I’m getting married this August! It’s starting to hit me how close it really is.
I’m slowly starting to get excited for the big day. It still seems so far out but with 8 months to go but I’m sure it will sneak up on me.
I’ve been methodically working through all the wedding planning to do lists. My favourite to do list is on theknot.ca and I get to check off things as I go and they magically disappear from my to do list. Every bride’s dream!
One of the year out items is usually start a fitness regimen. I luckily stay fit year round for fitness modelling opportunities however I have been thinking about other brides and what steps they can take to get that fitness routine down pat and focus on 3 key body parts that will get showcased on the BIG DAY.
Back, Shoulders & Arms!
Although I’m a big fan of women taking care of their overall fitness here is a back workout that I love to build some sexy lean muscle and get some definition. I’ll follow up in future blog posts with shoulders & arms!
BACK WORKOUT FOR THE BIG DAY
If you click on the exercise name it will link you over to bodybuilding.com. Then click on Female to see Jamie Eason (one of my favs) demostrate each exercise!
Assisted Pull Ups - 3 sets of 12 reps. Beginners take your body weight and subtract 20 – 30lbs (depends on your strength levels) and put the weight pin on that weight level. Intermediate take 60-70 lbs off your weight and advanced you are obviously doing your bodyweight in pull ups 
Seated Rows – 3 sets of 12 reps. Remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together, and keep your elbows slightly out.
One Arm Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets of 12 reps each arm. Keep you back straight, shoulders square, and elbow close to your side as you raise the dumbbell. Think into your lat and squeeze.
Rope Lat Pulldowns – 3 sets of 12 reps. Keep your knees slightly bent and lower back support by squeezing your glutes. The only way you’ll feel this if you think into your lats and squeeze at the bottom of the motion!
Back Extensions – 3 sets of 10 – 12 reps. Keep your back straight, shoulders rolled back and squeeze your lower back muscles at the top of the exercise. Don’t lower your body to far down. Keep the back muscles engaged the whole time.
Remember to stretch well after the workout. My favourite is the pole stretch!
Hi R,
I am 4.5 months out and still looking to kick 10lbs and improve upper body strength. I have been clean eating for 2.5 weeks now, intro’d cardio back into my life (2x/week @30mins) + strength (2x/week mainly arms/shoulders/back) + one new physical activity per week with the fiancee (squash climbing etc).
Is there anything else I can do to try and speed things up? I am not a fan of scaling back on carbs but is it the only way to kick weight?
Love your blog!
k
You’re going to be the hawtness. Just make sure not to do it the day before, or you might not be able to lift your bouquet.
Hey Kat,
Try doing 1 day a week a full body circuit workout. I love watching bodyrock.tv videos and making my own circuit. Don’t neglect those lower body muscles. They burn a ton of calories when you work them. I wouldn’t cut carbs but you can do some research on carb cycling to get the metabolism into high gear.
Hey Cat,
I giggled at the hawtness comment and not being able to lift the bouquet. I will probably not workout the week of the wedding too intensely just enough to keep my stress levels down
Hello fellow ambassador! I LOVE your blog
. You will be an absolutely gorgeous bride! I am getting married next June (2013) and am definitely going to be amping up the arm and back workouts haha.