The Strapless Dress Workout: Targeting Overboard Spillage and Back Fat

Pitties, spillage, the muffin top on top, back fat…whatever you call it, a strapless wedding dress can really accentuate unwanted upper body fat.  Add in a tight corset or stiff bodice boning and the problem areas are sure to go overboard.  

If a strapless gown is your dream dress,  cardiovascular activities that get your heart rate revving are going to be your BFF until the wedding day. 3-5 days of cardio a week is a great way to burn major calories to help melt the fat that protrudes out of a strapless dress.  While cardio and a balanced diet is an absolute must, working the upper body muscles will help increase your metabolism,  sculpt lean muscles, and give you a tall, confident posture. 

Add these exercises into your resistance training routine to target your chest and back. Performing 2 sets of 12-15 reps will tone the muscles without them getting overly bulky. If you’re upper body muscles tend to bulk up quickly, do 18-20 reps. Remember, the last 2 reps of every set should be TOUGH.

 

 Pullover (Serratus Anterior & Pectoralis Minor)

1. Lie on a bench or the floor. Hold a medium weight or gallon of water over your chest.
2.  Holding your core muscles tight, with a neutral spine, slowly lower the weight over your head for 2 counts.  Lower the weight only to the point where you can keep your lower back in a neutral position, but no lower than shoulder height.
3. Slowly raise the weight back over your chest for 2 counts. 

Scapular Push-ups (Serratus Anterior, Trapezius)

1. Get on the ground in a push-up position, either on your knees or toes. Make sure their is a long line from the crown of your head to either your knees or toes.
2. Without moving your elbows or shoulders, lower your chest a few inches towards the ground, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
3. Without moving your elbows or shoulder, push your back up towards the ceiling. Round out your back and seperate the shoulder blades away from one another.
4. Advanced: Put your hands on a stability ball or an upside down Bosu ball with your knees or toes on the ground

Bent over Rows (Rhomboids, Lattisimus Dorsi)

1. With feet shoulder width apart, lean your chest forward and hips back. Hold a resistance band or weight by the side of your legs.
2. Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together as you lift your elbows towards the ceiling for 2 counts. Be sure to keep your elbows close to the side of your body the entire time.
3. Slowly lower arms back to the starting position for 2 counts.

 

Punching with Resistance (Serratus Anterior, Lattisimus Dorsi, Trapezius + many others)

1. Attach a resistance band to a solid object, or adjust a cable pulley machine to shoulder height.
2. With a solid bent knee stance, raise your elbows just below shoulder height at 90 degrees.
3. Start with your shoulder blades squeezed together. Slowly punch one arm forward, reaching as far as you can.
4. Slowly bring the elbow back to 90 degrees. Punch with the other arm.

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Motivation: Peeling back the layers

I can see the sweat dripping off the edge of my nose. It falls onto my already drenched shirt.

“Be still and calm through these difficult times” I’m told.  But I fidget and my mind wanders.

“Focus on your breathing and your body will do the rest” I hear.   But all I can focus on is how 90 minutes never seemed so long.

Okay, so this isn’t as dramatic as it seems, it’s just my hot Prana Power Yoga class.  Some days when I’m practicing, I’m soooo not into it. Even if my instructor Alex promised me a free trip to Paris for brunch (my absolute favorite meal) at the Four Seasons, he still couldn’t get me to focus on extending my fingers through a Warrior 2 pose.

So why have I been coming back time and time again for the last 3 years?  Because I know at the end of class, after all the sweating, stretching and contorsions, my body says “thank you”.  I feel lighter, stronger and a bit euphoric. Perhaps the euphoria comes from the 2 pounds of water I sweated out…but no matter, I feel great.  Through the sweat and fidgeting, I was able to see the bigger picture: that conquering the small challenge brought me one step closer to my goals. 

There are 10′s if not 100′s of small challenges you will face every day when trying to live a healthier lifestyle.  Motivating yourself to overcome these challenges is THE hardest part of making positive changes.  Every decision you make (candy bar vs dried fruit,  extra 10 minutes on the treadmill vs cutting a workout short, soda water and cranberry juice vs martini) is an opportunity to peel away a layer of your old self.  Your decision making moment might be 2 seconds at the lunch line counter, but telling yourself “This challenge is an opportunity to do something good for my body” can make hurdles easier to overcome.

Each decision you make is an opening for you to push past your comfort zone and bring a new, fresh layer of greatness to the surface. Some decisions will be tougher than others, to be sure.  But when you come face to face with your next challenge today, focus on the results. Focus on how you will feel after taking charge and conquering the challenge. Know that making this one small decision today could push you towards a stronger, healthier you.