Weekend Plus Desk
You’ve found your dream wedding dress. Now it’s time to make sure you look your absolute best in it on your special day. If you’re looking to tone up – whether you are aiming to lose, gain or maintain weight – consider customizing your workout routine to address targeted areas that may be highlighted in your style of gown.
Kit Rich, a personal trainer and Pilates instructor based in Los Angeles and founder of the Kichgo workout kit, suggests starting at least three months before your wedding date, though she notes that the more time you have to prepare, the better the results. “Set realistic and healthy goals based on the amount of time you have before your wedding day,” she said.
Luke Zocchi, another trainer based in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia, and author of ‘The A-list Diet & Fitness Plan’ (Pan Macmillan Australia, 2018), cautions that while you can definitely tone troublesome areas, full body workouts are key to achieving results. “Hit the body parts that you want to tone up a couple of times a week with resistance training and also incorporate cardio sessions into your workout,” Zocchi said.
Here are a few fitness routines, specifically tailored to your style of wedding dress.
Ballgown
Targeted toning areas: core, biceps, triceps, shoulders, back
“This traditional silhouette draws attention to a cinched waist and flat stomach, so incorporate these core-strengthening exercises into your fitness routine to help define your middle,” said Laura Posada, a personal trainer based in Miami. “Also, focus on toning your arms, shoulders and back to balance out the volume of the dress’ full skirt.”
Low-intensity: Do a circuit that includes three sets of 10 repetitions each set of planks, chest push-ups, biceps push-ups and lateral shoulder raises with moderate weights.
High-intensity: Do a 12-minute HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) routine of simple burpees – with intervals of 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest. “Swimming and climbing rope at the gym are also great high-intensity choices,” Posada said.
A-line
Targeted toning areas: shoulders, chest (pectorals), biceps, triceps, back
“This type of dress will show off your shoulders and arms, so the best approach would be to work on the entire upper body, focusing on the shoulders and back,” Rich said.
Low-intensity: For your shoulders, do one to two sets with 10 to 15 reps each set of side lateral raises with weights or resistance bands; for your chest, do wide-arm modified push-ups; for your back, do Superwoman, triceps kickbacks with weights or resistance bands, and forward and side biceps curls with weights or resistance bands.
High-intensity: For your shoulders, do one-minute burnouts of one to two sets of military presses; for your back, do chest presses with weights and assisted pullups; for your triceps, do diamond push-ups and biceps hammer curls with a kettlebell (fast up, slow down, then reverse).
Trumpet
Targeted toning areas: core, hips, biceps, triceps
“This silhouette accentuates a small waist and wide hips,” Posada said of dresses that are form-fitting and gradually flare out at the bottom. “These exercises will help shape your hips and reduce the size of your waist, as well as tone your arms and abdomen.”
Low-intensity: Do three sets of 10 reps each of squats, lunges and planks.
High-intensity: Incorporate a 12-minute HIIT routine, with intervals of 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest that includes burpees, lateral lunges, jump squats and strides with jump. Jumping rope is also a good alternative.
Mermaid / Fit-and-Flare
Targeted toning areas: core, waist, buttocks
Focus on your waist, abdomen and buttocks to rock this dress. Standing ab exercises such as barre workouts help improve your shape for this dress silhouette and mix up your workout. “This Pilates-based workout will also work your triceps and shoulders while you’re toning your core,” Rich said.
Low-intensity: For your core, do one to two sets with 10 to 15 reps each set of Pilates hundred, roll-ups, toe taps and bicycle crunches; for your glutes and hamstrings, do a glutes bridge, Pilates swimming and bird-dog; for your shoulders, do triceps kickbacks and dumbbell forward raises.
High-intensity: For your core, do one to two sets of one-minute planks with oblique knee tap, side V-ups, reverse crunches and flutter kicks; for the glutes and hamstrings, try stability ball hamstring curls and pulses, back lunges with optional lunge jump, single glutes bridge, and plank rows with weights; for your triceps, diamond push-ups and military presses with weights or barbell for shoulders.
Sheath / Column
Targeted toning areas: core, hips, legs, buttocks
To look your best in this long, body-skimming silhouette, focus on exercises that tone your core, hips and legs.
Low-intensity: Do three sets with 12 reps each of planks, mountain climbers and crunches.
High-intensity: Take your workout up a notch with a circuit that includes 20 reps of bicycle crunches to work the entire core, as well as tone your thighs. Contd on page 11
