Beautiful Beach Body – Week 5

The LAST in our 5 week guide for a beautiful beach body focus is on the CHEST! So, here it is….

Top 5 tips for a firmer chest.

Working your chest will make the whole area feel much firmer, your shoulders and triceps will also get a workout when you work your chest, allowing you to burn even more calories.

What you will need

Dumbells

Body Ball

Fitness Mat

How many

Start off with 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps using a light weight, once you are able to do this comfortably move to 2 to 3 sets of 20 reps.

Exercise 1 (Works –Stomach, chest, back and arms)

Lie with your back on the Body Ball and your knees at right angles, holding a weight in each hand, extend your arms up to the ceiling with your palms facing away from you. This is your start position. Lower your arms above your head while keeping them straight. Return to the start position and repeat.

Exercise 2 (Works – Chest and Armpits)

Lie on a body ball with your head and shoulders supported and your knees at right angles. Holding a weight in each hand, extend your arms up to the ceiling with your palms facing each other (This is the start position). Keep a slight bend in your elbows, open your arms until the weights are in line with your shoulders. Return to your start position and repeat (It is important to keep your tummy and bottom tight and to keep a straight back throughout)

Exercise 3 (Works – Chest, arms and core stability)

Lie with your chest on a body ball, place your hands next to your chest on the ball, keeping your fingers spread open.  Straighten your arms and lift your body off the ball, lower with control.

Exercise 4 (Works – Chest and arms)

Lie on your back with your knees bent, holding a weight in each hand. Bring the weights up to shoulder height, with your palms facing away from you. Extend your arms up to the ceiling, lower the weights until your elbows touch the floor. Extend your arms back up to the start position and repeat.

Exercise 5 (Works –Chest and Arms)

Place a body ball firmly against a wall and lean back against it, hold a weight in each hand with your palms facing inwards. Extend your arms up until the weights meet in the middle, but don’t lock your elbows. This is the start position. Open your arms sideways ubntil the weights are level with your shoulders. Return to the start position

Beautiful Beach Body – Week 3

Arms

Are you fed up of sporting bingo wings and feel uncomfortable with your arms on display? Then make this summer different and wear vest tops and sleeveless tops with confidence with our workout guide below on how to achieve the perfect slim and sculpted arms.

It is a myth that you need to use heavy weights in order to make your arms toned and beautiful. Muscles work in pairs -when one muscle contracts, the opposite muscle relaxes, so it is important to work opposite muscle groups in equal balance. This means when you work your biceps you need to ensure you work your triceps too.

 What you will need

Dumbbell

Body Ball

How Many?

If you are a beginner you should aim for 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps. once you are able to carry this out comfortably then increase this to 3 sets of 15 reps.

The Bingo Wing Fighter

This exercise will target the wobbly bit on the underside of your upper arm.

Stand with feet hip width apart, holding your dumbbell in each hand by your sides and squat so that your dumbbell is just in front of your feet. Return to standing position quickly pulling your dumbbells up so that they finish either side of your chin. Your elbows should be high and out to the sides, ensuring your back is kept straight throughout the exercise.

Triceps Extension

This exercise will work your triceps.

Kneel on the floor with your back straight. Hold your dumbbell in your right hand and extend it up to the ceiling. Lower the dumbbell to your shoulder blade. Extend your arm to the ceiling but be careful not to lock your elbow. Repeat exercise with your left arm.

Front Raises

This exercise will work your shoulders.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palm of your hand facing down. Keep your arms in front of your thighs with a slight bend in your elbows. Lift your right arm by rotating out 90 degrees (up to your shoulder height) and then lower it again with control, repeat with your left arm ensuring that your don’t swing your body to lift either of the dumbbells up. 

The Upper Arm Toner

This exercise works your triceps, biceps and also your shoulders.

Sit upright on a bodyball, with your legs slightly apart for balance. Hold your dumbbell in your right hand above your head and with your left hand on your hip. Bend your elbow and lower your dumbbell behind you, until it touches your shoulder blade. Lift back up to your starting position, repeat this for the duration of your sets of reps and then repeat with your other arm.

 

Double Punch

This exercise is great for working biceps, triceps, shoulders and also your forearms.

Sit upright on a bodyball holding a dumbbell in each hand at chin height, your arms should be bent in tight to your body. Press both dumbbells out in front of you and  repeat again. Lift both dumbbells up above your head until your arms are completely straight, palms inwards. Lower then repeat this again, This four move sequence equals one rep.

For best results

Carry out the exercises slowly; speeding up will cause you to use speed rather than your strength.

Lose weight with this Elliptical training program

If you are looking for an entire body workout, which burns plenty of calories without the impact of the treadmill or running, then have a go on a elliptical trainer.

The elliptical trainer is a great cardio workout, it combines the movements and benefits of hiking, cross country skiing and biking, what makes the trainer unique is the combined upper and lower body workout. Muscles such as quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, triceps and biceps are all used during the workout. If you are looking to lose weight then you should ideally work out using the elliptical trainer 3 to 4 times a week in order to see maximum results.

If you have not used an elliptical trainer before or have not exercised for a while start off by following our beginners 15 minute plan. When you are comfortable with this exercise plan then stretch yourself again by increasing your workout time to 20 minutes, continue to increase your workout time by five minutes until you are working out for 30 minutes continuous.

Warm up on the elliptical trainer for 3-4 minutes with a steady movement. Stand upright on the trainer with your shoulders relaxed and with your stomach tight. Share the load between pushing and pulling with either side of your body and work your arms and legs evenly. During your workout keep your hips and shoulders forwards, make sure your do not start rolling your shoulders from side to side or swaying too much at the hips.

15 minute Plan for Beginners –Calories burnt = 75

1)      3 minutes at a comfortable level

2)      3 minutes increasing level by 1

3)      3 minutes increasing level by 2

4)      Repeat step 2

5)      3 minutes at a comfortable level

20 minute Plan For Intermediates – Calories burnt = 150

1)      3 minutes at a comfortable level

2)      3 minutes increasing level by 2

3)      3 minutes increasing level by 3

4)      3 minutes increasing level by 4

5)      Repeat step 3

6)      Repeat step 2

7)      2 minutes at comfortable level

30 minute Plan For Intermediates plus  – Calories burnt = 200

1)      2 minutes at a comfortable level

2)      2 minutes increasing level by 1

3)      2 minutes  increasing level by 2

4)      2 minutes by increasing level by 3

5)      2 minutes at a comfortable level

6)      Repeat step 1 -4

7)      2 minutes by increasing level  by 4

8)      2 minutes at a comfortable level

9)      2 minutes by increasing level by 1

10)   2 minutes by increasing level by 2

11)   2 minutes by increasing level by 3

12)   2 minutes by increasing level by 4

13)   2 minutes by increasing level by 5

After you have finished your 15/20 or 30 minute workout plan cool down on the elliptical trainer with 3-4 minutes of steady movement. Take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth to help your recovery.

5 Exercise Tips To Tone And Define Your Arms For The Summer

If you’re looking for toned arms that you won’t mind flaunting this summer, then have a look at our workout plan, they will have your arms looking shapely and toned in no time at all.

Muscles work in pairs so when one muscle is contracting the other muscle is relaxing, therefore it is important to work opposite muscle groups.

What you will need

Dumbbell

Body Ball

How Many?

If you are a beginner you should aim for 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps. once you are able to carry this out comfortably then increase this to 3 sets of 15 reps.

The Bingo Wing Fighter

This exercise will target the wobbly bit on the underside of your upper arm.

Stand with feet hip width apart, holding your dumbbell in each hand by your sides and squat so that your dumbbell is just in front of your feet. Return to standing position quickly pulling your dumbbells up so that they finish either side of your chin. Your elbows should be high and out to the sides, ensuring your back is kept straight through out the exercise.

 

Triceps Extension

This exercise will work your triceps.

 

Kneel on the floor with your back straight. Hold your dumbbell in your right hand and extend it up to the ceiling. Lower the dumbbell to your shoulder blade. Extend your arm to the ceiling but be careful not to lock your elbow. Repeat exercise with your left arm.

Front Raises

This exercise will work your shoulders.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palm of your hand facing down. Keep your arms in front of your thighs with a slight bend in your elbows. Lift your right arm by rotating out 90 degrees (up to your shoulder height) and then lower it again with control, repeat with your left arm ensuring that your don’t swing your body to lift either of the dumbbells up. 

The Upper Arm Toner

This exercise works your triceps, biceps and also your shoulders.

Sit upright on a bodyball, with your legs slightly apart for balance. Hold your dumbbell in your right hand above your head and with your left hand on your hip. Bend your elbow and lower your dumbbell behind you, until it touches your shoulder blade. Lift back up to your starting position, repeat this for the duration of your sets of reps and then repeat with your other arm. 

Double Punch

This exercise is great for working biceps, triceps, shoulders and also your forearms.

Sit upright on a bodyball holding a dumbbell in each hand at chin height, your arms should be bent in tight to your body. Press both dumbbells out in front of you and  repeat again. Lift both dumbbells up above your head until your arms are completely straight, palms inwards. Lower then repeat this again, This four move sequence equals one rep.

For best results

Carry out the exercises slowly; speeding up will cause you to use speed rather than your strength.