5 Workouts for Summer

By Olivia Lord

As we’re nearing the end of Spring, you may be thinking it’s too late to get started on that summer body. With discipline, commitment, and five of my favorite exercises, you can get that body that you’ve been promising yourself all Winter. I’ve included workouts to burn fat and tone up those muscles for a summer body you can show off all season.

First off, I know many of you are especially focused on getting a flat stomach. Part of seeing results in the abdominals is working the entire area. This is my favorite ab workout for feeling the burn in the upper and lower abdominals. I personally love a leg lift because it’s a great exercise for working those lower abs, so for this first workout, and to work those upper abdominals as well, we’re going to add a crunch at the top.

Laying on your back, keep your feet together and slowly lower your legs to just above the floor or as low as you can go without your lower back lifting off the ground. Breathe out, and then lift those legs back up to a 90-degree angle. Keep your hips and legs still as you lift your shoulders off the ground and reach for your toes. Try to press into your glutes so you can stabilize your lower body and work those abdominals.

If you’d like to make this one more challenging, add some movement to your feet as they lower and come back up. I like to switch my feet over and under to add some controlled movements that get my abs burning.

This next workout is going to get those hamstrings and glutes looking tight.

Hip thrusts with a dumbbell

Place a heavier-weighted dumbbell on your hips. Press through the middle of your feet and drive your hips up to where they are in line with your knees. Slowly roll up and roll down while keeping your pelvis tucked in. It’s easily forgettable when hitting legs, but always tighten your core so that we keep the pressure off that lower back at all times. After each set, add a 15 second hold at the top to really feel the burn. Most importantly, SQUEEZE THOSE GLUTES.

If you like bicep curls, you’ll love this arm-toning workout. Elbows are in line with your shoulders and your palms will be facing you. Take two light dumbbells and curl them to your shoulders, slowly releasing them back to that extended position in your arms. With this workout, you don’t need to go too heavy as the arms are already using strength to stay elevated.

Let’s finish off these last two on the list with some full-body exercises. One of my favorite full-body workouts that makes me sweat is a squat into a press. Take one dumbbell and hold each side. Keep it close to your chest and as you come into a 90 degree squat, hold it, and press the dumbbell out to full extension. Slowly bring it back in and return to that standing position.

A tip to add is tightening your core. We want to make sure our form is completely correct as well as feel the burn in those abdominals. We can’t forget to do single-leg exercises and one of my favorites is lunges! To ensure that we work our whole body, we’re going to add a shoulder press with dumbbells at the bottom of that lunge.

Starting with your dumbbells racked to your shoulders, you’re going to take one foot back to where your front leg is at a 90-degree angle and your back knee is just above the floor. As you lower down, you’re going to hold and press your arms to full extension above your head, keeping your whole body still. Palms are facing each other, and elbows are staying in. Again, make sure you are tightening your core.

Tip: Check in with your breath. We want to breathe in as we lower into that lunge. Breathe out as you extend your arms, breathe in again as we rack those dumbbells back to our shoulders and then release that breath again to stand back up.

Don’t forget, it’s never too late to get started on a healthier you. Whether it’s a month from Summer, or a couple of days, you won’t regret starting now.

Olivia Lord is a personal trainer at Crunch Fitness.

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