There are ways to customize a workout routine if you’re looking to tone up areas that may be highlighted in your particular style of wedding gown, whether you are aiming to maintain, lose or gain weight. (Bee Murphy/The New York Times)
You’ve found your dream wedding dress. Now it’s time to make sure you look your absolute best in it on your special day. If you’re looking to tone up — whether you are aiming to lose, gain or maintain weight — consider customizing your workout routine to address targeted areas that may be highlighted in your style of gown.
Kit Rich, a personal trainer and Pilates instructor based in Los Angeles and founder of the Kichgo workout kit, suggests starting at least three months before your wedding date, though she notes that the more time you have to prepare, the better the results. “Set realistic and healthy goals based on the amount of time you have before your wedding day,” she says.
Here are a few fitness routines, specifically tailored to your style of wedding dress.
Ballgown:
Targeted toning areas: core, biceps, triceps, shoulders, back
Low-intensity: Do a circuit that includes three sets of 10 repetitions each set of planks, chest push-ups, biceps push-ups and lateral shoulder raises with moderate weights.
High-intensity: Do a 12-minute HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) routine of simple burpees — with intervals of 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest. Swimming and climbing rope at the gym are also great high-intensity choices.
A-line:
Targeted toning areas: shoulders, chest (pectorals), biceps, triceps, back
This type of dress will show off your shoulders and arms, so the best approach would be to work on the entire upper body, focusing on the shoulders and back.
Low-intensity: For your shoulders, do one to two sets with 10 to 15 reps each set of side lateral raises with weights or resistance bands; for your chest, do wide-arm modified push-ups; for your back, do Superwoman, triceps kickbacks with weights or resistance bands, and forward and side biceps curls with weights or resistance bands.
High-intensity: For your shoulders, do one-minute burnouts of one to two sets of military presses; for your back, do chest presses with weights and assisted pullups; for your triceps, do diamond push-ups and biceps hammer curls with a kettlebell (fast up, slow down, then reverse).
Trumpet:
Targeted toning areas: core, hips, biceps, triceps
This silhouette accentuates a small waist and wide hips.
Low-intensity: Do three sets of 10 reps each of squats, lunges and planks.
High-intensity: Incorporate a 12-minute HIIT routine, with intervals of 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest, that includes burpees, lateral lunges, jump squats and strides with jump. Jumping rope is also a good alternative.
There are ways to customize a workout routine if you’re looking to tone up areas that may be highlighted in your particular style of wedding gown, whether you are aiming to maintain, lose or gain weight. (Bee Murphy/The New York Times)
Mermaid / Fit-and-Flare:
Targeted toning areas: core, waist, buttocks
Focus on your waist, abdomen and buttocks to rock this dress. Standing ab exercises such as barre workouts help improve your shape for this dress silhouette and mix up your workout.
Low-intensity: For your core, do one to two sets with 10 to 15 reps each set of Pilates hundred, roll-ups, toe taps and bicycle crunches; for your glutes and hamstrings, do a glutes bridge, Pilates swimming and bird-dog; for your shoulders, do triceps kickbacks and dumbbell forward raises.
High-intensity: For your core, do one to two sets of one-minute planks with oblique knee tap, side V-ups, reverse crunches and flutter kicks; for the glutes and hamstrings, try stability ball hamstring curls and pulses, back lunges with optional lunge jump, single glutes bridge, and plank rows with weights; for your triceps, diamond push-ups and military presses with weights or barbell for shoulders.
Strapless:
Targeted toning areas: biceps, triceps, chest (pectorals), shoulders, back
Low-intensity: Target your chest area with one to two sets with 10 to 15 reps each set of wide-arm push-ups, modified on knees; for your back, do Pilates swimming; for your shoulders, do triceps kickbacks with resistance bands or weights, side lateral raises with weights or resistance bands, and biceps curls with weights or resistance bands.
High-intensity: Target your chest area with one to two sets of one-minute plyometric wide-arm push-ups with jump clap; for your back, do plank rows with weights; for your shoulders, do triceps dips and military presses. For your biceps, try alternating hammer curls with weights or resistance bands.
Open/Low Back:
Targeted toning areas: back, buttocks
Low-intensity: Do three sets of 10 reps each set of lateral arm stretches, with resistance bands, back crunches on an exercise ball, planks while lifting weights one arm at a time, and dead lifts with a straight back.
High-intensity: Do a 12-minute HIIT routine, with intervals of 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest, that includes stepping burpees, squat jacks and push-ups. “Swimming is also a great high-intensity workout, but should be done in moderation, so that your back does not get too wide,” Posada said.
High-Slit and Mini Dress:
Targeted toning areas: thigh (quadriceps), hamstrings, glutes
Low-intensity: Do four sets of 10 to 15 reps each set of squats, hamstring curls, stiff-leg dead lifts, leg presses, and lunges.
High-intensity: Challenge yourself by using barbells, dumbbells, or machines at the gym. Resistance bands are also a good option, and can be incorporated into your workouts. Do an entire leg workout using resistance bands with exercise moves such as fire hydrants, lateral band walks, squats-to-lateral leg raises, hip bridges and donkey kicks.
Plunging Neckline:
Targeted toning areas: chest (pectorals) and core
Low-intensity: Do three sets of 10 reps each of chest push-ups, planks, simple ab crunches, lateral flexions and twists.
High-intensity: Do a 12-minute HIIT routine of simple burpees, reverse crunches, and pelvic raises with legs extended, with intervals of 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest.
The New York Times