Health and Beauty
Ultimate
Wedding
Workout
by Lisa Corsello
Biceps
W
edding gowns especially popular during summer
celebrations often include strapless and sleeveless
styles. More often, I see brides who really want to try
to tighten and tone their arms. The best areas to target will be
the biceps and shoulders.
Biceps
Target the entire bicep by changing the way you rotate the
weights as you lower and lift. Begin with basic bicep curls
with your elbows in and palms facing up. Repeat 20 times.
Make sure you aren’t using your wrists to pull the weights up.
Continue to do your bicep curls but slowly begin to rotate so
that you begin the curl with your palms facing each other and
halfway up, gently rotate the weights so that your palms face
up. As you lower, reverse the rotation. Repeat 20 times. Complete the set by doing 20 hammer curls, with palms facing each
other the entire time.
Shoulders
Begin with arms down, palms facing the thighs (weights hovering about one inch in front of thighs). Slowly raise the arms
up to shoulder height and lower stopping just before weights
touch the thighs. Repeat 15-20 times. Continue to raise arms
but slowly rotate the palms out with your thumbs up and pinkies down, palms facing one another. Make sure not to use
the wrists or shrug the shoulders. Repeat 15-20 times. Just
like the bicep set, finish with both palms facing each other and
repeat 15-20 times.
Shoulder Exercise
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For strapless or low v-cut gowns, brides should focus on targeting their chest and triceps.
Plank Up
Chest/Triceps
Push-ups can be done anywhere and, if done correctly, can
tone the chest, triceps, and even the abs. Begin with hands
slightly wider than shoulders, fingers spread evenly on the
ground. On the knees or toes, push-ups are easy to modify.
Make sure the shoulders are above the hands so that as you
lower, your elbows bend out at 90 degrees. Lower until you’re
about 2 inches from the ground, exhale, draw the belly button
towards the spine, and push back up to starting position. Do
as many as you can. Make sure to lead with your chest, rather
than with your forehead, and keep your abs engaged. When
your form begins to suffer, take a break and then repeat when
you’re ready. For the next set, bring your hands shoulder width
apart and lower your body, keeping your elbows close to your
sides. Aim to actually feel your elbows skim your sides as you
lower down and up. This should feel more challenging than
traditional push-ups because your triceps (smaller muscles)
are being targeted. Repeat both sets 3-4 times with plenty of
breaks in between to avoid wrist strain.
Brides who plan on wearing a slim-fitted, silhouette-style
gown on their big day will want to focus on tightening their
midsection. Abs and upper body exercises are key to looking
perfect in these types of gowns.
Core and Upper Body
Plank-ups are very challenging, but they’re worth it! Begin in
a basic plank position making sure that your hands are firmly
planted on the ground and your shoulders are directly above
the hands. Keep your abs engaged and try to think about the
back of your neck getting longer to avoid neck strain. Hold the
position for 10 seconds. Slowly, without placing your knees on
the ground, lower your body down one elbow at a time starting
with your right arm. You should now be in a forearm or “dolphin” plank. Hold for 10 seconds, and then raise your body up
by placing your right hand on the ground. Remember to keep
your abs engaged, as this is still a plank. Repeat the first 2
steps, leading with the left hand.
Next, rotate to the side so you’re in a side plank on your right
forearm (gives your wrists a break and focuses on obliques).
Hold for 30 seconds. Come back to a forearm plank facing the
floor, tighten the core, and rotate to the left so that you’re now
in a forearm plank on your left side. Be sure that your shoulder
is directly over your elbow and that your hips are stacked. Hold
for 30 seconds.
Focus on these target areas 3-4 weeks prior to the wedding,
and look flawless as you take that special walk down the aisle.
Lisa is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, nutrition consultant and group fitness
instructor who works with clients to create customized, chnique She has successfully adapted and applied her methods to clients with a wide range of abilities and capabilities; absolute beginners needing basic knowledge, enthusiasts
who want to increase lean body mass and reduce body fat, people recovering
from sports injuries or serious illness, and professional athletes in training. Lisa,
a Lululemon Athletica Ambassador, has been a featured fitness expert on WebMDas well as inMy Family Doctor Magazine, LowCarb Magazine, Current Health
Magazine, and Cornell University’s Food & Fitness Advisor newsletter. In fact,
Lisa is a regularly featured fitness expert on the KPIX Weekend Morning Show.
Lisa is currently a contributing fitness expert on SingleMindedWomen.com. Website: http://www.burnsf.com/
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