Summer is on the way, which means fewer clothes! That’s why now, more than ever, you probably want to be in the best shape you can possibly be. Well, we’re here to help you do just that with a fresh new workout to get you ready for the big Summer reveal!
And it doesn’t matter if you live close to the beach or not, you can still sculpt a sexy physique with this full-body workout. So bring yourself, bring your motivation and get ready to kick some booty! And remember, it’s not all about the workout…
1. Remember to Eat Clean
Getting a beach-ready body isn’t just about the workout: if you’re not already eating clean, then you’re definitely not getting the best results you could be getting. Especially when it comes to fat-loss, eating clean is a must! If you haven’t already seen it, we’ve put together a beginners guide to eating clean just to get you started.
Remember, clean eating isn’t about starving yourself, but rather about eating healthy foods and massively reducing the unhealthy ones. In fact, once you’ve cut down on the unhealthy options, you’ll probably find that you’re eating more of the good stuff.
Two simple fat-loss things you can do today are:
-
Replace soda with water.
-
Cut down / cut out sugar.
We put together a guide on how to kick a sugar addiction to make it a little easier for you. It’s tough, but remember if you go without sugar for 3-4 days, the cravings will be 99% gone.
2. Remember the Cardio
When you want to burn fat and get seriously lean and toned, then you’ve got hit that cardio. It doesn’t need to be running or jogging, it can be anything which gets that heart-rate up: jump rope, hill sprints, there are a ton of things you can do.
And it doesn’t need to be low-intensity steady state (e.g. jogging, treadmill), you could try out high-intensity interval training.
If you’re doing low-intensity stead-state cardio, you probably want to aim for 3 – 5 days of 30 – 60 minutes cardio a week.
If you’re doing high-intensity interval training, 3 – 4 days of 20 – 40 minutes cardio per week will probably be enough.
3. Have Fun
Even though most of us want to get lean and toned, to get the six-pack or sculpt those sexy curves, we’ve got to remember to have fun. Look, it doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re miles away from your goals, or if they’re just around the corner, the important thing is that you’re taking action – no matter how small – and that’s something you can be proud of every day.
When we put away our concepts of perfection, of comparing ourselves to others and just get down to having fun and really enjoying what we do, in the unique way we do it, that’s when life becomes much more wonderful.
So remember to have fun with your workouts! And with that, here it is…
Beach-Ready Body Workout
Type: Full-Body; Bodyweight (Free weights optional)
Arms
Push-ups (any variation) : 4 sets of 8 – 10 reps
Up-downs : 3 sets of 10 – 15 reps
Dips : 4 sets of 8 – 10 reps
Shoulders
Pike Push-up : 4 sets of 8 – 10 reps
Wall Walks : 4 sets of 60 seconds
Back
Pull-ups : 4 sets of 6 – 10 reps
Supermans : 3 sets of 8 reps
Abs
Bicycle Crunches : 3 sets of 20 reps
Leg Pull In : 3 sets of 20 reps
Booty
High Step-up with Knee Raise : 4 sets of 20 reps
Glute Bridges (1-Leg) : 4 sets of 15 reps
Glute Kickbacks : 3 sets of 15 – 20 reps
Legs
Sumo Squats : 4 sets of 15 – 20 reps
Forward Lunges : 4 sets of 15 – 20 reps
Standing Hamstring Curls : 4 sets of 15 – 20 reps
Calves
Standing Calf Raises : 3 sets of 20 – 30 reps
Cardio
Burpees : 4 sets of 60 seconds
Notes:
To make it easier, halve reps and times and work up to it.
To make it harder, add free weights and do the more challenging variations of exercises.
Some exercises have free-weight versions, see exercise videos.
Remember to fit in cardio 3 – 5 days a week, some ideas:
Uphill Walking / Hill Sprints
Stair Runs / One legged Stair Hops (careful!)
Jump Rope
Jogging
Clean eating + strength training + cardio = great results!
Exercise Disclaimer
In the interest of your safety, it is important to check with your physician before beginning any exercise program and to exercise according to your fitness level and capabilities. If you have any questions, please seek the guidance of a health professional.
Exercise Videos
Arms
Shoulders
Back
Pull-up Alternatives:
Abs
Booty
Legs
Calves
Cardio
How was this workout? Let us know in the comment section below!
Rachel
This looks like a great workout and I can’t wait to try it! I was wondering though if there is an alternate move that I could do instead of the pull up. I have never done one before, and I don’t have access to a pull up bar at the moment.
FitBodyHQ
Glad you like it!
Great question; pull-ups are one of the more challenging body-weight exercises, not just because they’re hard, but also finding a pull-up bar to use.
As far as alternatives, here are a few, but you’ll need some equipment (from around the house) to make them work:
1. Inverted Rows (broomstick): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ymRTZS6zw4
2. Inverted Rows (sheet): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXlxWq1Tz1I
3. Dumbbell Rows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mP8zWhydlA
4. Doorknob Towel Pull-Ups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNJvGy6beBo
Hope that helps!