Body Workout: The Bikini Body Workout

The Bikini Body Workout

Want a workout that'll have you feeling confident enough to rock that bikini? This fat-burning workout routine combines cardio and body-strengthening moves that will tone and tighten all over. Most women have a body part they'd like to improve: a lifted booty, flat stomach or toned arms. The key to improving those areas is to work the entire body. Full-body exercises challenge all of your muscles and burn more calories than focusing on a single muscle group. Read on to see this full-body circuit workout that can be done anywhere. You don’t need fancy gym equipment or a lot of time. Just be ready to sweat!

1. Single-Leg Deadlift With Opposite Knee Raise

Target your glutes and strengthen your core with this balance-challenging move. HOW TO DO IT: Stand with one leg lifted slightly off the floor. Hinge forward at the hips and lower your torso forward and down while raising the lifted leg back behind you. Make sure you keep your back straight and lower yourself until a stretch is felt along the back of your legs or when your hands touch the floor. Return to standing position and complete 10 reps on one side before repeating on the other side.

This challenging plyometric move will blast calories, so make sure to give it all you have! HOW TO DO IT: Start in a lunge with your legs staggered and your knees bent 90 degrees. Jump up and land with your opposite foot in front. Your legs should be bent and your back knee just slightly above floor. Keep your abs tight and your torso upright as you continue to jump, alternating the leading leg. Perform for 60 seconds. TIP: The cardio comes from moving for the full 60 seconds, so if you need, switch to alternating lunges (no jump) and keep going.

Talk about a full-body exercise! This move works the abs, triceps, butt and thighs. HOW TO DO IT: Start in crab position with your hands and feet on floor, your fingers pointing toward your toes and your hips back toward your wrists. Keep your weight in your hands and the heel of one foot, and then extend the opposite foot straight out just above the floor. Press through the planted foot, engage your abs and push your hips to the sky, raising the lifted leg straight up. Continue this move for 30 seconds on one side before switching to the other side and repeat.

Time to get your heart pumping again and sculpt a round booty. HOW TO DO IT: Start in a sprinter position: Weight in your front foot and knee bent at 90 degrees. Keep your chest up and your fingers touching the ground on either side of your foot with your other leg bent behind you. Pressing through the heel of your front foot, jump straight up as you bring opposite knee in front in a controlled motion. As you land, return to starting position by swinging your leg back behind you and touching floor with your hands. Immediately jump back up and repeat on the same side for 30 seconds before switching sides.

5. Downward Dog With Hip Opener to Plank With Knee Tuck

Don’t be intimidated by the long name! This yoga-inspired move will sculpt long, lean muscles by working the entire body and incorporating flexibility into your training. HOW TO DO IT: Start in downward facing dog with one leg lifted toward the sky. Open your hip so you feel a stretch along the front of your thigh. In one fluid motion, lower your hips so they are in line with your shoulders and ankles to a plank position while bringing the lifted leg’s knee to your chest and engaging your abs. Return to starting position by straightening the suspended leg as you extend it back behind you toward the sky. Complete 10 reps on that side, switch sides and repeat.

Challenge yourself with this wide-legged squat-jump variation that targets you booty and hamstrings. HOW TO DO IT: Start standing with your legs wider than hip-width apart and toes pointed out at a 45-degree angle. Bend down and plant your hands on the floor while jumping your legs back behind you into a plank position. Immediately jump your legs forward and remove your hands, landing in the low position of a sumo squat. Squeeze your glutes as you stand all the way up and bring your hands overhead. Make sure to keep a strong back as you squat at the top and bottom of the movement. Keep going as fast as you can for 60 seconds.

7. Forearm Plank With Alternating Leg Lifts

Let’s spice up an effective ab move -- the plank -- with moves that also target the butt. HOW TO DO IT: Start in the plank position on your forearms with elbows under the shoulders. Tighten your abs, remember to breathe and keep your head in a neutral position. Slowly lift one foot off of the floor, keeping the leg straight and engaging your glutes. Lower the lifted leg in a controlled motion and repeat with the opposite leg. Keep it going for 60 seconds.

Time for another burst of cardio with this plyometric exercise that targets the lower body. Your legs might be burning by now, but keep it up! When you challenge your body, you can change your body. HOW TO DO IT: Start with your feet together and knees slightly bent. Jump your feet out and lower into a squat as you reach your right hand down to your left foot. Jump your feet back together as you stand and immediately jump out again, this time bring your opposite hand to the ground. Make sure your torso is straight throughout the move and keep your knees tracking over your heels as you land in the bottom of the squat. Perform this move for 60 seconds.

Related: The Cardio Abs Workout

This move targets your waistline and helps you get those beach-ready flat abs you’re after! HOW TO DO IT: Get into prone position on the floor with your weight in your toes and your forearms. Elbows are directly under your shoulders and body is in a straight line from head to heels. Keeping your body straight, pivot to one side raising that arm vertically above you as you twist. Pause, return to starting position and repeat on the other side. Make sure your abs are tight and you are controlling the motion. Complete 10 reps on each side.

The last burst of cardio is the speed skater move that targets your butt and thighs. HOW TO DO IT: Start with your feet hip width apart. Hop to the right, landing on the right foot while sweeping your left foot diagonally behind the right leg and reaching your arms up and around to your right hip. Immediately jump to the left, switching legs and arms to complete one rep. Perform for 60 seconds.

There you have it -- a bikini body workout that will get you ready for the beach before you know it. Feel free to do one to three rounds depending on your fitness level and add on when you’re ready to kick it up a notch. Do this workout one to two times a week to spice up your current routine or two to three times combined with a few 30-minute cardio sessions to make your own personalized routine. Since you're working your entire body, you don’t need to worry about hitting different muscle groups each day -- just make sure you give yourself at least a day of rest in between workouts. See you at the beach!

Are you already working out to get ready for summer? Will you try incorporating this routine in your current workout plan? What has worked in the past to help you get ready for summer? What are some of your other favorite full-body exercises to tone up quickly? Leave us a comment below and let us know!

Related: The "Burn Fat Faster" Workout