By Kris Abbey, Fitness Expert
www.betterhealthmag.com / www.spalife.com.au
It’s officially Spring, which means Spring Racing Carnival, warmer weather and fewer clothes to hide under. Get RESCU’s fitness expert Kris Abbey’s tips on how to shape up. Fast.
Losing ten kilos or dropping three dress sizes in less than a month is not really possible (or healthy), but if you stick to your guns and aren’t afraid to raise a sweat, there are some simple things you can do to get into shape in a relatively short space of time.
Resistance exercises for your arms, abs and legs will help build muscle and boost your metabolism. Your body will actually burns more energy (calories) – even while you’re sleeping!
Here are my top shape-up tips:
Toned Arms
Nothing complements a nice strappy or strapless frock than toned arms and shoulders. Here’s how to get them:
Push-ups – begin on your knees and progress to full push-ups. Make sure you go all the way down to the floor (no cheating please, if you want results).
Tricep dips – make sure your hands face forward and you bend your arms at the elbow. It is an arm bend, not a hip thrust (as many people do).
Bicep curls – if you don’t have little hand weights, canned food is a great substitute. With a can in each hand, alternately curl your arm up to your shoulder, then drop it back down, bending at the elbow.
Lateral raises – with cans still in each hand and a slight bend in your elbow, raise your arms out to the side up to shoulder level, then slowly drop them back down.
These four exercises target your arms (both front and back), shoulders and chest. Aim to do three sets of 10 or 15 reps to start with, building up to 20 or 30 reps after a few weeks. If you do these four exercises three times per week, you’ll notice a real difference in the tone and shape of your arms, plus you’ll have more upper body strength.
Flat Tummy
A flat stomach is what we all want, yet we often settle for a slight bulge. Fortunately, our stomach muscles respond extremely quickly to exercise and that little bulge can soon be ironed out.
My all-time favourite stomach exercise is the plank, or bridge. To form a nice plank, start by lying on the floor on your stomach, then prop yourself up onto your elbows and toes to form a bridge. Your body stays flat – don’t arch up into a V (remember, you’re impersonating a plank) and your tummy stays tight. Hold this position for 1 minute. After a few weeks, you should be aiming to hit two or three minutes. If at any point your lower back begins to sag, then stop, or you’ll do more harm than good.
Sit-ups and crunches are also hard to beat. Try for 20 or 30 at a time. As a variation, try cycling your legs and touch your knee with the opposite elbow, alternating each side, for 30 to 60 seconds.
Aim to do this every day and you will not only get that toned tummy, you will strengthen your core and improve your posture and make you feel ten feet tall!
Lovely legs
It seems the mini is back with a vengeance, but unless you have the legs to pull it off, it is not the most flattering style. To get lean legs, squats and lunges are gold, especially since they work your bum at the same time. You can also lie on your side doing side leg-raises (remember to do both sides) ala Jane Fonda. Make sure you squeeze your bum while you do these, making the most of each lunge, squat or lift. On the days you don’t do your Strong Arms workout, work your legs.
Cardio
Of course, you need to include some cardio work as well. Soft sand running is great as you really target your legs (calves, quads, hamstrings and gluts) without the impact on your joints of pounding the pavement, and you have to work that little bit harder so you burn more calories.
Cycling, swimming and walking are other good forms of cardio exercise. And now the weather is warmer, it’s a great time to get out and enjoy it.
Intervals
Now here’s the secret tip. If you want results and you want them fast, throw in some interval work. This simply means if you’re soft sand running or swimming, do a 10-second sprint, then back off. Do this five to 10 times per workout. Slow down to a more comfortable pace after each burst, but don’t stop.
If you’re cycling, do a few hills or sprints. If you combine some power efforts, you will fast-track your fat burning. Give yourself time to recover between each effort so you can get the most out of your power bursts.
Clean fuel
Lastly, drink lots of water to stay hydrated, and don’t undo all your great work by eating unhealthy, high-fat, high-GI food. To feel and look great, it’s important to stick to a diet of lean protein, lots of fruit and vegies and low-GI carbohydrates.
Good luck and let me know how fast you build your Temple!
Kris Abbey is the publishing editor of Better Health magazine (www.betterhealthmag.com) and Spa Life magazine (www.spalife.com.au).
