May 20, 2024

Sculpt Your Beach Body This Summer

Our Take: Summer is here and you should be targeting those problematic areas consistently. We know that weight training has been the new craze in the last century, however, to also achieve maximum results, it is important not to neglect cardio and core activity. If you are looking to get toned, and feel confident in your body, you've come to the right place.

Cardio exercises are essential for burning calories, improving heart health, and shedding excess fat, while core workouts strengthen and tone your midsection, giving you that sought-after flat tummy. Combining these two workout types is a surefire way to achieve a lean, sculpted body.

Here are 5 combination cardio and core workouts to get your beach body ready this summer:

1. HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT)

HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief rest periods, making it an incredibly efficient way to burn calories. Our NEW beach body workout guide gives you examples of cardio and core workouts you can incorporate into your weight training routine. It may be challenging to start with but remember you can always build up to this level and pace,

2. UP-HILL INCLINE WALK, SPRINTING/RUNNING

To help build your stamina, we recommend incorporating this as part of your weekly work-out routine. If done at the start of your workout, it can be great to get your heart pumping. If done at the end, it helps to push your body toward that sculpt you've been longing for. If you are concerned about your knee joints, stick to walking for minimum an hour a day. This is a classic cardio workout that can be done almost anywhere and is just as effective!

3. DANCE FITNESS

Try targeting dance classes that loosen and open up the hips. 30-45 minutes of high-energy dancing can do wonders for your overall coordination. Check your gym for any dance fitness classes: this can be a great way to break into high energy cardio. This will also test your level of stamina while adding that level of push you need when working out in a group setting.

4. CORE WORKOUTS FOR A FLAT, TONED TUMMY

One word...PILATES! Yes ladies, we highly recommend doing at least one pilates class a week to help train your core. Starting off can be very challenging and if you are getting that push via a qualified instructor, it can do wonders for your core, especially the lower tummy, and back.

Strengthening your core not only helps you achieve a flat stomach but also improves overall stability and posture. Plank variations are a fantastic way to engage your entire core: 45 secs to 1 minute is a good time variation to see results. We are also big fans of hip dips, Russian twists and mountain climbers. Adding a 10-15 min core workout at the end of each workout session will definitely strengthen your core which will also benefit your weight training exercises.

5. NUTRITION

It is important to know that nutrition plays an important role here. Nutrition is not only eating healthy, it is knowing when to pay extra attention to your gut including gut cleansing, speeding up your metabolism, fasting and drinking a lot of gut friendly juices (consisting of greens, vegetables and fruit). Adding ginger to your juices can help to speed up your digestion and metabolism.

Measuring your water intake can also contribute to the flush you need to regularly cleanse your body, in addition to restoring oxygen to your cells. Drinking coconut water can also replenish any electrolytes lost from excess water intake. We will tackle nutrition in another post!

Best Part: Achieving a beach body takes dedication and consistency, but with the right combination of cardio and core workouts into a single session at least once a week, can help you to build up stamina, and agility keeping you fit and healthy. Remember, the key is to stay motivated, have fun, and listen to your body.

Ready to take your cardio and core fitness journey to the next level? Download our free Beach Body Fitness Guide here.

Here’s to a fit, fabulous, and confident you this summer!