THE VACATION COUNTDOWN - Printer Friendly

THE VACATION COUNTDOWN

Here’s how to get your body bikini-ready in four weeks — guaranteed!

By Myatt Murphy

June 10, 2009

MUSCLEANDFITNESSHERS.COM

With the clock ticking, it takes a carefully designed program to melt away those pre-vacation pounds and transform your body into a shape worth showing off. In the July/Aug 2009 issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers we presented our readers with a three-step program to get a 100% beach-ready body in just four short weeks.

Since this is an all-inclusive program not all the exercises we presented in the magazine were explained so we compiled a list of all exercises and their description for you here for easy reference. So get ready to put on that two-piece because after this program you are going to be ready to hit the waves!

NOTE: See page 52 of the July/August issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers for the complete 4-week diet & exercise program.

EXERCISES EXPLAINED

Dumbbell Swing

Stand up straight holding a dumbbell with both hands (hand over hand) in front of your thighs. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward at the waist until your back is at a 45-degree angle. The weight should move between your legs. Quickly push your hips forward and extend your knees to return to standing, swinging the dumbbell up and in front of you to head level. Reverse the movement until the weight is again between your legs.

Hanging Leg Raise

Grasp a pull-up bar with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and hang freely. Bend your knees slightly and point your feet down. Next, tilt your pelvis upward and slowly lift your legs until they’re parallel to the floor. Return under control to the start position.

Exercise-Ball Push-Up

Kneel facing away from an exercise ball and place your hands flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Place your toes atop the ball behind you and get into the top position of a push-up: arms straight, hands directly below your shoulders, back flat and abs contracted. Keeping your balance on the ball, bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor. Slowly push yourself back up and repeat. If this is too difficult, place your shins atop the ball instead.

Exercise-Ball Hamstring Curl

Lie faceup on the floor with your arms out to your sides, palms down, for balance. Bend your knees 90 degrees and rest your heels atop an exercise ball. Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees, then pull the ball toward your butt using only your heels. Pause, then roll the ball back out to the start position.

Overhead Squat

Stand up straight facing away from a flat bench with your feet shoulder-width apart; grasp a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level using a neutral grip. Press the weights overhead until your arms are straight, elbows locked, then slowly bend your knees and hips as if to sit in a chair until your glutes are nearly parallel to the floor and touching the bench without resting on it. Press through your heels to return to standing as you return the weights to shoulder level.

Power Band Assisted Pull-Up

Loop one end of the green Power Band over a pull-up bar and thread the other end through so it’s attached, letting one end hang toward the floor. Grasp the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, palms facing away. Place your right foot in the band’s handle and your left foot behind your right ankle. (The cord will support a portion of your bodyweight during the exercise.) Hang from the bar with your arms straight, elbows unlocked. Slowly pull your elbows down until the bar is directly above your chest, then return to the start position. If you’re strong enough to do pull-ups without assistance, you can perform this exercise without the Power Band.

Walking Abduction

Using either a Dyna-Band or a piece of tubing tied in a circle, step into the band with both feet and pull it up around your ankles. Stand up straight with your feet wide apart, hands on your hips. Step out to the right with your right foot, then follow with your foot but don’t bring your feet together. Instead, make sure your feet stay wide enough apart that there’s constant tension on the band at all times.

Dumbbell Squat

Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides and feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight and eyes forward, slowly bend your knees and hips as if to sit in a chair until your thighs are almost perpendicular to the floor. Push through your heels to return to standing.

Two-Arm Dumbbell Row

Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back flat, lean forward at the waist until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Your arms should hang down in front of you, palms facing in. Keeping your back flat, lead with your elbows to slowly pull the weights close to the sides of your chest, then return to the arms-extended position.

Shoulder Circuit (do the exercises in order with no rest)

Stand up straight with a light dumbbell in each hand, feet shoulder-width apart. >> Bent-Over Lateral Raise Lean forward at the waist 45 degrees so your arms hang perpendicular to the floor, palms in. Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise the weights up and out to your sides until they’re parallel to the floor and aligned with your shoulders, then lower.
>> Lateral Raise Return to standing until your torso’s at about 10–15 degrees. Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise the weights up and out to your sides until they’re parallel to the floor and aligned with your shoulders, then lower.
>> Front-Lateral Circle Stand up straight with your arms down at your sides. Raise your arms in front of you, palms facing in, until they’re parallel to the floor. Next, spread your arms out to your sides (you should look like a T), then lower them back down to your sides.
>> Overhead Dumbbell Press Bring the weights up to your shoulders, palms facing out. Slowly press the dumbbells overhead, then lower them back down.

Ab Circuit (do the exercises in order with no rest)

>> Oblique Plank Lie on the floor on your left side, feet stacked, propping your upper body on your left forearm and extending your right arm straight above you. Slowly push your hips up until your body forms a straight line from feet to shoulders. Pause, then bring your right arm down in front of you under control and place your forearm on the floor, twisting your body into the starting position on your right side.
>> Pilates Curl-Up Lie faceup on the floor with your legs extended and together and your arms along your sides. Contract your abdominals and slowly curl up into a seated position using as little momentum as possible. Take six seconds to rise and six seconds to lower back down.
>> Ball Scaption Lie facedown on an exercise ball so your midsection is fully supported and your arms hang off the front. Your legs should be extended behind you, feet shoulder-width apart, toes on the floor. Slowly raise your torso off the ball and extend your arms in front of you, forming a straight line from hands to glutes. Slowly lower back down.

Romanian Deadlift

Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and grasp a barbell in front of your thighs using an overhand grip. With your knees slightly bent and back arched, shift your hips back and lower the bar until it reaches your shins. Press through your heels and push your hips forward to return to standing.

Dumbbell Woodchop

Stand up straight holding a light dumbbell with a hand-over-hand grip, arms extended over your right shoulder. With your knees slightly bent, slowly twist to your left as you bring the weight across your body and down to the outside of your left ankle. Reverse the motion to return to the start, keeping the movement under control. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

Arm Circuit (do the exercises in order with no rest)

>> Lying Triceps Kickback Lie facedown on an exercise ball so your midsection is fully supported. Your legs should be extended behind you, feet shoulder-width apart, toes on the floor. Grasp a light dumbbell in each hand and pull your upper arms alongside your torso. Keeping your elbows pinned at your sides, slowly extend both arms straight behind you. Lower the weights back down, bending only your elbows.
>> Back Lunge Biceps Curl Stand up straight on an exercise step with a dumbbell in each hand; curl the weights to your shoulders with your palms facing in. Take a long stride back off the step with your left foot and bend your knees and hips until your right thigh is almost parallel to the floor; simultaneously lower the weights to your sides. Reverse the movement by pushing back up onto the step as you curl the weights to your shoulders. Alternate legs for reps.
>> Cable Overhead Triceps Extension Grasp the rope handle attached to a cable with the pulley set at waist height. Turn around and face away from the station and step forward with one foot. Lean forward, bring your arms up alongside your ears and let your hands fall behind your head. Straighten your arms out in front of you, then return under control.
>> Extended-Arm Cable Curl Set the cable pulley at shoulder level and attach a straight bar. Take a step or two away from the station to keep tension on the cable and stand up straight with your arms extended in front of you, palms facing up. Curl the bar toward your shoulders, keeping your upper arms parallel to the floor.

Lateral Lunge Touch

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips. Take a big step to your right with your right foot, then bend your knee until your upper thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Your left leg should be extended with your foot facing forward. As you descend into the lunge, reach down with your left hand and touch the floor by your right foot, keeping your back as straight as possible. Push back up to standing and alternate sides for reps.

Cross-Back Lunge

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips. Step your right foot out to the side, then cross your left foot back and about 18–24 inches behind your right foot. Bend your right knee 90 degrees, keeping your upper body in line with your hips. Push back up to standing, then reverse the move by stepping to your left and crossing your right foot back behind your left leg. Alternate sides for reps.

Forward Lunge Touch

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips. Take a long stride forward with your right foot, bending your knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Keeping your back as straight as possible, reach down and touch your left hand to the floor (or your right ankle), then quickly push back up to standing. Alternate sides for reps.

Exercise-Ball Crunch

Lie faceup on an exercise ball so your head, shoulders and upper back are fully supported, knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms crossed over your chest. Roll back slightly so your lower back meets the top of the ball. Slowly curl your head, shoulders and upper back off the ball, pause, then lower back down.

Cardio Blast

Jump on any cardio machine — or run or jump rope — and exercise for one minute at a high-intensity pace, then for 30 seconds at a low-intensity pace. Repeat this cycle three times before starting the routine again.