BEACH BOD CHEATSHEET

Bathing suit season is almost upon us!

If you skipped out on the gym this winter, not to worry, here’s a foolproof plan to get beach-ready in a month or less — no equipment required. Each of these exercises will take approximately one minute, with one minute of rest after completing all four. Do 2-3 circuits for a 10-15 minute workout and get ready to strut your stuff in the sun come July!



SKIPPING
Trains your entire body, burning calories and targeting your hips, shoulders and core. Skip as many times as you can in 60 seconds and keep count
so you can improve over time.


Be light on your feet, almost silent. Punch your knees to the sky and swing your elbows back behind you, while standing as tall as possible (don’t look at your feet). Try skipping forwards, back- wards, and side to side for a more challenging variation.





VERTICAL JUMP or LONG JUMP
Trains your entire body from fingertips to toes, with a focus on hips, legs, shoulders and core while also improving your overall power and ability to absorb forces.


Stand in an athletic position, swing your arms down as you squat and quickly explode up and forward as far as you can. Stretch out in the air, reach your arms forward and extend your legs fully at the hip, knee and ankle (this is called triple extension). Land as softly as possible, bending at the hip and knee into a squat. Avoid loud thuds or jarring landings. Pretend you are a panther and stealth is your mission. Limit the repetitions as they are high impact, 6-10 is plenty.





PUSHUP with ROTATION
Another full-body exercise with a focus on upper body and core including chest, shoulders, arms and deep abdominal stabilizers.

Perform a traditional pushup, which you can modify and do on your knees if needed. After each repetition, reach one hand to the sky and look up. Hold this position for “one-Mississippi” and feel it deep in your core. Alternate sides each repetition and perform 10-12 repetitions or as many as you can in one minute.



PLANK WITH OPPOSITE ARM & LEG REACH
Focuses on your core stabilizers and rotational obliques – once again this will challenge your entire body but help to firm and strengthen that hard to tone mid section.

Start on your elbows and toes, making sure to keep the hips elevated at the shoulder height (don’t sag in the middle). Holding for one minute or longer is challenge enough for most of us, but adding a reach of the opposite arm and leg will allow you to take it to the next level. The key is to keep your hips from moving side to side (stable in the middle) as your alternate limbs, move slow and smooth. Perform controlled repetitions for one minute or longer if possible.