GREAT workouts for brides

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mtaylor404
mtaylor404 Posts: 23 Member
Hey ladies.. I thought I would share this:

I am working with a trainer right now who works with alot of brides. Her suggestion is the following:
If you want to look great in a dress, focus on toning! Not only does building muscle boost your calorie burning capacity, it also tightens. Alot of women are cardio-obsessed and just want to burn calories. But don't forget to tone up and tighten up with strength-training!

(BTW, I am also wearing a strapless dress so will be hoping to tone my upper body for the big day!)

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  • JennBrown83
    JennBrown83 Posts: 131 Member
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    awesome advise, i'm working with a trainer too and 90% of our workouts are strength training to tone the muscle I have because lean muscle does burn more calories at rest than fat does. I've noticed I"m losing a lot of inches and I'm starting to see definition in my upper arms again which is great. I only see her for another couple weeks but I'm looking forward to keeping up with it once I stop seeing here. I love the results I'm getting :-)
  • fae713
    fae713 Posts: 30 Member
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    The best ways to tone, especially when you're first starting out, is to use lighter weights, something that doesn't make you start straining too much after 10 reps and make sure that you do more than the typical 2-3x repeat. Toning is all about the smooth, controlled and repetitive motions. It initially doesn't feel like you're working all that hard, but after the tenth iteration you start feeling pretty sore.

    Something else I like to take advantage of is that you can work your abs every day as long as you rotate what you are doing and pay attention to your body. Even something like push ups work your abs pretty hard if you are concentrating on keeping your back straight and keep your abs tight for each push up.
  • CharleeA
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    Ive been going to the gym but so far havent ventured near the weights (lots of men posing in the mirror ha ha!!) I would love to give it a go but a little unsure where/how/ehat to start with!

    If anyone can help that would be great!x
  • puggleperson
    puggleperson Posts: 740 Member
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    Thanks for the advice!!! I need to start weight training asap!!! I agree with your trainer!
  • Naomi113
    Naomi113 Posts: 270 Member
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    hahah awesome guys i have a personal trainer to :bigsmile: only pay $5 a 1hr session woot woot she is awesome her biggest focus in to help ppl lose weight not about the money.

    Yes we do a lot of strength training to in a big circuit style session but we also do cardio in-between each strength training to keep the heart rate up.. heart rate to is important as well!!! if doing a lot of strength training remember to stop get that heart rate back up and back to strength training.

    and ladies if not having a long dress and showing legs LOTS OF CALF RAISINS !!!! for those showing arms lots of DB flys, Lawn mover!!! ( in position like your about to pull the lawn mower cord but have a 5kgs weight and pull up to your rib cage and back down this is a slow!!!! pull do not do it fast) lay on your back with some weights in hands position near your breast and push up to the sky but keep a bent elbow just a little as you can get a thing called tennis elbow for extending to far in your arm joint very pain full!!! do these 2 set of 12, these are really great for cleavage and arms to. also if any of you have a straight bar lay flat on your back grab your straight bar ( these are used for bench press etc to place weights on) slowly ever so slowly hold it above your breast straight arm little bent in elbows then lower it to your thighs or how far you can (still laying on back ) pull it slowly back up past your head do this 2 lots of 5 these are really great but it has to be done ever so slowly and remember to only go as far as you can.. you don't want to pinch a muscle . only ever go as far as you can..

    if any one dose not have a personal trainer and needs more tips with items like weights, fit balls, etc let me know i may have a few to help you :bigsmile: and be more then will to share what we do...


    oh yes abs are awesome.. we do ab compressions 2x 20 they are awesome, reverse crunch they are hard 2x20, toe touches, obliques, sit ups , crunches, push ups(for those who get lower back pain like i do raise your feet place your feet on a step or something a little high and try them then it takes the pressure of your back) cycling on the ground really great. fit ball sit ups are great too.
    Yes and so agree our trainer says if your using a lower weight do more reps say 3x 10 but if doing a heavy weight only to 2x say 10... and always build up slowly.. on your weights.. and every thing is about technique she drills into us as well
  • Naomi113
    Naomi113 Posts: 270 Member
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    Ive been going to the gym but so far havent ventured near the weights (lots of men posing in the mirror ha ha!!) I would love to give it a go but a little unsure where/how/ehat to start with!

    If anyone can help that would be great!x

    why not buy your self some 3kgs weights hun there a great weight for all arms etc.. and do it at home :) that way your not fighting with the men for the weights hahahahah....
  • mtaylor404
    mtaylor404 Posts: 23 Member
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    Ive been going to the gym but so far havent ventured near the weights (lots of men posing in the mirror ha ha!!) I would love to give it a go but a little unsure where/how/ehat to start with!

    If anyone can help that would be great!x


    IGNORE THEM! I usually try to find a place somewhere in the corner (not wear the grunting weight dropping meat heads are) and I bring a few hand weights with me (usually a set of 8 and a set of 10) and then some dumbbells. I lift about two days a week and I divide it into "push" moves and "pull" moves. (Meaning on one day you do moves where you are pushing the weights away from your body, and one day where you are pulling them.) If you divide it like that you are isolating muscle groups that work well together and you are making sure to hit everything.

    I do abs almost every time I work out (the one muscle group you can always work out.) And I usually do legs (squats, lunges, hip abductors and adductors, etc) one or two days a week (depending on the amount of the cardio I do.) Every once in a while I will wear ankle weights or wrist weights while I am doing cardio to add some resistance, which is an easy way to start.

    Its nice, as a women, to exercise in a way that is making you stronger. I know we all want to loose weight, but it is nice some times to stop thinking about the numbers (inches, pounds, whatever) and just work on making our bodies stronger!
  • CharleeA
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    Thanxs for the advice girls!! Im heading over to the gym tonight so I might brave it, ignore the posing men and head to the weights section! I desperately want to tone as well as lose as i think it will make a such a difference! x
  • candypantz85
    candypantz85 Posts: 3 Member
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    One way I like to put it... I've shed my top layer, now I want to tone up which I know will help me get rid of my last few and help tighten me up. My first adventure trying on dresses is in 1 week!!!
  • Naomi113
    Naomi113 Posts: 270 Member
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    One way I like to put it... I've shed my top layer, now I want to tone up which I know will help me get rid of my last few and help tighten me up. My first adventure trying on dresses is in 1 week!!!

    woohooo how exciting YAYAY your going to look great!!!! takes some tissues :)
  • candypantz85
    candypantz85 Posts: 3 Member
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    Yeah... i already have a feeling i'm going to shed some tears... just because of how long i've waited to finally be able to marry the one I know I'm meant to be with... was in a relationship for 8 years and thought he was everything, boy was I wrong!!! haha But I'm lucky enough to have found one who has everything I wanted and lets me know that i'm not settling.
  • Naomi113
    Naomi113 Posts: 270 Member
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    wow sounds awesome and so know the "one" feeling and isn't it great.. sometimes i have to remember what we have and not take it for-granted as it takes some ppl a life time to find the "one"