Make cellulite a thing of the past!
Now that we’re in full-blown swimsuit season, extra pounds and unsightly cellulite have no business making us feel self-conscious and ruining our holiday mood. Get your body bikini-ready with these 5 easy anti-cellulite exercises that you can do every day, in the comfort of your own home!
Summertime means vacation, fun and dreams of exotic islands with sandy beaches and refreshing waters. But for many of us, summer also brings about the anxiety and pressure of getting into shape and looking our best in that summer dress or swimsuit we had our eye on. To that end, we have put together a list of the best, easiest and most effective anti-cellulite exercises, so that you can enjoy your vacation and feel good about yourself.
The butterfly plank
This exercise works pretty much every muscle group: your thighs, your legs, your glutes, your abs and your arms. But, most importantly, it works your inner-thighs, which are harder to engage in classic legs & thighs exercises.
You start in a classic plank position, resting on your forearms and keeping your back straight and in line with the rest of your body. Place two pieces of paper under your toes (you can skip this step if you have slippery floors and wear socks for this exercise), and slowly spread your legs apart as far as you can by gliding on the floor, and bring them back together. Do as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, rest, and then do another set.
The frog crunch
Lie on your stomach, your arms and legs spread apart like a frog. Keeping your abs tight, raise your arms and legs from the ground simultaneously, hold for a few seconds, and then come back down. Do about 30 reps, and then hold the position for 30 seconds.
This exercise works wonders for your hamstrings and glutes, and it also engages your abs and back muscles.
The spring & squat
Start from a classic squat position, with your thighs parallel to the ground and your back nice and straight. As you come up from the squat, raise your right leg and kick it back as high as you can, aiming to touch your buttock with your heel. Go back into the squat, and repeat the movement with your left leg. Once you get used to the motion, speed it up a bit and add a little spring to your step to get your blood flowing and burn more calories.
This exercise is great because it’s easy to do and it works all of your leg muscles. If you want an extra challenge, perform the same exercise using ankle weights.
The tabletop leg-raise
Get in a simple tabletop position – on all fours, with your back straight and your abs engaged. Raise your right leg, bending it so that at the top of the movement your thigh is parallel to the ground. You can do a regular leg raise on each leg, for 30 reps, or, for an extra challenge, you can keep your working leg in the top position and thrust it upwards as if you were trying to kick the ceiling with your heel.
This exercise is perfect for you if you can’t (or won’t) do squats, because it engages all the same muscles, with special focus on your glutes and hamstrings.
The candle thrust
While lying on your back, put your legs together and raise them straight up in the air, imagining your ankles are tied together and pulled up towards the ceiling. Lay your hands on your sides for support, and thrust upwards for 30 seconds, without touching the ground between reps.
This exercise is perfect for those with bad knees or joint problems, because it takes the weight and pressure off of them, while still working those glutes, legs, and abs.
If you want to include other anti-cellulite exercises in your routine, remember to choose exercises that target the problem-areas where cellulite likes to nest: thighs, legs and buttocks.