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Get your summer body right now

Published:Wednesday | June 24, 2015 | 12:00 AM
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The dumbbell shoulder press works the three deltoid heads and tricep (three-headed muscles of the arm) and upper back.McDonald demonstrates exercise by holding dumbbell in each hand, 35 lbs each, while he sits on a bench with back support, his feet planted firmly on the floor hip-width apart. With elbows bend and upper arm raised to shoulder height dumbbells are at ear level. As he demonstrates the exercise it pulls his abdominals in so there is a slight gap between the small of the back and the bench, as he pushes the dumb bells up and in until the ends of the dumb bells touch lightly, directly over his head, and then he lowers the dumb bells back to ear level.
Push-ups engage the whole upper body. It hits not only your arms and chest but also your core.
Dumbbell bench press can be used instead of the bench press. To do these exercises sit on a bench with dumbbells resting on lower thigh. Kick weights to shoulder and lie back. Position dumbbells to sides of chest with bent arm under each dumbbell. Then press dumbbells up with elbows to sides until arms are extended. Lower weight to sides of upper chest until slight stretch is felt in chest or shoulder. Repeat.
Hanging leg raise separates and work your lower abdominal mercilessly. To do the leg raise, position yourself in the hanging leg raise machine with your hands holding the grips and your forearms resting on the padded arm rests. Keep your lower back against the back rest and keep your chin down toward your chest. Allow your legs to hang with heels together, knees soft, and toes turned out. Lift your legs straight up in front of you until they are parallel to the floor and your body is piked at a 90° angle. Lower your legs back to the starting position. As you descend, keep your pelvis tucked under to keep the focus on your lower abdominal. When you reach the bottom of the leg raise, reverse and begin your next lift. Start with straight leg lifts, if they become too difficult for you, switch to tuck straight leg lifts, in which you bend your knee on the lift up, and straigten your legs on the back down. If that becomes too hard as well, bend your knees in on both the lift up and the descent; this will reduce the weight your abs are lifting and lowering.
A chin up is a strength-training exercise. It strengthens muscles such as the latissimus dorsi (broadest muscle of the back) and biceps (two-headed muscle that lies on the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow), which extend the shoulder and flex the elbow, respectively. It also works the brachialis (the upper arm that flexes the elbow joint) and the rhomboid muscles, (rhomboid major is a skeletal muscle on the back that connects the scapula with the vertebrae of the spinal column). Both pull-ups and chin-ups are two of the best exercises for back and overall upper body conditioning.To do this exercise, step up and the grasp bar with an underhand shoulder width grip. Then pull your body up until elbows are to your sides. Lower body until arms and shoulders are fully extended. Repeat.For first-timers, to decrease difficulty, use assisted machine, assisting partner, or self-assisted by placing feet on bench or floor under bar.For gym gurus, weight can be placed on dip belt or dumbbell can be placed between ankles to increase intensity.
McDonald demonstrates the cable crunches that work the rectus abdominis which is the antagonist for the spiral muscles. If the abs muscles are weak it put stress on the other muscles which will result in pain it helps to give a strong band around the torso. This exercise can be done by attaching a rope handle to the top pulley of a cable station and grasp an end in each hand. Kneel down facing the stack so the knees are bent 90 degrees. Allow your arms to be stretched overhead -you should feel tension on the cable and a stretch in your abs. Crunch your chest toward your hips and pull with your arms until your head is between your knees and your abs are fully contracted. It is advisable to perform the cable crunches at the beginning of your routine when you’re fresh to avoid injury. It also prevent lower back pain and train your six-packs against strong resistance without a aggravating the lower back.
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Summer is finally here, and if you have not yet firmed up those muscles and added the finishing touches to your summer body, Flair has the right prescription just for you.

Whether you want to get healthier, firmer, stronger, or simply just to be more attractive, there are tonnes of quick and easy workout techniques that can give you the results you are looking for. Flair stopped by at Gymkhana to get some quick and simple workout techniques that can be done anywhere, anytime and do wonders for your body in less than a week.

Personal trainer for more than six years, Mark McDonald, demonstrated a few workout techniques - push up, squats, cable crunches, dumbbell, bench, and shoulder press as well as leg raises, that target the biceps, triceps, abdominal, quadriceps, glutes maxim's, hamstring (chest, core, arm and back).

McDonald noted that weight-resistance training is the best way to burn excess fat and calories, and give you results in no time. But he emphasised the importance of consulting a gym instructor before embarking on any rigorous exercise regime. Here he breaks it down for you.

cathy.risden@lifestyle.com