Are you ready for your closeup?
OK, so you may not be attending the Oscars this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be red-carpet ready for your own moment in the spotlight, even if that spotlight is your living room lamp! By red-carpet ready, picture sleek and sculpted shoulders, arms, back and calves – all the body parts illuminated by those dizzying flashing cameras. Inspiring examples of A-lister ladies with rocking bodies that simply glow in the limelight include Jennifer Anniston, Halle Barry, Kelly Ripa, Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman.
Below is a 30-minute, heart-pumping, multitasking workout to help shape and tone the major body parts seen most on the red carpet (i.e. arms, shoulders, legs, etc.). Because the moves are multitasking (calves with triceps, chest and abs, etc.), you save time and work twice as hard. And with the plyometric cardio intervals, you can tone while slimming and boost metabolism, too!
In addition to doing this workout three times per week, do some jogging/running, weight training, cross-training, outdoor sports or yoga on other days. For nutrition, try to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day with a ton of veggies and fruit, lean meats, fish, nuts, fat-free milk and yogurt. Drink plenty of water and limit or avoid alcohol (especially one week out from any event you want to look smashing for).
Now, are you ready for your workout? Here we go! Do three sets of each exercise segment for a complete 30-minute workout.
Cardio Squat Thrusts
Melts fat, increases metabolism, lifts chest, firms shoulders, tightens abs and tones quads, glutes and calves.
HOW TO DO IT: Perform this move to an 8 count with your favorite upbeat music. Do 2 jumping jacks (counts 1, 2), touch the floor with your hands and jump your legs back to plank position (counts 3,4), do a pushup (counts 5, 6) and then jump back to standing (counts 7, 8). Repeat 10 times.
French-Press Calf Raises
Tones back of the arms for sleeveless dresses, and calves for short skirts.
HOW TO DO IT: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a 10-pound weight overhead with both hands. Lower the weight behind your head, keeping elbows and triceps close to your face. Press back up for one rep and as you lift the weight, rise up onto the balls of your feet. Lower on to our heels as you lower the weight each time.
Reach For The Stars
Sculpts shoulders and strengthens obliques.
HOW TO DO IT: Stand with a 10-pound weight in each hand. Raise right hand to shoulder level. Bend to your left, sliding left hand and weight down your leg as you push the right-hand weight to the sky. Return to standing and lower right-hand weight to the shoulder. Focus on tightening the obliques to lift the body back to an upright position. Repeat 10 times and perform on the opposite side.
Martini Shaker
Works biceps and obliques for an hourglass photo pose.
HOW TO DO IT: Sit on a mat with one 10-pound weight and lean back at a 45-degree angle. Lift both legs off the ground. Place the flat ends of the weight in your palms. Drop the weight into the palm of the right hand and turn your body to the right. Return to center with legs lifted and then drop the weight into the left palm and turn to your left. Pretend the weight is a drink shaker and create your concoction with 20 reps.
Plank Rows
Works upper back for backless and halter dresses, and shoulders and abdominals for a tight tummy pose.
HOW TO DO IT: Put a 10-pound weight in each hand and support yourself on top of them in a plank position, hands directly under shoulders and toes on the ground, knees lifted. Your heels, hips and shoulders should form a straight line, like a plank or a board. From here, lift the right weight off the ground to your ribcage and push your elbow to the sky. Repeat on the other side for one rep. Perform 10 repetitions.
