Summer 2018 is around the corner and all too soon you´ll be examining your swimwear and wondering why you don´t feel more confident. Well here at Cairo Gyms our goal is to educate and help. With this simple guide, we will show you how to wake up your muscles and whip your body into bikini shape as fast as possible.
Firstly, it goes without saying that it is important to have your body fat percentage within a sensible range, however, that isn´t the whole story. Just search the hashtag #thickfit and you´ll discover a veritable feast of thicker women rocking their beach look with a confidence. The key then is – a tight body, it doesn’t matter what the scale says a tight body is an attractive body.
No matter what your starting point with these five simple moves you can make some marked improvements. This program is designed to target key areas and every exercise has been included for specific reasons and give you maximum returns on your effort.
Try 3-4 sets of 15 reps for each exercise. Warm up and cool down with jump rope or sprints and watch your body respond.
HIP THUST
Barbell Glute Bridge/ Hip Thrust
WHY:
A key indicator of youth is a perky rear, so if your looking for a for a rounder firmer bikini but by using hip thrusts, this move continues to gain popularity in gyms around the world with good reason. The hip thrust and its variations are great for:
- Improving glute strength
- Increasing glute size
- Improving aesthetics of glutes (higher, rounder, firmer)
- Improving performance in athletics
- They train the quads and hamstrings as well, but to a much lesser degree, making them especially useful for women who want to increase the size of their glutes without significantly altering the size of their legs.
HOW:
- Sit on the ground with your legs extended and a flat bench behind you, perpendicular to your body.
- Roll a loaded barbell over your legs and position it directly above your hips. (Using a pad on the bar can help with any discomfort.)
- Push yourself back into the bench behind you, as close as you can, with your upper back touching the bench.
- Start the lift – with your feet pressing into the floor and your upper back on the bench supporting your weight, extend your hips up, pressing the bar toward the ceiling until full lockout. Hold and squeeze/flex the glutes.
- Lower the bar back down toward the floor slowly, letting your hips drop down and back before repeating the lift.
Coach tip: When pressing the bar up, don’t just think about extending the hips straight up – try to think about squeezing up and in when you press for a more efficient contraction of the glutes. If using a band around the thighs, you can try pressing outward when squeezing.
BACK EXTENTION (Exercise not shown)
WHY:
The ideal Instagram bikini pose sees girls sticking their butt out just enough to make sure it looks its absolute best, while also keeping your back upright enough to make sure the pose is family-friendly. You need to build a specific lower back muscle for this. That’s why you’ll see back extensions on almost every bikini competitor’s workout program. Throw into the mix how cute those back dimples look and you´re onto a winner.
HOW:
Following the below mentioned 8 steps, you can succeed in performing Back extension/ Hyperextension exercise:
- Rest with your face down on a hyper extension benchletting your upper thighs and lower hips support on the support pad. Make sure you’re in a position, with your waist acting as the fulcrum between your upper and lower bodies. Waist must bend freely on the bench.
- Now, lock your ankles under the lock pad.
- a)Starting position: Make your body absolutely straight from head to toe and start the exercise. You may fold your arms across your chest, place them behind- over the back, or you may place them by the side of your head.
- b)Final position: Now very slowly but steadily bend your body in the forward direction. Relax your abdominal and back muscles.
- Continue the stretching of your back downwards, to as much extent as possible, feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings. Stay in the same position till you count one.
- Now, you got to return to the position you started from by contraction of your abdominal and back muscles until you reach the initial straight position. Remember not to arch your back after completing the movement. Pause for a moment and repeat.
Coaching tip: You may note that as you improve your strength and flexibility by performing Back extension/Hyperextension exercise, you can start placing a weight plate against your chest to enhance resistance.
PUSH UPS
Works Chest, Triceps, Shoulders and Abs
WHY:
There aren’t many exercises that engage every muscle in the body, burn significant calories and tone up the abs quickly. Some might say plank but push ups effectively an advanced plank. Push-ups are one of those moves that provide major benefits without taking too much time to actually do. This all-in-one move strengthens the core, upper body and quads, and will leave you feeling like you got a killer, total-body workout.
- Get into a full push-up position, forming a straight line from head to heels.
- Bend elbows 90 degrees, lowering body toward the floor in 3 counts; push one-quarter of the way back up from the floor, then lower chest back down without touching.
- Push all the way back up to starting position in a count of 3.
Coaching tip: as this move is quite advanced to modify, place knees on the floor, squeeze your shoulder blades together and aim for depth.
LUNGES
WHY:
Even in its most basic form, the lunge works multiple muscle groups at once.
This move tightens and strengthens the muscles in your legs, while using your core for support. Lunges are also a good functional exercise. Functional exercises develop and train muscles to make everyday activities easier and safer. She explains that lunges fall into this category because they closely resemble a normal walking pattern.
HOW :
1: Stand up straight, with your feet together and core tight. Keeping your shoulders back and chin up, step forward.
2: Begin bending your front knee at 90 degrees, keeping your front thigh parallel with the floor beneath it and your back knee brushing the floor. (Don’t extend your knee past your toes, advises Rumsey; otherwise you put too much strain on your knee.)
3: Bring your arms forward for balance and make sure your front foot is placed firmly on the floor. Keep your weight on your front heel. Then, push off your front leg through your front heel to return to the starting position. Tighten your core, thighs and butt muscles as you stand.
Coaching Tip: Making the move a little easier: Step your front foot to the side a bit to give you a wider base of support. This will enhance your balance.
Making the move a little more challenging: Keep your hand on your hips as you step forward and back. This forces your legs and core do most of the work.
MOUTAIN CLIMBERS
WHY:
A true celebrity favourite many athletes and celebs use the Mountain Climbers to tone for their roles. This exercise works your core, but also affects your glutes, hamstrings, shoulders and chest.
HOW:
- Start in a pushup position-hands on floor, wider than shoulder width.
- Pull one foot up, underneath you so that your knee is at chest level.
- As you pull it forward, bend it in, while the other leg becomes extended.
- Alternate foot position rapidly, as if running in place.
- Complete eight-twelve reps for each leg. Do 3 sets.
Coaching Tip: To make the exercise more difficult, you can speed up how fast you climb. If you have a limited range of motion, you can use stairs, boxes, or other elevated plane to make it easier.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like more details or a training establishment or a trainer that we can recommend to help you feel fit and fabulous this summer.
CAIRO GYMS HELPING YOU BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOU.
