The Buff Bride Bridal Fitness Program For Everlasting Shape

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You’re getting married and you want to be in buff bride shape for the big day. Pilates is your special bridal fitness program. Some fitness routines for that buff bride look are not so special. There are bad videos marketed directly to brides to be and they all offer the same thing: squats, lunges, crunches, and bicep curls. Wake me up in 30 minutes. Pilates strengthens, tones, stretches and relaxes you. It helps to improve your posture and makes you feel good. Sounds like a bridal fitness program to me!

Give yourself at least four months of twice a week workouts to see results. Combine this with a lean diet, cardio, and any other strength training you’re doing and you’re on your way. I’ve worked with many brides to be in my eleven years of teaching and they all want to look great and feel confident in their gown. Most will describe or show me their gown and we’ll focus exercises to suit the type of dress they have chosen.

For instance, a strapless bodice may lean you towards toning your arms and working on back and shoulders since these are the most exposed body parts for that kind of dress.

Here’s a Pilates exercise for your shoulders and upper back:

• The Zipper: Stand with feet together, arms down, hands facing you in fists, as if holding a barbell. With resistance, pull your fists straight up the center of your body all the way to your throat, elbows going higher than your hands and keeping fists together. Imagine pulling up a very large zipper. Pause at the top and lower down.

It’s very important to create resistance within your own body. Repeat three sets of ten. If the dress you’ve chosen is form fitting and mermaid-like, you may want to pay extra attention to your outer hip area.

Here’s a Pilates exercise routine for the legs, butt and hips:

• Side Leg Series: Lie on your left side, legs slightly in front of your body and stacked right on top of each other. Lift your right leg to hip height and swing it in front of you without moving your body. Now swing the leg behind you squeezing your butt and keeping your body still.

Work your abdominals to help stabilize your body. Repeat ten times.

• Follow With Leg Lift: Lift right leg in parallel position just above hip height and lower without resting. Repeat ten times, turn and do both exercises on the other leg.

You may also want to lose a few pounds before your big day. Pilates is a perfect piece of the weight loss puzzle and compliments any exercise routine you’re doing right now. Give Pilates a try. With this buff bride bridal fitness program, you’ll be walking tall and lean down that aisle!

Susannah Marchese- is a certified Pilates fitness instructor and senior contributing writer to the popular and informative website http://www.everything-about-pilates.com/buff-bride.html