Free weight workout ideas to look good in a bikini!

punkeson

Hi guys
I've been doing body pump for about 18 months now (mixed in with lots of cardio) and seem to have got to a plateau with it. I've done a few sessions with free weights recently and am now thinking of ditching body pump altogether and replacing it with a free weight workout 2 or 3 times a week.
My aim is to lose a bit more weight (about half a stone) and ultimately I would love to have a kind of bikini fitness body!
The exercises I've been doing in the gym are bicep curls, tricep extensions, overhead presses, lat raises, upright rows and lunges. I've been doing 3 sets of 8 reps as heavy as I can manage. I also do spin once a week (so figure this covers my lower body), run twice a week and do yoga once a week. I watch what I eat but don't bother counting calories.
I would really appreciate any feedback on whether these are suitable exercises for the kind of body I'm after, and any additional advice.
Thanks guys!
Tina x

3laine75

Some good beginner books/routines, starting strength, strong curves, new rules of lifting. Or Stronglifts 5x5 website or there's loads of free routines on bodybuilding.com

ETA: You can still do all of these at deficit till you've lost the weight you want to.

LizL217

Sounds like you want to do some body recomposition and cut down your body fat %. To do that effectively, it's probably a good idea to actually count calories so that you can be more confident that you're actually achieving a moderate calorie deficit.

Keep up with the lifting, and maybe add in some more lower body weight/resistance workouts like squats and deadlifts. Spinning is great, but at the end of the day it is still just cardio, so it's a good idea to do some lower body heavy lifting as well. The rest of your weekly workout plan sounds good.

But creating a calorie deficit is pretty crucial to cutting fat, so don't ignore that part of the equation.