Summer Body Shape-Up

SUPERSET MOVES

Do Part 1: Superset Moves (6 exercises below) and Part 2: Fast Fat Burn Cardio workout three days a week for a tighter, toned body.

This routine minimizes rest time and maximizes calorie burn and toning. Do the 6 moves that follow in pairs (or supersets) without a break between exercises. Then rest 1 minute before performing the next pair. Start with 1 set of the recommended reps for each superset, adding a set each week until you're up to 3 sets, with a 1-minute break between sets if needed. Warm up with light activity such as marching in place for 5 minutes.

SUPERSET 1
Hands-Up Squat
Do: 15 reps

STAND with feet more than shoulder-width apart and fingers laced behind head.

A. Keeping elbows back, bend at hips and knees and lower until thighs are almost parallel to ground. Press back to standing.

B. Challenge yourself: From the down position, explode upward, jumping a few inches off ground, landing softly with knees slightly bent.













Single-Leg Bridge
Do: 12 reps per side


LIE with knees bent, feet flat, arms at sides. Extend right leg, keeping knees aligned. Tighten abs, contract left glute, and lift hips off ground so body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Slowly lower hips without touching ground.




















SUPERSET 2

Step-Up
Do: 15 reps per side


FACE a bench or high step (about 12 inches) with left foot on top, knee directly over ankle, foot flat. Press into left foot and lift body onto bench, tapping it with right toes. Keep abs tight and don't lean forward. Slowly lower to starting position.




















Stability Ball Leg Curl
Do: 12 reps


LIE with heels on stability ball. Contract abs and glutes and lift hips off ground so body forms a straight line. Bend knees and roll ball toward hips. Pause, then extend legs, keeping hips lifted the entire time.


Challenge yourself: do single-leg curls, keeping opposite leg raised up in the air.
















SUPERSET 3
Split Squat
Do: 8 reps per side


STAND 2 to 3 feet in front of a bench with top of left foot on bench. Keeping abs tight, bend right leg and lower until front thigh is parallel to ground. Keep front knee behind toes and don't lean forward. Press back to standing.

















Mountain Climber
Do: 10 reps per side, alternating legs


ASSUME a full push-up position. Pull right knee toward chest, keeping abs tight, and hips level. Extend right leg back to starting position and repeat with left leg.

Sculpt a Lean Body

The secret to scoring a dancer's trim and toned shape is to work your muscles less than you're used to. Yep, you read that right. Dancers practice concentrated movements that function as deep sculpting tools to create long, lean muscles. Those coveted results are what have inspired dance-infused fitness programs such as Pure Barre, the total-body workout that combines Pilates, yoga, and dance to target the body areas all women struggle with—core, hips, butt, and arms.

Wall Pushup

Stand facing a wall with your arms extended in front of you, shoulder-width apart, palms resting on the surface. Bring your legs together and rise up onto the balls of your feet (a). Bend your elbows until your chest nearly touches the wall (b). Push back to the starting position. Do this for 30 seconds. Then continue for another 30 seconds, this time using a smaller range of motion and a faster pace.

Standing Turnout

Place your hands on your support, feet in a narrow V. Extend your right leg behind you (point your toe to five o'clock), lifting your foot off the floor. Slowly lift your leg up and down by an inch for 30 seconds. Repeat, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. Next, make small circles—as if your toe were tracing a quarter—for 30 seconds, then reverse the circles for 30 seconds. Repeat the entire sequence with your left leg (toe pointing to seven o'clock).

Scissor Curl

Lie on your back with shoulders and feet raised, right leg extended up, and hands behind knee. Slowly curl up and down by an inch for 30 seconds. Continue, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. Next, bring your left arm up to your ear and curl for 30 seconds. Then reach your left arm toward your right ankle, curling for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat the sequence.

Parallel Extension

Stand next to your support, and extend your right leg in front of you, keeping your left knee slightly bent. Slowly lift and lower your raised leg by an inch for 30 seconds. Repeat, using a smaller, faster motion, for 30 seconds. Next, make small circles with your leg (as if your toe were tracing a quarter) for 30 seconds, then reverse the circles for 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat the entire sequence.

Semi-Foldover

Place your forearms on your support and rest your head on your arms. Lift your right leg, foot flexed, and bring your heel toward your butt. Press your heel up and down by an inch for 30 seconds. Continue, only smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. Extend your leg and slowly lift up and down by an inch for 30 seconds. Continue, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat the entire sequence.

Curl

Sit with your knees bent, holding the backs of your thighs. Round your back and lower it toward the floor, contracting your core. Slowly curl down and up by an inch for 30 seconds. Then bring one arm up next to your ear and continue curling for 30 seconds. Switch arms and repeat. Finally, bring both arms to your ears and curl up and down for 30 seconds.

High V

Stand next to your support, feet in a narrow V. Rise onto the balls of your feet, keeping your heels glued together; bend your knees, bringing your butt down toward knee level. Slowly move down and up by an inch for 30 seconds. Repeat, smaller and faster, for another 30 seconds.

Wide Second

Stand next to the support, feet more than hip-width apart, toes turned out. Lower your body about six inches. Slowly move down and up by an inch for 30 seconds. Continue, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. With knees bent, rise onto the balls of your feet, then lower your feet; continue for 30 seconds. Repeat, faster, for 30 seconds.

The Ultimate Fitness Plan 2010

To get a slim, sleek, scorching body without losing steam, you need a workout that doesn't totally take over your life and keeps your muscles guessing so you see constant results. That's why trainer Valerie Waters, who has gotten A-listers like Jennifer Garner into on-screen shape in only six weeks, crafted this plan just for Women's Health readers. The WH Ultimate Fitness Plan combines total-body circuits with fat-burning intervals to torch as many calories as possible in the shortest amount of time.

How the Plan Works
This chart outlines the six-week program. You'll do strength-training circuits on three nonconsecutive days, and twice a week you'll choose a cardio workout from the three interval options (see Calorie-Scorching Cardio). You can alter the weekly schedule to fit your needs; just don't do your strength work on back-to-back days—your muscles need recovery time. Use the other days to split up your two cardio workouts and two days of rest.

	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
Week 1	Circuit A	Cardio	Circuit B	Cardio	Circuit A	Off	Off
Week 2	Circuit B	Cardio	Circuit A	Cardio	Circuit B	Off	Off
Week 3	Circuit A	Cardio	Circuit B	Cardio	Circuit A	Off	Off
Week 4	Circuit C	Cardio	Circuit D	Cardio	Circuit C	Off	Off
Week 5	Circuit D	Cardio	Circuit C	Cardio	Circuit D	Off	Off
Week 6	Circuit E	Cardio	Circuit E	Cardio	Circuit E	Off	Off

Body-sculpting Circuits
Each circuit is made up of combinations of the eight moves at right.

Circuit A: Moves 1, 3, 5, 6, 7
Circuit B: Moves 2, 4, 5, 8
Circuit C: Moves 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8
Circuit D: Moves 1, 3, 5, 6, 8
Circuit E: Moves 1 through 8

Complete each circuit three times. During weeks one and two, start at the lowest number of reps in the range given, working up to the maximum reps by week three. If you haven't exercised since before Thanksgiving (or longer), Waters recommends that you do each circuit only one time for the first two weeks while your body adapts to the new exercises.

Shape-Up Tools You Need
It pays to invest in the few key items needed for this workout, which will take your physique to the next level. Lucky for you, none cost more than $20 (and if you belong to a gym, they won't cost a thing).

• Resistance band loop (9 to 12 inches)
• Resistance band with handles
• Stability ball
• Chair, step, or bench
• Dumbbells (two to five pounds)

Side-to-side Hops with Resistance Band

Place the band around your ankles, with your feet wide enough apart to feel the tension in the band, and get into a squat position (A). Hop to the left, leading with the left foot and then following with the right (B). That's one rep. Quickly hop back to the starting position, leading with your right and then following with your left. Continue alternating at a quick pace for 15 to 20 reps.

Skaters

Cross your left leg behind your right leg as you bend your right knee 90 degrees. Extend your right arm out to your side and swing your left arm across your right leg (A). Jump a few feet to the other side, switching the position of your legs and arms (B). That's one rep. Continue jumping from side to side until you've done 12 to 15 reps on each side.

Power Kick

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and abs tight. Step back with your right foot and lower into a lunge (A). Squeeze your glutes as you push up through your left heel, kicking your right leg in front of you as you stand and straighten your left leg (B). That's one rep. Then bring your right leg back into a lunge position and do 10 to 15 continuous reps. Repeat on the other side.

Squat-and-row with Resistance Band

Loop the band through a sturdy object at chest height. Grab a handle with each hand and back away from the object until there's no slack in the band. Hold the handles with your arms extended in front of you as you sit back into a squat position (A). As you stand up, pull your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together (B). Return to the starting position. That's one rep. Do 12 to 15.

Chest Press with Resistance Band

Loop the band through a sturdy object at chest height. With your back to the object, grab a handle in each hand and step forward until there's no slack in the band. Your hands should be at your chest, elbows up and palms facing down (A). Press the handles forward and together at the same time (B). Return slowly, being careful not to go past your shoulders. That's one rep. Do 12 to 15.

Modified Bent-over L/I Raise

Sit on a chair or bench and lean forward slightly. Grab a pair of two- to five-pound dumbbells and raise your arms out to shoulder height, bending your elbows 90 degrees (A). Without changing your elbow position, rotate your forearms up as far as you can (B). Straighten your arms into a diving position, close to your ears (C). Reverse the motion, pulling your elbows back and rotating them down to the starting position. That's one rep. Do 8 to 12.

Stability Ball Circles

Place your forearms on a stability ball and extend your legs behind you, hip-width apart. Brace your abs and raise yourself into a plank position (A). Using your forearms, roll the ball out to the left, in front of you, and back to the right (like a stirring motion) and then pull it back into the starting position (B). That's one rep. Do 8 to 12, then switch directions and repeat.

Get a slim, sleek, scorching body with this workout plan

Ultimate Toe Touch

Lie on the floor with your legs straight and arms out to your sides (A). Raise your left leg and reach your right hand to touch your toes (or reach as close to your toes as you can), engaging your core and making sure both shoulders come off the floor (B). Return to the starting position. That's one rep. Repeat to the other side. Alternate until you've done 10 to 15 reps on each side.