Start your fitness TODAY! By Tera Busker

Fall has just started and winter is right around the corner, but is it too early to be preparing for your summer wardrobe?

Absolutely not! Shorts and swimsuit weather will be here again before you know it, so here are 4 great exercises to incorporate into your workout this winter to get you in a “shapely” shape for this summer. (Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.)

Tricep Dips
When you wave goodbye, does the underneath of your arm continue to wave even after you stop? To tone up your arms, give tricep dips a try.

Starting Position

Sit on the edge of a chair and wrap your hands over the front edge. Walk feet out slightly so your hips are out past the edge of the chair.

Action
Lower hips toward the floor until your elbows are bent to 90 degrees. Press up until your elbows are straight, but not locked. Work up to doing 15 reps and 3 sets of this exercise.

Clock Lunges
Clock lunges are guaranteed to tighten up your booty, slim the hips and give you well defined legs.

Starting Position

Imagine you are standing in the center of a clock. Straight in front of you is 12:00, to your right is 3:00, behind you is 6:00 and to your left is 9:00.

Action
Lunge with your right leg to each of the 12:00, 3:00 and 6:00 positions. Lunge with your left leg to each of the 6:00, 9:00 and 12:00 positions. Each time you lunge, make sure to return to the starting position before lunging to the next position.

Once you have completed each position, you have done 1 cycle. Work up to doing 5 cycles and 3 sets of this exercise.

Plank Up Downs

Plank Up Downs will tighten the entire core, strengthen the chest and give you definition in your shoulders.

Starting Position

Get into a pushup position (on knees or up on toes) with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders.

Action
Slowly drop down into a low plank position (on elbows) one side at a time and pushup yourself back up into the high plank. That is one rep. Work up to doing 10 reps and 3 sets.

HIIT
The best and most efficient way burn fat and torch calories  is through HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training. It’s a short workout that alternates between short blasts of high intensity work with bouts of lower intensity “recovery” periods in less than 30 minutes.

Action

Warm up for 5 minutes. For the next 10 to 20 minutes alternate between 30 seconds of very intense exercise (like running) and 90 seconds of lower intensity exercise (walking or complete rest).  Follow that up with a 5 minute cool down.

HIIT training is very difficult and should not be done more that 2-3 times a week and never 2 days in a row.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net