Slimming Down For The Gown
Wedding Tips
General Manager of GuavaPass Hong Kong shares tips on how to keep in shape.
The fitness gurus from GuavaPass Hong Kong have put together 10 easy workouts which you can do at home to help you fit into your wedding dress and make you feel confident when walking down the aisle. You may have several outfit changes on the day and different dresses will accentuate or highlight a different part of your body. So, you'll want to be sure that you look good from every angle possible!
UPPER BODY – ARMS, SHOULDERS & BACK
Exercise 1: Bicep Curls - If your dress is strapless, you’ll definitely want to tone your upper body. One of the more widely popular arm exercises is the bicep curl. Find something you can use as weights and stand up straight with one in each hand by your side, palms facing upwards. Keeping your arms stationary, bend your elbows and curl the weights up towards you until your biceps are fully contracted and the weights are at shoulder level. Slowly lower them back into the starting position and repeat.
Exercise 2: Tricep Dips – Now that you’ve worked on your biceps, don’t forget to do the other side! The back of your arm is just as important if you want to avoid those bingo wings. You can use a bench or chair for this exercise. Facing the opposite direction, place both your hands firmly on the surface behind you, shoulder-width apart. For maximum benefit, extend your legs out and balance on your heels. In one swift motion, bend your elbows and dip down. Make sure to keep your back straight whilst you do this, and try not to cheat and keep those legs straight!
Exercise 3: Push-ups – I would suggest doing a combination of both wide and narrow push-ups (the obvious difference lies in the hand placement) as they address different muscle groups. Wider push-ups target the pectoral muscles whilst the narrow push-ups target your tricep muscles as your elbows are brought in and tucked into the sides. From a full plank position, choose your preferred hand placement and lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, pause and then push back up to the starting position. If this is too hard, then try doing this on your knees.
Exercise 4: Plank Shoulder Taps – Get into a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor. Bring your right hand to your left shoulder and place it back down returning to plank position. Repeat with the other hand. Squeeze your glutes and remember to keep your body flat and avoid swaying. Don’t let your hips sink to the ground. In other words, keep them square. Too easy? Try doing this with your feet placed on top of a bench.
MIDSECTION - CORE & ABS
Exercise 5: Cross Fit Sit-Ups – If your dress is figure-hugging, you'll want to work on your core. If you’re used to doing sit-ups and crunches but to no avail, why not try a cross-fit sit-up? Sit flat on the floor with both knees bent but turning outwards. Place the soles of your feet together. Lean back until your shoulder blades are touching the ground. Then sit up and touch your shoes. This helps you bend your spine in a full range of motion and also ensures that your hip flexors aren’t doing the work, but your abs are.
Exercise 6: Supermans – This lower back exercise involves you lying flat on your tummy in a position that (as the name suggests) emulates Superman while he flies. Extend both arms out in front of you, palms facing the floor. Lift your arms, legs and chest off the ground simultaneously to maximize the effect of this workout and hold. Lower your body back down again and repeat. If you find that lifting all your limbs at the same time is too difficult, you can lift one arm and the opposite leg and repeat with the other arm and leg.
Exercise 7: Russian Twists – This is a great exercise to get your obliques working. Sit in a V-shaped position (your back should be about 45 degrees to the floor) with your legs bent and feet off the floor. Gently turn your shoulders and twist your torso as far as you can to one side. Then, reverse the motion and twist to the other side. For even betters results, use weights.
LOWER BODY – Legs & Butt
Exercise 8: Squats – Want a perky butt like Queen Bey (A.K.A. Beyonce)? Try a simple bodyweight squat. Stand a bit wider than shoulder-width stance and keep your upper body in a nice straight posture. Stick your butt back so that your knees stay in line with your ankles. Keep your head up. Be careful not to lean too far forward past your knees.
Exercise 9: Lunges – As per the above, it is very important that your knees are in line with your feet so as to avoid knee problems in the future. Also, make sure you have the proper form for a basic lunge before you try any other variations. Place your hands on your hips and stand tall with your shoulders pushed back. Step forward with your right leg and lower your body until your front knee is bent at least 90 degrees. Hold and return to a standing position. Repeat with the other leg. You can also try this with weights down by your sides.
Exercise 10: Hip Raise – There are several variations to the hip raise which targets all the muscles in your glutes and hamstrings. Lie on your back with your knees bent. The simplest form is to raise your hips up, hold and squeeze, then release and lower your body down again. To take it one step further, you can lift your hips, extend one leg up in the air, point and flex, then lower your leg back down. Remember to alternate and exercise both legs to even your workout!
We will leave it to your judgment to gauge how many sets and repetitions you should be doing for the best results. It goes without saying that in order to achieve the desired results and look absolutely stunning in that wedding gown, a lot of hard work and dedication are required.
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