Your big day is within site, and everything is in order. That is, everything but your perfect wedding-dress body. If you’re looking to slim down, tone up-or both, there are a few simple exercises you can do to be well on your way. Integrate these basic moves into your current routine, or create a new routine to do at least three to five times a week.
In addition to these exercises, focus on interval cardio workouts, which burn more fat than steady, long stretches of the same movement. On a treadmill try this interval: Jog at 6.0, sprint at 7.0, run at 6.5, sprint at 7.5-alternate every minute, you can slow to a walk for a minute after your 7.5 sprint if need be.
Arms
You don’t want your arms to jiggle as you walk down the aisle, so it’s time to start working all the major muscles: biceps, shoulders, and triceps. A few simple moves will have you on your way to thinner, more toned arms.
The Arnold: Start with a 10lb weight in each hand, palms facing away from your body. Curl your arms up, and flip your hands so your palms stay facing out. Lift up over your head, bringing your hands together at the top. That’s one rep, do 10.
Arm Flies: Put a 5lb weight in each hand and let them fall to your side, palms facing in. Lift your arms to shoulder height, or as close to it as possible, and come back down. Do 10 reps.
Tricep Decline: Lay on a bench with 8lb weights in each hand, arms extended straight into the air. With your elbows slightly bent, slowly lower your weights back behind your head, until you reach your ears. Lift back up for one rep. Do 10 reps.
Note that once a week you should do two to three reps with 15lb or 20lb weights. Pushing to a heavier weight will help tone the muscles.
Abs
To look tight in your wedding dress, you have to focus on all areas of your abs, which means crunches are not going to get you there. Not only do crunches burn minimal calories and only focus on the top of your abs, but they’re bad for your back: “Each of your spinal discs is only able to support a limited number of bending motions over the course of your lifetime before you get low back pain, a disc bulge or a disc herniation,” according to Ben Greenfield of the Huffington Post. Try these simple ab exercises for better results.
Plank: Get in pushup position, and low yourself down to your forearms. Keep everything straight from your butt to your head. Pull in your abs and hold. You can also do plank screws, where you pull your left knee in toward your right side, and vice versa. Hold for 20 seconds, then 30, so on and so forth.
Russian Twist: Sit, with your hips hinged in a 45 degree angle and hold a medicine ball. Lift your feet just off the ground and move the medicine ball from one side to the other; make sure you tap the ground on each side to be sure you’re moving through the entire move. A tap on each side is one rep, do 10.
Legs
Leg exercises are easy to do anywhere, with no equipment and little space. Give these simple moves a try.
Jump Squat: Keep your feet shoulder width apart, and squat back; to do this properly, imagine you’re sitting into a chair, back straight, butt out. Instead of just standing back up, jump up and then back down into a squat. Do 10 reps.
Wall Sit: Lean against a wall, and slide down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold for 20 seconds, 30 seconds and work your way up to a minute.
With a few simple exercises you can be in shape for your wedding in no time. Incorporate these moves into your current or a new routine three to five times a week.
