Now that spring is here--err, sort of--your thoughts might be turning to how you might look in a swimsuit when summer arrives in about 12 weeks. Of course, Boise isn’t exactly a beach town, but with the many rivers, streams and lakes throughout the Treasure Valley and beyond, there’s a good chance you’ll be in a swimsuit at some point. Whether you’re heading out for a day of boating at Lucky Peak Reservoir or just a lazy float down the Boise River, you’ll want to have those soft spots toned up and looking good. Here are five simple exercises you can do to help get yourself in shape.
No gym? No problem. You can do all five of these moves at home with simple equipment like dumb bells, a medicine ball or stability ball, which you’re likely to have lying around the house. Click on the links to learn more about each exercise and its proper technique.
Pushups You want to know why people still do old school exercises like pushups? Because they work. The pushup remains one of the most effective exercises for working your core, sculpting your shoulders and arms, and toning your chest. That’s a good start on perfecting your beach body. If you can do 10 in a row, great. If not, work your way up. Strive for 3 sets of 10 and then increase to sets of 15 and higher.
Biceps curls Whether you want to build muscle or just tone up, the biceps curl is an essential exercise for any workout. Increase weight if you want to build muscle. Increase reps to tone up. Start with 3 sets of 10. The last few reps should be difficult to complete, to the point of failure.
Lunges Your upper body only accounts for half of you, so let’s not neglect those legs. The lunge will sculpt your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and gluteus muscles. If you want to challenge yourself, add a couple hand weights as you work. You can choose dumb bells, kettle bells, a medicine ball or even barbell plates. Do 3 sets of 10 on each leg. If you have a large space, you can also do walking lunges, alternating legs for each set.
Sit ups Let’s face it, if you’re like, oh just about everyone, your stomach could use a little toning. Though sit ups won’t trim inches off your stomach—only cardio can do that—they will help strengthen your core muscles, giving you a leaner, more toned appearance. Don’t just knock out 50 and be done. Use proper form and do variations to work all of your core muscles. Try them on a stability ball, holding a medicine ball and twisting to each side, or pressing the all up over your head. Aim for 3 sets of 15 for each variation.
Burpees Funny name, serious exercise. This move is a wimp weeder, sorting out the strong from the not so strong. They look easy. After all, it’s just squat, pushup, squat, jump. Come on, how hard is that? But going from upright to prone to upright again will elevate your heart rate in a hurry. It’s challenging work, but it’s totally worth it because you’ll be burning fat, and they work all major muscle groups. Do a set of 10 between every other exercise listed. Then catch your breath.
Finally, if you really want to tone up, you’ll need to do some cardio. It doesn’t have to be intense. A walk or jog through your neighborhood or along the Boise River Greenbelt is a great option. How about a hike through the beautiful Boise Foothills? Or go ice skating at Idaho IceWorld for a fun, calorie-torching workout. Try to get 30 minutes of cardio each day and perform the above exercises every other day and you’ll be in beach body shape in no time.
Talk it up:
Are you ready for swimsuit weather?
To receive all of the Boise Healthy Living Examiner’s articles, click on subscribe or the RSS feed button. Each week, you’ll get informative articles on Need to Know, and Good for You Food of the Week, plus seasonal features like Spotlight Sport, Healthier Holiday, Broncos Challenge, and more.
Comments