This article was originally published on February 22, 2017.
It’s the day before or day of a big event and you’re wondering what you can do to get rid of that extra little bit of bloat and make your muscles pop and look the best you can in your outfit. You don’t need to be going to the Oscar’s to look red carpet ready. It could be a wedding, birthday party, or class reunion. You want to do everything you can to look your best up until the last minute. These 5 exercises will be perfect to do in the days leading up to and the day of a big event. They will quickly tighten and define your muscles to make them pop in your amazing outfit! To help your body get the most benefit from this workout, be sure to stay hydrated, avoid salty, sugary, and processed foods and get plenty of beauty rest. Drinking enough water will help flush out your system and plump up your skin. Eat healthy, high protein foods like tofu, roasted veggies, quinoa, and nuts to maintain energy levels. Follow these tips along with this workout and your bod will be red-carpet worthy in no time!
1. “W” Back Extensions– Lie face down on the ground. Straighten your arms overhead with the palms facing up. Press your hips into the ground as you squeeze your glutes to lift the upper body off the ground as much as you can. Keep your neck in line with your back so you’re not crunching the back of the neck. Bend your arms to pull the elbows in towards your body. If you are not able to lift your torso off the ground high enough to do this, then pull the elbows in more towards your sides. Pull the abdominals in to protect the lower back. Retract your shoulder blades and open your elbows out and up so your palms are now facing the ground. Squeeze your shoulder blades together in this “W” shape before releasing back down. Do five reps before lowering the torso. Repeat two more times for a total of three sets.
2. Twisted Push-ups– This is a full body move that will quickly tone your arms, shoulders, chest, and abs. Get into a push-up position with your legs together. Rotate your body from the waist down so that your knees are facing the side. Bend your knees as you do a push-up trying to keep your shoulders square. Come out of the push-up and straighten your legs back to your original position before repeating on the other side. Continuously switch sides, pulling in your abs to work your core. Do five on each side.
3. Single Leg Shoulder Bridge on Relevé– Tone the back of your legs and lift the glutes with this exercise. Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet close to your butt. Squeeze your glutes and press into your heels to lift your hips into the air. Once your hips are up, lift your heels off the ground so that you are on the balls of your feet. Stay in this relevé position as you straighten one leg up to the sky. Keep your hips square and pelvis stable as you flex the free leg and lower it to the ground without letting the hips drop. Point the foot and kick it back up to the sky. Do five reps and then glue your thighs together with one leg still straight to perform 10 relevé with the foot on the ground. Lower the heel and lift it doing your best to keep your hips at the same level the whole time. Repeat on the other side.
4. Forward and Reverse Lunges– This exercise is a quick way to fire up all of the leg and glute muscles to give them that extra pop before a big event. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Step forward into a lunge with one leg. Make sure to step far enough out so that when you lunge, your knee does not pass your toes. Push off your front heel as you straighten the standing leg and step the free leg to the back for the reverse lunge. Tighten your core to keep balance while transitioning from front to back. To get out of the reverse lunge, press into the heel of the leg that is now in front as you straighten it and bring the free leg back to a forward lunge. Continue lunging with the same leg until you have completed ten reps forward and back. Switch sides and repeat.
5. Criss Cross Sit Ups– Trim the waistline with this all-around abdominal exercise. Lie down on your back with your hands interlaced behind your head. Use your abs to simultaneously sit up and lift one leg off the ground. Bend the knee of the leg that is lifted and twist your torso to bring the opposite elbow to the knee. Slowly and with control, roll back down one vertebra at a time as you lower the leg back down. Repeat with the opposite leg and elbow. Think of twisting your torso off your hips to get the criss cross, rather than just moving your elbow in and out.
If you have more than a few days to prep for your event, you can get more definition in your body by repeating this entire workout 2-3 times. Wearing a backless dress? Do five sets of “W” Back Extensions every day. You can target certain areas depending on what will be most revealed in your outfit. Most importantly, these tips and exercises will get you to your big event healthy and confident!
Do you have a big event that you’re getting ready for?
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Video: Crystal Chin; Music: “Are You Down Down Down” by Finn Pearce
