Sorry to break this to you, but you’ve probably left it too late to carve out a sidebar-of-shame-worthy beach physique. But just because it’s only a month until wheels up, that doesn’t mean you should give up on looking good entirely.
Here’s where your propensity to skip legs day becomes a blessing. “You need to stop doing the same thing and work outside your comfort zone,” says Dylan Jones, founder of online personal training system P4 Body.
Underworked muscles grow faster than those hit all the time. Which means if you target those long-ignored shoulders, back and thighs, you’ll build muscle faster than you can burn fat around your belly. And expanding your extremities acts as an optical illusion that shrinks your middle.
Complete this heavy metal workout three times a week, leaving a day between sessions to let your body recover. By keeping your rest periods tight, you’ll fire up your metabolism to burn excess blubber, while spiking muscle growth. For best results, forgo the pints until you’re at the all-inclusive.
The Cheat’s Beach Body Workout
Each triset works the legs, back then shoulders. By switching between muscle groups you give the body enough time to recover, but keep your cardiovascular system in overdrive, to burn more calories and build more muscle in less time.
Perform 10 reps of each then move straight onto the next one without rest. After each shoulder move, take a 60-second breather, then repeat. Don’t be tempted to extend your rest. Save that for the sun lounger.
Triset 1
Barbell Squat
Set up in a squat rack, with the weight across your shoulders. Squat down, keeping your back straight, until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Drive back up through your heels and repeat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW_C1A-rejs
Seated Cable Row
Sit in front of a cable machine and grab the handles. With your arms extended and shoulders down – no shrugging – drive your elbows back until the handles reach your stomach. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as if you’ve got a golf ball trapped between them. Pause, then return. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZbfZ033f74
Military Press
With your heels together, hold a barbell or pair of dumbbells in front of your chest, palms facing forward. Drive the weight up and over your head until your elbows lock. Pause, then slowly lower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yjwXTZQDDI
Triset 2
Deadlift
Stand with a barbell on the floor, in front of your shins. Crouch down and grab the bar with both hands, keeping your weight on your heels. Drive up to standing, pause, then lower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuBucAGzRBU
Lat Pull-Down
Sit in the lat pull-down machine and grab the handles with your palms facing away. Tense your lats and drive your elbows down to your hips to lift the weight. Pause at the bottom, then slowly lower the weight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5n55mMqSUs
Lateral Raise
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, weights by your side. Keeping your arms straight, lift the weights straight out until they’re level with your shoulders, so you’re in a crucifix position. Pause, then slowly lower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VcKaXpzqRo
Triset 3
Barbell Lunge
Keep the barbell across your back as you step forward with your right foot and sink into a lunge. Both legs should be bent, with your back knee as close to the floor as possible. Drive yourself back up and repeat on the other side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_9sJd9P8M0
Single-Arm Row
Grab a heavy dumbbell and place it on the floor next to a bench. Position yourself with your left palm and knee on the bench, right foot on the floor and back flat. Grab the dumbbell with your right hand and row it up to your hip, keeping your torso locked and shoulders down. Slowly lower. After all your reps, repeat with your left arm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYcpY20QaE8
Front Raise
Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them next to your thighs, palms facing each other. Without swinging, lift the weight straight up until your arms are parallel with the floor. Pause, then slowly lower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t7fuZ0KhDA
