Fitness

Prom Perfect Body!

Every girl wants to feel and look their best on prom night. Don't let a minor body flaw take away from that feeling. Here you will find ways to improve your body flaws through simple and fun workouts!

Decide what area you want to work on the most. You want to tone up the area that is going to be showing the most on prom night! After you have chosen the perfect dress, begin to work out three months before prom. This way your body will become familiar with the work out and you'll have time to find the right workout for you!

Here are some fitness tips:

• You always want to start with a warm-up, like dancing to your favorite song for ten minutes. This will get your heart pumping and you all prepared for your workout. After your workout, you want to end with a cool-down, try jogging in place and stretching. This will cool your muscles down.

• Keep a bottle of water with you throughout your workout!

• Keep a good posture throught out your workout (relax your shoulders, keep your back straight and belly pulled in).

• Check with a doctor or parent to make sure the workout is safe for you.

Arm and Shoulders toner!

This workout will be perfect if you are wearing a halter top, strapless neckline or one-shoulder strap gown.

*Arms* You will lie on your back with 5 pound weights in each hand. Knees are bent and your butt is raised (this will also work your hamstrings and butt!). Hold your hands straight up with your palms facing each other. Bend your elbows so there is a dumbell on each side of your head(behind your ear). The only part of your arm that should move is your forearm, never your upper arms. Do 15 reps.

*Shoulder* You will be standing with arms shoulder width apart. With a 2-pound weight in each hand, hold both arms out, so you are in the shape of a T. If this is too easy, then increase dumbell weight but never more than 5 pounds (to keep muscles lean and not too muscular). Keeping one arm out straight, lower the other and raise back up. Switch sides. Do 12-15 reps on each arm.

Now that you've worked hard to firm up your arms and sculpt those shoulders, choose a fabulous necklace to draw attention to you shoulders and show them off! To give your shoulders more definition, brush a bronzer onto your shoulders.

This workout will be perfect if you are wearing an open back gown.

Back!

Put an 8-pound weight in each hand and stand with feet apart ( bend knees slightly). You want to become parallel with the floor, do this by drawing in your abs and bending your torso. Your hands should be hanging staight down. Without rounding your back, bring both elbows up. You want to keep your head and back in line by continuing to look at the floor. You want to clench your back muscles so your shoulder blades come together. Do 15 reps. * This will make you more flexible*

Butt!

Place your hands on your hips, with you feet hip-width apart. Slightly leaning foward, lunge back, landing on the ball of your foot. Leg must remain straight, in line with spine. Squeeze butt. Start over into beggining postion with hands on hips. Do 15 on each leg.

Now that you've boosted your back and shaped your butt, show them off! Wear a body shimmer on your shoulder blades to draw attention to them!

This workout is perfect if you are wearing a split, whether it be side, front, or back!

Thighs!

This calls for perfect posture. Start standing with feet hip-width apart. This will make your head, shoulders, and hips in line. With a 5-pound weight in each hand, hands will remain at your sides. Sending your legs into a 90 degree angle, begin to squat slowly, keeping your head and spine in line. *To increase the intensity of this workout, squat slowly and hold for 5 seconds, you can return standing at a quicker pace.* Return to starting position. Do 15 reps.

Calfs!

Stand on one leg with the other foot slightly off the floor in front of you. Keep your balance by touching the wall with your fingertips. Also draw your abs in for balance and toning. With the leg that is one the floor, raise your heel onto the ball of your foot as high as you can. Return to starting position. Do 15 on each leg. *To increase the intensity of this workoutk, put a 5-pound weight in the hand to match the heel you are lifting*

Now that you have toned up those thighs and carved those calfs, show them off! Wear a higher heel than normal, to make your legs appear long and lean.

You now have worked out all your body flaws and have one less thing to worry about for your special night! To maintain that flawless body of yours after prom, here are more workouts!

What's better than having a great body and having fun while doing it? Of course, doing dance moves that involve toning your abs, back, arms, legs, obliques, and shoulders! So grab a friend and get started!

"The Pump" will workout your abs, back, arms, and legs. Start with your feet at least shoulder width apart, no more than 2 feet apart. Bending at the knees, with a rounded back, and arms out in front bended at the elbow, with your fists 2 inches apart. Here's where the pumping comes in! While sqeezing your shoulder blades together and sticking your chest out, your fists should now be a foot apart. While pumping, swing your leg behind you, making your thigh parallel to the floor. You must continue to pump while swinging your leg. Do 3 sets.

"The Twist" will work obliques, legs, and arms. Start with your knees bent. Twist your knees to one side while raising up the opposite hip. Swing your arms over your head according to which hip you raised. Hop to switch sides, so your knees should be to the opposite side with the opposite hip raised, along with arms. Do 2 minutes of "twisting"!

Imagine the Vegas dancers when doing "The Can-Can". This will workout legs, shoulders, and abs. Start standing next to your friend, with one hand on her shoulder and her hand on your shoulder. The other hand is on your hip, while stepping back with one foot. Bend both knees without letting your front knee go past your toes. Bring your back leg up by hopping and swinging that knee at waist level (toes pointed downward). Return to your start position. Do 1 minute on each leg.

"The Plie Pull" will involve a tu-tu. Just kidding! But it does involve ballet moves. Standing arm's width apart, you and your friend need to grab at the wrist. Feet are no more than 2 feet apart, lower your butt as if you were going to sit in a chair( knees shouldn't go past toes). Keeping your inner leg straight, both of you will lift your inner leg and put your foot on your knee (to keep each other's balance, lean away form each other). Hold the position for 3 slow seconds. Your outer arm should bend over your head, toward your friend. Return to your start position. Do 10 "pulls" on each side.

Now if you aren't a dancer, you should try these pilates moves, that will not only tone you but get you relaxed as well.

"The Swimmer" will workout the backs of your legs and arms. While lying as if you were in a pool, meaning on your stomach with your arms, legs, and head lifted about 2-3 inches off the floor. Raise one arm and the opposite leg even higher about 1 foot off the floor. Hold for a slow count of 2. Now switch arm and leg and continue to switch back and forth in a controlled motion. It should look as if you ar actually swimming. Do 2 sets of 6 on each leg.

"The Star" will workout arms, back, obliques, shoulders, and butt. Start on your kneees, facing foward and lower one hand to the floor up under your shoulder (knees need to stay firm on the floor). Raise the opposite arm toward the ceiling and your leg should raise as well, matching the arm that is lifted towards the ceiling. Gracefully look up and hold for a slow count of 3 seconds. You will arch your back by lifting your hand that is lifted towards the ceiling over your head, behind you. Your leg that is still raised should now bend and begin stretching by pointing your toes back. Hold for a slow count of 2 seconds. Do 6 stars on each leg.

"The Double-Leg Kicks" will workout back, abs, and shoulders. Lying on your stomach, with your hands on your back, make your feet parallel to the floor by bending your knees. Gently kick your butt twice with your heels. Straighten your arms and legs, allowing them not to touch the floor(feet should be about 6 inches from the floor). Hold for the count of 3 slow seconds and return to start position. Do 6 double-leg kicks.

"The Teaser" will workout abs and legs. Lying on your back with your hands by your side, and your head and shoulders lifted, your shins should be parallel to the floor. Straigtening your arms and legs by lifting your upper body and arms off the floor, will pull your abs in (your body should look like a backwards check mark. If you find this hard, you can keep your knees bent. Hold for 3 slow seconds and start over at start position. Do 2 sets of 6.

So if you're not into dancing or pilates, then I have the perfect workout for you! Strengthening moves! We'll begin with the one-leg squat, then a plank tap, and onto the lunge press, ending with a power punch crunch!

"The One-Leg Squat" will workout legs and butt. Start facing a friend, while grabbing at one another's wrist with one hand(same wrist). Both of you should bend a knee while resting your foot at your ankle. Pulling away from each other while lowering your butt, as if your were getting ready to sit down, the two of you will help one another balance. Remember to not let your knees go past your toes. Hold for 2 seconds and return to start position. Switch legs and grab the opposite wrist. Do 2 sets of 10.

"The Plank Tap" will workout abs, arms, and butt. Start in a push-up position with your forearms on the floor. To help keep your back in a straight line and to keep your butt from sagging, tighten your abs. Continuing to tighten abs, begin to squeeze butt, and for 5 seconds as you move one foot about 3 feet to one side. Return to your start position in a push-up on forearms. Do one set of 12 on each leg.

"The Lunge Press" will workout legs, arms, and shoulders. Grab a dumb-bell(no more than 5 pounds) for each hand and put them at your side. Step back into a lunge position (both knees bent). Your feet should be 3 feet apart, but remeber to not let your knees go past your toes. Keeping your elbows tucked at your sides, begin to pump weight over your head. Staying in the lunge position, with your abs tucked in to help you balance, continue to pump the weight up to your shoulders. When pumping, your shoulders should be shoulder-width apart and palms facing outward. Return to start position. Do 2 sets of 10 on each leg.

"The Punch Crunch" will workout abs and arms. Lying on your back and pulling your knees up, to make your shins parallel to the floor. At the same time lift your shoulders up off the floor. Place your fist above your chest, and punch one arm across the opposite side of your body. Hold for a slow count of 3 seconds. While shoulders are still lifted, begin to punch arms back and forth across body in a fluid motion. Do a few punches and hold a few in between punches for a slow count of 3 seconds. Return to start position. Do 2 sets of 15.

If you want to showcase one area more than the other to empahsize a certain body part, here are workouts that will work together and focus mainly on toning that area.

To tone just arms and back, do the star, lunge press, the pump, and the plie pull workout.

To tone just the abs, do the teaser, plank tap, punch crunch, and the can-can.

To tone just the legs, do the swimmer, double-leg kick, one-leg squat, and the twist.

Now you have a toned body for that perfect dress and a great body that will stick around after that special night!