5 Best Moves to build your Summer Body this Winter
The holidays are over yet winter is still in full swing. With the short daylight hours there should be a little extra down time right? Time to maybe, oh, I don’t know, dedicate to those fitness resolutions or goals? There are approximately five months until we start breaking out the shorts and tank tops, maybe six months until it’s time to dig out the swimsuits. If you live in a southern state then you can go ahead and chop off about two to three months there, or perhaps you’re already in shorts year round. Whatever your climate situation, there is no better time than now to start working on that summer body. Now, as in right now, as in today! Not tomorrow, not next week, right now. Why do I emphasize the time? Because with many people, when they push back their start dates for their new health journeys, they often keep pushing it back for every little excuse.
“Oh I had to work late this week.”
“Oh, I had a couple parties I had to go to.”
“Oh I had a sniffle this week.”
“Oh the kids had sniffles this week.” (*Notice I said sniffles, NOT fever or flu)
“Oh my friend just broke up with her boyfriend, I had to go out with her for drinks…you know, for comfort.”
These are just a few excuses I’ve heard as a trainer, but really the possibilities are endless. Point in short, start today, not tomorrow. If something happens tomorrow or even next week, you fall off the bike? Get back on.
In addition, starting a new fitness journey in the winter has many advantages. The best way to sculpt a sexy body? Build muscle. But building muscle takes time. Luckily, many of us are buried under a few layers, for the next few months. So no one has to see what you’re working on under there until you’re ready for the big reveal! To top it off the holidays are over, there really shouldn’t be too many popular food filled celebrations to get in your way. So, lets get on it!
But where to start? With social media and the influx of the “online coaches” and “online trainers”, your social media feeds may be a little inundated with workout videos displaying some crazy moves. Moves that I, as a trainer with over 15 years of experience, would NEVER attempt or even suggest. It can be overwhelming and confusing for the fitness newbie, with no real guidance on where to start. For those just embarking, my suggestion is to always hire a certified trainer with plenty of experience, if you can afford it. The trainer is not only there to keep you in check but to also guide you through exercises, teaching proper form. No money for a trainer? Then I highly suggest doing your research, Google exercises, read through and watch videos displaying proper form and technique, whenever possible. But of course, as always when starting any new fitness program or training, get clearance from your physician. ESPECIALLY if you have any prior health issues or injuries.
Now, lets get to the good stuff! Instead of typing out all of my favorite moves I’ve narrowed it down to five. Five basic, but hard hitting moves, that focus on large muscle groups. When performed at least two to three times a week, consistently over the course of a few months, and in combination with a great nutrition program, you are sure to see results.
*I kept the training jargon to basic terminology, for those that may be anatomy challenged.
Push-Ups
Focused body parts: chest, shoulders, triceps, and abdominals
Pull-Ups
Focused body parts: back, biceps, rear shoulders
Deadlifts
Focused body parts: butt, back of legs, front of legs, back, and abdominals
*I LOVE standard deadlifts, they are pretty much a full body workout. BUT PROPER FORM IS IMPERATIVE to prevent injury.
Squats
Focused body parts: butt, front of legs, back of legs, and abdominals
Lunges
Focused body parts: butt, front of legs, back of legs, calf muscles, abdominals and lower back
So, why these exercises? They focus on large muscle groups and even employ smaller muscle groups for a lighter assist. These large muscle groups really set the foundation for some great changes in the physique. Plus, lets not forget, the more muscle we have, the higher the metabolism. And who doesn’t love that?!
Also, working on the upper body, especially creating some width in the back and shoulders, gives the illusion of a smaller waist. So even if you haven’t been genetically gifted with a tiny waist, a strong upper back and shoulders will help you “fake the funk”, so to speak.
But you may ask, why no specific abdominal exercises? All of the above exercises employ the abdominals in one way or the other, most often to stabilize the body. Keeping those abs tight while performing the exercise is a core workout in its own. But if you have time to add in an abdominal exercise or two to your workout, by all means knock it out!
You may also notice there are more leg exercises than upper body exercises. This is because we’re on our legs and feet all day long. Usually, with many people, but not everyone, the legs need a little more beating to get the results we desire.
These are just a few basic exercises that have been, and still are a staple in my own personal training, and are always included in my clients’ programs in some variation or another. But they are also usually in combination with other exercises in the programs I develop. However, these moves combined together on a single training day can also provide a great full body workout if you’re short on time or have limited training days available.
Hope you’re ready to get started! There’s no better time than NOW!
