Get Beach Ready In 4 Weeks With This Bikini Workout

What does this workout do?

This workout is designed to get everybody looking great in their bikini or tankini on the beach. Over the 4 week program you will burn calories and tone up all those bikini areas that are hard to hit, such as the abs, arms, shoulders and bum! 

Exercise is just part of the program, all the exercise you do will not be worth it if you don't adjust your nutrition to match. Try and decrease the amount of carbohydrates you eat late in the evening and have them earlier on. Also aim to eat 4-5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and drink plenty of water. You need to stay hydrated to keep you body functioning efficiently and to increase the amount of calories the body burns.

The workout plan is structured into a cardio burn session and a toner workout. So you can do both on the same day or space out the sessions to train 6 days a week. You can mix and match the sessions to suit your lifestyle and as most of the exercises require little equipment you can do it anywhere. So you need to exercise at least three to four days a week, and progress through the program as follows:

Week One and Two                                                          

Day 1 - cardio burn                                                            

Day 2 - rest                                                                        

Day 3 - cardio burn and toner workout

Day 4 - rest

Day 5 - cardio and toner

Day 6 - rest

Day 7 - Toner workout

Week Three and Four

At this point you should think about upping the intensity and time of your workouts. During the toner workout where you use weights try to increase the weight you lift. Also complete the cardio burn but complete each series 7 times and as an addition you can also increase circuit time to 1min per exercise in the toner workout.

Day 1 - cardio burn

Day 2 - rest

Day 3 - Cardio burn and toner workout

Day 4 - rest

Day 5 - cardio and toner

Day 6 - rest

Day 7 - Toner workout

Cardio Burn 

Try to find 3 days a week to fit in at least 30 minutes of cardio - it doesn't have to be going to the gym and hitting the treadmill - you could play tennis, join a fitness class or swim.

Start with a gentle walk and then complete the 5 minute series 5 times:

0-2 minutes - Walk at a fast pace which is sustainable but do not go into a jog

2-3.5 minutes - Break into a fast run for 10 seconds and then walk for 20, repeat this 3 times

3.5-5 minutes - jog at a steady pace without stopping. Then slow walk for 2 minutes and repeat the series again.

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When you progress on this program you will increase the amount of series' that you complete but also think about upping the intensity so running a little faster. A good method is measure the distance you travel and see if you can beat it week to week to help motivate you and push yourself harder.

Toner Workout For Beach Body

As well as cardio work its important to include some muscle or resistance to work to boost the level of calories burnt and to shape up and tone those hard to hit areas. Try the following circuit of exercises 3 times a week but try not to do them on back to back days.

Complete each exercise for 30s up to 1 minute with 30s rest between exercises.

Monkey Rows

Stand facing a bench or core stability ball, bend your knees slightly and lower your chest slightly to angle towards the floor. Place one hand on the ball or bench for balance and hold a dumbbell in your hand. Hold the dumbbell out at shoulder height to the side and extended and curl the weight into your armpit. Extend to starting position and repeat.

Plank

Start in the push up position with your legs fully extended. Lower yourself so you are resting on your forearms and your palms are down to the floor. Hold this position keeping a straight line down your body.

Rear Leg Raise: Start on all fours. Simply lift one leg as if pushing the sole of your foot to the sky as far as you can. This works the bum muscles (glutes) and gives great tone and definition to your behind. Do half of the allotted time on one leg and then switch.

Shoulder Press Squat

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and hold them resting on your shoulders. Keep soft knees and try not to lock them. When ready lower yourself into the squat position being careful not to push the knees over the toes, raise yourself back to standing and push the dumbbells up over your head until the arms are fully extended. Lower back to shoulder height and repeat from the start. 

The last few exercises work specifically on the core muscles such as abdominals, oblique's and the lower back. They are great for hitting those hard to tone regions of the lower belly and sides to get a great bikini body.

Standing Twists

Stand upright holding a large core stability ball in front of you with arms outstretched. This is a simple move, turn using your abs so that the ball is at each side, using a twisting movement. However, you must make sure your hips stay facing forward and you don't use them to help twist.

Russian Twist

Get into a sit up position where your upper body is about half way between laying down and a full crunch. Hold a medicine ball in both hands and raise your feet off the floor, balance using your abs and twist to touch the medicine ball on each side of the floor. Continue this for the full time span.

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In Out Push Up

This is a slightly more advanced move but there are 2 ways to complete it to suit your ability. Start in the upward phase of the push up position with arms fully extended and on your toes not knees. Place your palms in front of you flat on the floor with your thumbs touching. In turn move each hand out to the side and turn the thumb out. Then return each hand to start position. (if want a more advance version complete a push up when palms are in the out position).