Pace Paw Print

Summer is on the horizon, and it's time for all of the trademarks of winter to melt away. People are putting their jackets and their sweatshirts away, and moving to the lighter t-shirts and tank tops.

Unfortunately, when the more revealing clothing comes out, most people realize that they have to get rid of one other bit of winter baggage: extra pounds.

According to Lynn Bode, personal fitness trainer, the first step is to get on the ball: the exercise ball. They are inexpensive and allow you to perform hundreds of different exercises to do in order to get your body toned for the beach.

It wasn't until recently that the versatility of the exercise ball was realized, but now these oversized toys are used in everything from weight loss training to sports training.

Exercise balls help accentuate the effectiveness of typical callisthenic workouts such as push-ups, crunches, and leg presses. When it comes to summer fitness the most loathed muscle groups are the abdominals and the obloquies. They are the perfect muscle groups to flatten the stomach, and make the bikini or bathing suit fit just right.

In a recent study by the American Counsel on Exercise (ACE), they studied 13 of the most popular abdominal exercises in order to see which ones ranked most effective. Dr. Peter Francis found that crunches completed on an Exercise Ball is the number one overall exercise for sculpting abs due to its decreased use of thigh muscles per each motion.

Bode also stressed the importance of adding resistance training to weekly workout routines. The most effective and safe way to add resistance into a workout is starting on the larger muscles and then working out the smaller muscles. Not only do people build up strength, but this can help people lose those much needed pounds.

Changing up strength training is also important. Fitness coaches recommend varying your workouts every few weeks, beyond just changing the muscle groups. Try a completely different exercise routine, and this will keep you progress and challenge your body.

Another style of workout borrowed from high endurance sports such as swimming and running is the interval workout. One of the most effective ways of burning calories is interval training. This involves periods of high intensity and low intensity.

Intervals can also mean timing a workout instead of setting an amount of repetitions. This will push the person working out to do their best rather than just an arbitrary number. This challenges the body, and also gives it time to rest maximizing effects of the workout.

Cross training is another way to get more from a workout. Alternating strength training and interval training days will allow you to use different muscles on different days. This gives the body time to recover from the intense workouts.

On a more obvious note, it is also important to analyze eating habits. According to Bode, if maintenance or dropping a few winter pounds is the goal, there is no need to cut out all carbohydrates, cut out all sweets, or to change up an entire diet. Just taking out one thing from your diet may be enough to make the difference. Cutting soda from your diet can save you 1050 calories in one week.

For most people, it is a challenge to find a significant amount of time to work out during the week. Personal trainer Paul Wilson says that people should, "turn everyday ordinary situations into positive fitness experiences. One of the quickest ways to get in shape for summer is to ignore modern conveniences such as elevators, cars, and remote controls."

Even small changes like jogging and running back to a dorm from class can cut out a significant amount of calories.

For those short on time, swimming is also an exercise that is perfect for toning for the summer. Swimming burns the most calories per hour, than running and most typical aerobics classes. It is constant resistance training on both the flex and reflex, and also great for strengthening breathing. A healthy respiratory system can mean a more effective workout on all fronts.

It's only April and there are still a few months to get ahead of the crowd and build up that healthy summer body. According to ACE, three months of consistent working out is just the right amount of time to hit a short term goal of a firm body that weighs a few pounds lighter. After reading this, consider putting some of these recommendations into practice, and mark a three month goal to the day on the calendar. Reach for that goal, work hard, and there shouldn't be any problem hitting it.

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