You've found
the perfect dress. The
perfect veil. Even the
perfect shoes! There's only
one thing missing -- the
perfectly toned arms you've
always craved. We're not
promising perfection but the
following upper-body toning
plan, designed by Cynthia
Conde, a Gold's Gym national
fitness expert and author of
Bridal Bootcamp: Look
Fabulous on Your Big Day,
is specifically tailored for
the bride-to-be who needs to
shape up for a dress that
exposes her back, shoulders,
and arms.
The best part is, it's easy!
All you need is the floor, a
chair, and a pair of five to
ten-pound dumbbells. Do
three sets total, with 15
reps per set, in a circuit
fashion (i.e., do one set of
one move, then go on to the
next, until you've done one
set of each of the five
exercises. Rest one minute,
then start over again).
Before you begin, do 10
minutes of cardio to warm up
(hop on a treadmill or
exercise bike if you're at
the gym, run up and down
stairs or jump rope if
you're at home -- anything
that gets your heart
pumping). And don't forget
to stretch before and after.Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows
This move strengthens the
middle part of your back.
You should feel a tug
between your shoulder blades
when you do it.
· Stand with
your legs hip-distance apart
holding a pair of dumbbells
with a palm-up grip. Keeping
your back straight, bend
forward at the waist with
your knees slightly bent.
Extend your arms straight
down and look forward.
· Pull the
dumbbells toward your chest.
Keep your elbows close to
your sides and concentrate
on pulling with your back
muscles while you raise your
elbows as high as possible.
· Slowly
lower your arms back to the
starting position.
Seated Dumbbell Press
Get ready to shape and
strengthen your shoulders!
You should feel this
exercise in the front and
sides of your shoulders.
· Sit on a
chair or giant exercise ball
with your feet flat on the
floor, and grab a pair of
dumbbells with a palm-down
grip.
· Press the
dumbbells up until your arms
are fully extended over your
head (do not lock your
elbows).
· Slowly
lower your arms so your
elbows form a 90-degree
angle, then repeat.
Standing Dumbbell Curls
This exercise tones your
arms; you should feel the
burn in between your elbow
and shoulder.
· Stand with
your feet hip-width apart,
holding a pair of dumbbells
with a palm-up grip. Extend
your arms so they rest in
front of your thighs.
· Curl the
dumbbells up toward your
chest in a slow, controlled
manner. Work both arms at
once, and contract your
biceps at the top of the
movement.
· Lower the
dumbbells slowly to the
start position without
allowing them to rest on
your thighs.
Standing Dumbbell Kickback
An exercise for the back of
your arms? Sign us up!
· Stand with
your feet hip-width apart
and hold a pair of
dumbbells. Bend at the waist
until your upper body is
almost parallel with the
floor, keeping your back
straight and your knees
slightly bent.
· Keeping
your upper arms alongside
your body, bend your elbows
to a 90-degree angle.
· Slowly
extend your forearms
backward till they are
almost straight alongside
your body, contracting your
triceps when you reach the
top (don't lock your
elbows). Return to starting
position.
Chair Dips
This move also tones and
strengthens the back of your
arms.
· Sit on the
edge of a chair. Place your
hands by your hips with your
fingers cupping the front
edge of the chair and your
elbows pointing back. Place
your feet flat on the floor,
with your knees bent at a
90-degree angle.
· Bend your
elbows to slowly lower your
upper body toward the floor.
After going as low as you
can, push yourself upward
until your arms are fully
extended.
· Squeeze at
the top position, then begin
lowering yourself again (no
sitting down till your set
is finished!).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All exercises and stretches
adapted from Bridal Bootcamp:
Look Fabulous on Your Big
Day(2004), by Cynthia Conde.
~photo courtesy of
Tonesha Housen |
Fitness
- Upper Body Toner