone is flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head, with your elbows pointing straight out. Then slowly curl your upper torso forward until your shoulders are off the ground. Hold then slowly roll back.
- The "Modified Crunch". Lay with your back flat and your legs raised, knees bent. To start, you may want to rest your calves on a bed or chair. Proceed as with the basic crunch. As you progress, remove the leg support and every day raise your calves a little higher until they are straight up in the air. Once you get to the point that you can do a crunch with your legs straight up, try twisting them together and doing a few crunches. You may find that you have a couple of stomach muscles that you never knew existed.
- The "Cross-Over Crunch". Position yourself as if for the basic crunch. As you curl yourself upwards, twist yourself so that your left elbow points toward your right knee. Remember to keep your elbows straight out – they should never move out of line with your ears. Slowly curl back down, and repeat in the opposite direction. Your goal here is not to touch your knees with your elbows, rather to stretch and work your obliques (the muscles on the sides of your stomach). If you find this exercise too easy, try raising your legs and placing your right foot in front of your left knee, curl forward, twisting toward your right knee with you left elbow – ouch, now switch and do the other side.
Here is one exercise, which specifically targets the buttocks and thighs.
- The "Bottom Cruncher" is a simple exercise to do, and one that does not really feel like an exercise until you try to walk after doing a lot of repetitions… To do this exercise lay down on a firm, flat surface, you want to bend your knees but keep your feet flat on the floor. Your hands should be on the floor, palms downward. Slowly tilt your pelvis downward while tensing your cheek muscles. This will cause your buttocks to lift off the floor slightly. Now, press your knees together and hold for a few seconds and slowly release.
These are but a few of the many exercises that you can do to help trim down and shape up. The key to any program is consistency and perseverance. For a quick fix, you don't have many options to choose between when deigning a program. Promise yourself that once you get into that bikini you're not going to let yourself 'go' again. Design an exercises program that is fun and that you'll stick with. Then, next year, you'll not need a quick fix to get into your swimsuit!
The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only.
Always consult your doctor for medical advice.
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