‘Tis the season! No not for caroling and hot toddies. It’s bikini season and that means millions of us are in the maddening dash for tighter abs, higher buns and firmer arms and legs. For some this is just the boost they need to get out of the winter blahs and get their blood pumping at the gym and along the running trail. For others it’s a time to finish off the cookies and candy and chips that have piled up in the pantry because they’re about to binge diet their way into a smaller summer size. Whatever your take on getting into shape, cardio is about to become your best friend (even if you love to hate it). When cardio alone doesn’t melt off the pounds fast enough or when your body hits the point when it knows every move you’re about to make, a few simple add-ons to your cardio routine can be the difference between bikini ready and laying out by the pool in a sarong.

Start with a balance ball. This alone could be enough to take your cardio to the next level because it adds tension to almost every muscle in your body. A balance ball utilizes the ring around the ball as a step to make you to balance as you would on a stool. Balancing uses muscles from neck to feet that aren’t normally used. When you squeeze your feet against the ball, the inner thighs and buttocks are forced to do more than they were with cardio alone. Those muscles then have to maintain the resistance to hold you in place causing them to use more energy. A few minutes standing on the balance ball in between reps or exercises will “trick” your muscles into continuing to burn calories.

Two to five pound free weights let you do all the same workout moves but the added resistance of the additional weight makes your muscles work harder and this results in a prolonged fat burn. Alternate between the two and five pound weights and alternate which weights you use when doing each exercise. When your body knows what’s coming next, it gets lazy. Switching things up keeps your body on its toes.

A resistance tube is great because it can go anywhere you go and it turns something as simple as a door knob into a workout machine. Resistance tubes add the element of balance and the benefits of resistance training. Your muscles have to work harder to accomplish easy tasks like lifting your foot in a marching motion. This boost is just what many need because it’s an uncomplicated way to vary your routine.

A small weighted ball is another trouble-free way to add pep to your arm workout. The additional weight boosts your routine but the real benefit comes from squeezing the ball. This incorporates up to double the number of muscles that are involved in each movement.

An exercise ball makes traditional pushups and sit ups a thing of the past. The added height that putting your legs over the ball adds to a push up and the extra balance required to do a sit up when sitting on the ball will burn more calories and tone more muscles than twice the reps of the traditional exercises.

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