Want to look shapely this summer in a bikini or speedo? Washington Sport Club in Alexandria suggested the following exercises:
Beach Blanket Bridge
Working on your tan? Sculpt your glutes at the same time!
While lying on your back, bend your knees, with your feet flat, hip width apart.
Squeeze your glutes and lift hips up off your towel.
Hold bridge for 30 seconds (or long enough to reapply your suntan lotion to your lower back).
Beach Ball Abs
The perfect equipment for your beach workout? A beach ball! Grab a ball from the kids and keep your abs bathing suit ready with the reverse crunch.
Place beach ball under your bent knees, and reach arms down by sides (palms down on towel).
Exhale and draw knees towards chest, lifting hips off of towel. Slowly lower back to starting position. Work up to doing 25 reverse crunches.
Upper and Lower Body Extension
After you have flipped over to even out your tan, try this move: with arms and legs extended, slowly lift chest and thighs off of towel, focusing on using the back to raise the body.
Slowly lower to towel and repeat. Work up to doing 15.
Cricket
Got a great beach novel? Work on your rear while you read with this move: lying on stomach, with body propped up on elbows (so you can read), bend knees at a 90-degree angle and flex feet.
Slowly lift right knee off your towel, sliding right ankle up to your left heel. Keep inner thighs squeezing and both hips on your towel during the move.
Slowly lower right knee down and reverse on the left. Try for 15 on each side.
Triceps Push Up
Get down on your towel and tone your arms at the same time. From a plank position, slowly bend arms and lower chest towards your towel (keeping your elbows drawn into your sides while they bend).
Stop just before your chest touches your towel and then bring body back up to plank pose. Repeat. Try for 1 set of 15 before you rest and finish your tan.
Swimming
Practice your backstroke OUT of the water! This pilates move targets your back, abs, arms and glutes. Lying on your stomach with arms and legs extended, slowly lift chest and thighs off towel.
Next, lift left arm and right leg slightly higher, alternate on the other side.
Try moving from one side to the next as quickly as you possibly can, but keep your torso still while your arms and legs move. Work up to swimming for a full minute.
Sand Bucket Butt Blaster
Standing with feet hip width apart, slowly sit back into hips, bend knees (squat) pick up a bucket of sand.
Slowly return to standing position while holding bucket. Repeat. (Make it harder by using wet sand – its heavier!)