How to Look Good in Your Bikini: Workout

Bikini shopping and hitting the beach with the right swimwear represents one of the more daunting challenges in women's fashion. The bikini concept also raises conflicting issues regarding materialism, body image, and the exploitation of women. Irrespective of these issues, I must drill down to the core of this article and simply rationalize that women want to look good while wearing a bikini. Certainly, women that have taken the time to read to this point are interested in buying swimwear and showing some skin for several reasons.

First, the benefits of exercise are immeasurable in terms of self-esteem, physical appearance, and cardiovascular health. Secondly, men love it, and fit women will be more likely to attract romantic companions and encounter fewer problems within their own relationships that have already been established. Truth be told, most women are unable to appreciate these subtle differences at the home front, because women rarely date themselves and men are typically terrible communicators.

Of course, our goal is not to objectify women.

I must observe the "if you got it, flaunt it" tack. I am hopeful that women will be proud to shape their bodies to the best of their abilities and enhance whatever they have been given through the genetic Game of Chance. Frankly, I am more impressed with a technically "overweight" woman that works her tail off in the gym and wears her clothing with confidence and flair, than some beauty queen type chick that sits on her behind waxing poetic over Oprah Winfrey.

Ironically, the roles always reverse past the age of 25. All men must nod with the mixed emotions of silent approval, comedy, smugness, and abject horror over the girl that was a fine dime piece at 22 and degenerated into a complete slob at 32 because she thought she was "too cute" to sweat her hair out.

Meanwhile, the homely female that kept her mouth shut and worked hard is in pole position. She remains humbled from her larger days, knows how to cook, and looks good now!

Again, our goal is not to objectify women.

Please consider this guide to hit the gym, workout, shop for complimentary swim wear, and head for the beach, lakefront, or hot tub in style. We will present and detail five separate exercises that target the most critical areas of a woman's body per wearing the perfect bikini. The program calls for working the arms, chest, abdominals, butt, and legs.

Of course, women are clamoring for a look that remains toned, yet feminine. Our regimen accounts for these issues via exercise and the volume of repetitions. I must recommend that women shun exercises and weights that cannot be repped at least 7 times with perfect form to avoid putting on excessive bulk. Still, all athletes must add weight to each set to improve efficiently.

This bikini workout will work best if complimented with the proper diet and cardiovascular routine. I would recommend that beginners and women specifically wishing to look good in a bikini follow this total body routine 3-4 times per week. Veterans of the gym may select to participate alongside the routine 1-2 times per week as a means to compliment and add variety to their respective programs.

Remember to consult with your physician before initiating any workout plan.

#1 How to Look Good in Your Bikini - Strength Training Exercise: Diamond Pushups / Close Grip Bench Press

Women will begin with the tried and true pushup in mind.

However, diamond pushups feature hand and arm placement wrinkles, which will target the triceps and interior of the chest. These exercises are critical to develop nice, toned arms, alongside an improved and healthy bust line. The diamond promulgates a sleek look and mitigates the risk of building bulkier shoulders.

Women will kneel down and place their hands together at an angle where the tips of the index fingers and thumbs meet to form the diamond. The pushup is executed by pressing off the floor and controlling your weight back down to just prior to point where your chest grazes the ground, and back. Take heed, the diamond is a difficult move and beginners may elect to keep both knees grounded or even hit the bench for the close grip bench press.

Females will lie flat on the bench and grab the barbell at the two inner grooves, with both hands resting 6-12 inches apart. Your eyes should be directly beneath the bar to ensure proper positioning. Lowering the bar towards a point right at the chest and exploding back upwards completes the close grip bench press technique. Women should take care to control the weight and not crash the bar into their chests.

Beachgoers that want nice arms to sport hot bikinis will perform 4 sets of 10-15 repetitions of these exercises. Beginners must use a spotter at the bench and remember to increase the weight with every set.

#2 How to Look good in Your Bikini - Strength Training Exercise: Squats and (Lunges / Wall Sit)

We are moving on to the squat bar after a warm up to ensure that women still carry the full tank of energy. Certainly, they will need everything for these critical leg exercises. The squat is one of the more important lifts known to man and will work your thighs, calves, and behind. Obviously, sculpted legs will compliment a fuller backside and this matrix is dynamite in a bikini.

Frankly, I am tempted to instruct legions of women simply to sit there and perform 1,000 burnout sets of squats!

However, I do realize that most women never touch the squat bar and my goal is to make this machine appear less menacing. Beginners should start with the bar and a spotter to appreciate the form. The squat is executed by achieving a solid base with feet shoulder width apart, arching your back, and looking skyward with chin up, prior to lifting the bar off the equipment.

Women will spread their arms and hands, rise up slightly and step back to move the bar into space. Squatters are to balance the barbell behind the shoulder blades to get set.

The full squat motion requires that women take a "seat,'' with hips parallel to the ground and elevate back up to a standing start. The knees should remain flexed and solidly rooted, without flailing to the side. Beginners are best served to locate an experienced spotter, belt, and bar pad to guide them through the technique.

Still, the squat motion is nothing more than taking a seat upon an invisible chair and regrouping to an upright start. Women must not be intimidated because squats are absolutely critical to body shape.

I am advising that women perform 4 sets of 8-15 repetitions at the squat bar. The goal is to begin light with an easy burn and increase the weight with every set. Remember to stretch your legs during resting periods to prevent injury and mitigate soreness.

Veterans and females seeking an alternative to being ogled at the squat bar will clamor for the wall sit. The wall sit is a similar movement and requires sitting down upon thin air against the wall. Hold the position until the point where your legs begin to wobble and give out. Women must cross both arms at the chest to avoid hunching over and cheating themselves.

Women should perform 2-3 sets of the wall sit as an ideal supplement to doing squats. Women that still forsake the squat bar at all costs must give me at least 5 wall sit sets as punishment.

Lastly, the advanced troopers will add 3 sets X 8-15 reps of lunges into the mix. The lunge movement may be completed via barbell or dumbbell and requires that women kick out their lead foot and descend towards the floor.

The front knee and calf is to remain straight, while the back knee barely touches the floor. Women will alternate legs while standing in place or "walking" across the room from end to end. Always maintain a straight back and upright posture for all legwork.

You have nailed the proper technique when particular segments of the gym floor appear to stop, take notes, and admire.

#3 How to Look Good in Your Bikini - Strength Training Exercise: Lateral Pulls and Close Grip Pull Downs

Whew. The worst is over.

Let's get a drink before we hit the pull down equipment. O.K. I don't mean this as a come on, but we are getting your legs right where we want them to turn heads at the beach. Nice legs on a woman are sculpted, yet shapely and remain elegant.

We want enough definition to differentiate between your thighs, legs, and ankles. Slight creases at the calves are nice, but definitely not mandatory. The squat exercises will work the legs to the point where your butt is also more shapely and pronounced against a toned lower half.

Your man must be very happy.

Well, show's over and there is still more work to do. The lat pull device is identified with a seat that is affixed to a lengthy suspended bar affixed to a pulley contraption. Women will mount the machine, adjust the seat to keep the legs tight, and reach for the bar.

Grab the bar with a wide grip (palms away from you) at the grooved surfaces and maintain good posture prior to the pull. Women will keep their arms spread and chest open prior to pulling the bar back to the nape of the neck and controlling the weight back upwards. The lat pull works the arms, trapezius muscles, shoulders, and most importantly, the back.

Women that consider sun bathing to be a staple of the beach scene must dedicate time to the pull down equipment to show off an impressive back.

Females may remain at the same machine and switch their grip to a hold that mirrors the standard underhand pull up for close grip pull downs. The close grip pull down targets the arms, back, and upper chest muscles.

I must direct women to do 3 sets of each exercise at 8-12 repetitions.

Our goal is to build a supple profile and women must remain familiar with their genetics and body type to ensure that the pull down technique does not dominate the workout. Box-like shoulders and the lack of a neck are not exactly attractive features on a woman.

#4 How to Look Good in Your Bikini - Strength Training Exercise: Triceps Extensions

Triceps are the most important muscles of any woman's arms. The triceps mark the area behind the arms, and if left underutilized will degenerate into dangling masses of flab. Certainly, targeting these features is absolutely critical to looking good in a bikini. Tight arms will draw the focus away from the extremities and effectively highlight your womanly curves through contrast.

The triceps extension arrives in several forms. Women will use cables, dumbbells, barbells, or dips at the Captain's Chair to basically elongate their arms with resistance, while the elbow behaves as a fulcrum. Females will select two or three different extension exercises per the bikini workout to sculpt nice arms.

Beginners should approach the pulley-cable extension machine to appreciate the technique. All well-equipped gyms will provide dual handgrips in a "V" shape that is to be snapped onto the end of the cable device. Women will adjust the height of the contraption to allow for the full extension of the arms beyond the waist and reversal to the chin.

The dual handgrip forces athletes to keep their elbows in and tight to the body to isolate the triceps. Women must also remember to arch their backs, lean forward, and jut out at the rear end somewhat to further target these arm muscles.

I am recommending that women perform three sets of 8-15 repetitions with said grip.

Intermediate athletes would be better served to work one arm each set with the single handgrip. Doing so ensures that the individual arms operate independently, mitigating the tendency for the dominant side to do all the work at the expense of balance. Women will also exercise with the benefit of using the off hand as an important spot to squeeze out the last few reps. Athletes will use an underhand or overhand grip at the pulley to hit separate muscle fibers and tone the arms.

Women will be ready to handle the curved barbell after fully mastering the elbows-in triceps technique. Mount the bench and locate a trustworthy spotter to hand off the weight to your fully extended arms. Females may wish to place their feet on the bench and bend at the knees to stay solid for this exercise.

Curved barbells feature grooved areas for hand placement and are to be lowered towards your brow prior to exploding back up towards the spotter's waist. The spotter's role is to guide the weight, and retrieve the equipment at the completion of every set.

Take care, these exercises are referred to as "skull crushers," and we would not want to put you into stunning swimwear at the expense of marring a pretty face.

#5 How to Look Good in Your Bikini - Strength Training Exercise: Abdominal Crunches

Abdominal work is the final piece of the puzzle.

Tight abs will embellish all the work that we have done today in terms of highlighting your bust line, thighs, and hips. Obviously, the woman will not look her best while sporting a bikini that flashes stomach rolls that protrude further out into space than her top half. This stomach test, along with the waist to butt ratio clearly delineates the line between curvaceous and fat.

Our steady dosage of abdominal crunches is set to alleviate these concerns.

Women will simply lie flat on the floor, bend at the knees, and lift both shoulder blades slightly off the ground. Beachgoers must take care to keep both arms crossed and affixed firmly to their upper bodies to encourage balance; good form, and avoid injury.

After performing 3-4 sets of crunches, women must keep both legs stationary and twist to each side to work the oblique muscles. Females will again lift both shoulder blades off the ground for 3 sets to the left and right to eliminate love handles.

Following this oblique work, the woman is to rotate completely and lay upon her stomach. She must then place both hands behind her head and arch her neck and back skyward as far as possible to work her midsection and lower back even further.

Women that are serious about looking good in a bikini will dedicate 15 - 20 minutes towards these critical variations of the crunch exercise.

Advanced athletes will also add the Captain's Chair leg lifts and decline sit-ups to the mix.

How to Look Good in Your Bikini, Conclusions

Yes, I know you hate me now, but it will all be worth it.

Here, try this on.

Whoa! Where did all that come from?

Psst!
(Men: Link this article to your girlfriends and wives, accompany them to the gym if possible, and hope that they don't leave you for another guy after getting right!)

How to Look Good in Your Bikini, Sources:

Kofi Bofah, How to Get a Bigger Butt: Workout, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1805514/how_to_get_a_bigger_butt_workout.html?cat=50

Fitness Magazine, Bikini Body Workout, http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/lose-weight/bikini-season/cardio-sculpting-workout-routine/

Fitness Magazine, Bikini Ready in 4 Weeks, http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/videos/total-body-workouts/bikini-ready-in-4-weeks.htm

Bikini Butt Workout, http://www.bikinibuttworkout.com/