SMARTER CARDIO, QUEEN

Hey, are you a cardio queen?

If you bring your favorite book, magazine, tablet download to help you pass the time while you're on the elliptical, treadmill, bike, etc. at the gym... you my lovely, fit the description.

BRIDAL WORKOUTS | INDOOR WINTER CIRCUIT

Rain. Snow. Sleet. Hail. 

The holidays may be gone, but winter’s definitely NOT over yet!

With the cold weather and dark days it might be tempting to just grab some popcorn, hit the Netflix and roll up in a blanket burrito until the tulips come up, but don’t do it! 

Remember those goals you set for yourself at New Year’s? Yeah, those! Not to mention there's that little upcoming wedding shindig of yours too, right? 

Well, there’s plenty you can do right there in the comfort of your own warm, toasty living room – and without ANY weights even!

So, get on up and let’s get your booty moving!

BUILD A STRONGER BRIDAL BOOTY

Backside. Buns. Booty. Butt. 

No matter what you call it, your rear-end is bound to get a lot of attention on your wedding day. There's the walk down the aisle and the seemingly endless number of hours... ahem, I mean minutes during the ceremony leading up to your "I do" moment. 

Well, aside from looking good in your dress, there are also some important functional/feel-good reasons to show your booty a little love. 

WEDDING FITNESS | Get wedding fit arms in no time.

Strapless, sleeveless, backless, sheer - all of these wedding dress styles have one thing in common - plenty o'skin. That means lots of exposure and tons of attention on one area - your B.A.S, otherwise known as your Back, Arms and Shoulders, because they form the base of your look. With all that attention, chances are you'll want to do a bit of work there so you can feel good and super confident when all eyes are on you as you walk down the aisle.

GET A SEXY WAISTLINE

Question: What is the best exercise for toning and shaping the midsection? Crunches? Leg-ups? Bicycle abs? 

Okay, okay you got us. It's a trick question because there isn't one exercise. Opinions may vary, but we definitely have our list of "must-have" moves, however, and at the top... The Low Plank! 

While true, it shouldn't be the only ab/core exercise in your fitness tool box, the low plank should definitely have a prominent place. We believe in movements that give you as much "bang for your buck" as possible. Take a look at the picture. This exercise targets muscles all along the front of the body, including the shoulders and abdominals and thighs. It also gets at the deep muscles near the spine and those controlling proper posture, including the muscle on the side of your body and the glutes.

Action: Start by holding the exercise for just a few seconds for 1-3 sets on three non-consecutive days during the week. Then, work up to holding each set for 30-60 seconds. (Beginners can perform this movement on the knees and work up to extending out onto the toes. Breathe normally throughout the movement without holding your breath. Do not do this exercise if you have problems with your back.

Practice this exercise with your friends and before you know it you might be able to build a human plank wall!

Now that's amazing! 

YOUR WEDDING DRESS: TIPS FOR THE PERFECT FIT

I got a text from one of our Bridal Boot Camp clients that her dress had arrived and it was fitting time. She was a little nervous, but I knew she was progressing nicely and waited for the results.

You see, as is often the case, she had a specific weight goal in mind when she first came in and had accordingly ordered the dress two sizes smaller than her current one. But, she also wanted to be a buff bride, not a waif bride.

With that in mind, I counseled her that her desired weight might not be reasonable, but that she would definitely look fabulous AND reach her measurements if she stuck with her program. Why? Because muscle weighs more than fat, and the goal is to burn away fat while building lean muscle. Since our client wanted to sculpt her body and gain more muscle mass and strength, there was no way that she would reach her target weight without either leaning out beyond what she had in mind OR sacrificing muscle fitness. So...

The best gauge of her progress towards fitting into her dress would be measurements and body fat percentage, NOT the scale alone.

"Trust me," I said.

Trust me she did, and here we are just a few weeks later. With plenty of time to spare, her dress fits perfectly! While she still wants to continue sculpting and getting stronger, she is adamant that she doesn't want to get any smaller. This is important to note because she is NOT at the weight she thought she wanted. She does, however, look fabulous, as reflected by her measurements and body fat percentage. We'll continue her program and closely monitor her progress to make sure she stays within acceptable ranges, while continuing to sculpt her shoulders, arms, and back for the "strapless dress" look.

DRESS FITTING TIPS:

1. Take your girth measurements and compare them to those of your desired dress size. Typically, the most important ones are the bust, waist, and hips. These measurements are what will allow you to fit into your dress, or not.

2. Have your body fat measured by a qualified health or fitness professional. Not only is a healthy body fat range important for your overall well-being, it will also give you an idea of how your fitness program is working.

3. Use the scale only as a loose measure of your progress. Weigh once per week, on the same day of the week, but don't obsess. Keep in mind that if you are resistance training, you may actually see a slight increase in the first week or two as your muscles become denser. Comparing your weight with your change in body fat percentage is thus VERY important!

4. Start your eating and exercise program early! Can't stress this enough. While the goal is to look good at your wedding, you also want to give your husband a healthy bride. Our Bridal Boot Camp client ordered her dress two sizes smaller, but she ALSO gave herself plenty of time to create the figure she wanted.

Contact us as soon as you have your wedding date and we'll help you figure out the best dress size goal for your situation and sculpt the body you desire to go in it!

Bridal Body 911: No Flabby Wedding Arms!

Bat wings.

Bingo arms.

Flying Squirrel arms.

I've even heard them the term "dinner lady arms" and "mooney arms", whatever that means. No matter what you call them, don't let the fear of flabby arms keep you from the silhouette you desire. 

As a bride you have the right to bare arms!

Specifically, the upper arm is usually the area in question. While it's not possible to spot reduce, meaning diet and exercise are a MUST to remove (aka metabolize) excess body fat, you CAN spot tone and make the muscles in the area more firm. This "firming" is due to additional muscle tissue, which in turn also gives your metabolism an added boost in calorie burn.

NOW FOR A LITTLE 'NATOMY.

On the far left of the picture the posterior, or rear view, of the arm is shown, highlighting the triceps muscle. Since the back of the arm is most often the source of concern for brides-to-be, it's the area you'll want to give special attention.

On the right, the deltoid caps off the shoulder, while the biceps brachii muscle, aka the arm muscle many bodybuilder-types like to show off, is shown on the upper arm. Speaking of bodybuilders, don't think you'll look like a bodybuilder just because you start lifting weights. Most women don't have the amount of natural testosterone necessary to build giant Conan, the Barbarian-type guns. Anyway, the brachialis, another upper arm muscle, is just underneath the biceps brachii.

DO THIS.

Fortunately, arm muscles are small, as compared to the muscles in the legs and back for instance, so they can firm up in no time at all.

Add these exercises to your workout program. Be sure to read ALL of directions and cues before attempting:

Triceps Dips

◣ Sit on a stable chair or a stable bench with your hands placed shoulder about width apart beside you.
◣ Slide your tush to the front of the bench with your legs hip width apart and bent at the knee. Your feet should be placed right underneath your knees for support.
◣ Keep your arms straightened with a slight bend at the elbows so that they don't lock. Be sure to keep your chest lifted and your shoulders down away from your ears! No shrugging or you'll risk looking like a line backer with overdeveloped neck/shoulder muscles.
◣ Next lower yourself down by slowly bending your elbows until your arms are as close to a 90 degree angle as you have strength to perform while keeping the shoulders down. Keep your back close to the bench.
◣ After you reach the bottom of the dip, press up slowly with your hands, again, keeping the shoulders down from your ears. Use your triceps!
◣ Note: avoid this exercise if you have neck or shoulder pain

Need more challenge: Move your feet further out from your body (straighten) as you become stronger.

Brachialis (Biceps) Curls

◣ Sit or stand with your feet hip width apart.

◣Pick up a suitable sized dumbbell in each hand and slowly lower your arms down to your sides with your thumbs facing forward. Be sure to sit tall with your shoulders down away from your ears and your abdominal muscles slightly contracted.

◣As you exhale, raise the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, ensuring that your upper arm remains glued to your sides. At the "top" of the movement rotate your wrist in towards your body so that your pinky finger is in towards your body. ◣Keep your body as still as possible without letting it swing back and forth for extra leverage.

About the exercise: As mentioned in the beginning, the brachialis muscle is underneath your biceps brachii muscle and it runs from the humerus to the ulna. Rotating your forearm develops the upper arm more fully and helps to give it a rounder, fuller look. More bang for your buck, in other words!

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..:: Uncover your Best Bridal Body with personalized attention and a program customized just for YOU based on your goals, your health and fitness needs, and the amount of time until your BIG DAY. We’ll help you shape your body and whittle your waistline while shaping your arms, back and shoulders to help you feel fabulous in your wedding gown and pass the strapless dress test. You’ll gain new found strength and increased flexibility, as well as the endurance you’ll need to help you stay strong all day and vibrant into the night. Click here to find out more! ::..

Bridal Body 911: More arm exercises

Last time we went over the basic anatomy of the upper arm and showed a couple of arm exercises, including brachialis curls for the front of your arms and triceps dips for the back of your arm.

Check out that blog post here:
Bridal Body 911: To Arms!

As mentioned in the prior blog post, the back of the arm is the area many women find unsightly or problematic, especially when considering slithering into a sleeveless or strapless bridal gown. While your eating and general fitness habits will help you burn overlying fat from the area, there are exercises you can do to spot tone the back of your arms. Notice that I said spot TONE, not spot reduce. You can't make your body burn fat directly from a specific body part, but you can target specific areas to "tighten up" the muscles there. Great news for those wobbly arms!

Firm up the back of your arms with these two exercises. Read all of the directions and cues before attempting the exercises:



Triceps Kickbacks





* Kneel with your right knee on a bench or chair and your right arm outstretched to the bench directly underneath your right shoulder for support. Keep your back straight. No rounded shoulders. The left leg rests on the ground with the knee slightly bent.
* Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, bring that arm up to your side like a bird wing, while pressing your left shoulder down and away from your left ear.
* Slowly straighten you left arm behind you to contract the back of you arm. Only move at the elbow joint; the shoulder should remain as still as possible.
* Bend the elbow to bring the dumbbell back to its starting position.
* Repeat the exercise on the other side.

Trainer Cues: Squeeze your abs in to help support your lower back, but allow yourself to breathe naturally. Don't allow yourself to "sink down" on your supporting shoulder or shrug to keep from tightening up at your neck. Get a little "extra" work for your back by pulling the elbow of your working arm in to your body as you perform the exercise. Squeeze down at the bottom of the shoulder blade as you straighten it, as well.




Lying Triceps Extensions



* Lie on the floor or a flat bench with your knees bent (floor) or your feet firmly planted on the floor (bench).
* Hold a dumbbell in each hand in an overhanded grip (palms facing away from your body).
* Draw your abs in firmly as you bring the dumbbells above your head at an angle (about 10 o'clock). Do not place the weights over your face.
* Slowly bend your arms at the elbow, lowering the weights down on either side of your head (end near the top of your ear).
* Straighten the elbows to return the weights to their starting position.

Trainer Cues: Be careful! Control the weight so you don't hit yourself in the head! Keep your elbows in towards your head so that they are pointed straight up towards the ceiling. Only move at the elbow joint, not the shoulders, to keep tension on the triceps. Use your ab muscles to help brace your torso; don't let your back arch. Keep your shoulders down away from your ears and remember to breathe naturally.

Bridal Case Study: Lauren

In her own words....

Q: What is your motivation to change your lifestyle and to get in shape?

A: Aside from getting married and wanting to look great, I knew I was approaching a point in my life when I can’t eat whatever I want and expect my pants to fit the same year after year! Old habits are hard to break and I was looking for a jumpstart to a truly healthy and active lifestyle.

Read more...