Get Beach Body Ready in 8-Weeks

OK, folks, summer is officially about nine weeks away. Unless you want to hide under a sarong all season, do yourself a favor and follow my workout plan and get your body beach and pool-side ready in just eight weeks!

If you’re the gym type, there’s no shame in calling in the big guns. Maybe you need a personal trainer from one of Gilroy’s top local gyms—, ,  or Camacho’s Muscle House Gym.

If the gym isn’t your thing, train smarter and faster with the 10 exercises listed below. Each exercise focuses on more than one major muscle group, giving you more bang for your buck. Do these exercises four times a week (do the complete circuit twice), followed by a 20-minute high-intensity cardio workout. On the other days do at-least 30-45 minutes of cardio—power walking, hiking, running, cycling, aerobics, swimming—whatever gets your ticker pumping!                    

Beach Body Workout

1. Walking Lunges with Bicep Curl: As you lower into the lunge, bring both arms up to your chest toward your shoulders. Release and return to standing, bringing legs and arms back to starting position. (Alternate 30 reps, 15 per leg)

2. Squats with Shoulder Press: Stand with feet hip-width apart and pointing forward. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Squat down and keep your knees over your ankles and your feet straight. Stand up while raising your arms up and over your shoulders. Lift until your elbows are almost straight. Squat back down while lowering your arms until your hands are at shoulder height again. (20 reps)

3. Flamingo Balance: Stand with feet staggered, left foot forward, holding dumbbells. Lean forward slightly and with right foot, toes pointed, bring leg to hip height and right hand to hip. At the same time, raise left arm to shoulder height, palm down; rotate hand so palm faces up, and curl weight toward shoulder. Touch toes back down and repeat. (12-15 reps, each side)

4. Step-ups: Hold dumbbells in each hand. Stand in front of the bench with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step up with one leg placing the entire foot onto the bench. Keep your back straight and don’t lean forward. Push yourself up using the leg that is on the step. Bring the trailing foot onto the step. Step off the bench with the trailing leg. Try to place the trailing foot at least 12 inches behind the base of the step. Bring the lead foot off and place it next to the trailing foot. (15-20 reps, each leg)

5. Roll-up: Lie on your back with your arms overhead and legs stretched long. Bring your arms in front of you, lift your chin to your chest and roll slowly to a seated position. Stretch your fingers toward your toes.  Roll back down in reverse order. (15 reps)

6. Bird-dog: Get on your hands and knees with hands directly below your shoulders. Bend knees directly below your hips. Slowly lift up your right leg backward, and your left arm forward (so they are parallel to the floor). Hold for 5 seconds and relax. (10-15 reps each side)

7. Front Plank: Sit with legs extended and toes pointed, pressing palms to the ground 6 inches behind your rear, with your fingers pointing to your back. Press body weight into your hands and lift your hips up, forming one line from ankles to your shoulders. As you lift your hips, try to touch the balls of both feet to the ground. Hold for two counts, then return to starting position. (10-15 reps)

8. Turkish Get-up: Lying on the floor, straighten your right arm. Your right leg will be bent at a 45 degree angle, your right foot alongside your left knee and left arm out to side. Stand up while keeping your right arm straight and vertical. Assist by using your free arm, pushing off onto the floor. Reverse the movement by lying back down on floor.

9. Push-up to leg-lift: Straighten your arms and legs so you are in a plank position. Brace your abs and push up onto your toes. Do a slow pushup while lifting your right leg. Repeat the pushup raising your left leg. (15 reps, each leg)

10. Superman: Lie with your face down on a mat and arms straight out in front of you. Keep your neck in a neutral position. Raise your arms and gently raise the chest slightly off the floor to a comfortable height while also raising your legs off the ground, forming an elongated U shape with your body. Your arms and legs should be several inches off the floor. Pause and hold this raised position for five seconds. Slowly lower back to the starting position. (10 reps)

In addition to adhering to an exercise routine, follow a healthy low-calorie meal plan, reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption and ban sugar from your diet (at least 90 percent of the time).

By the time summer rolls around, your winter coat will be long gone, and you will be ready to show off that beach body of yours!