So you’re a fit college chick, ready to make a splash in the fitness industry but classes, social life, and just about everything else seems to be getting in the way. Adopting these principles will ensure you are training efficiently and effectively. Managing your time for academics and the fitness lifestyle is possible, and these principles will help you to reach your goals even in the smallest and limited campus gyms.
PLAN WITH A PURPOSE Reaching your goals will only happen if you can plan and execute. Having a workout “split” is essential. This is a great way to focus on a few muscle groups per workout and balance your training regiment with adequate rest and recovery.
CONSISTENCY Making it to the bikini competitor stage or photo-shoot set means more than getting your workout in everyday. Consistency at this level means pushing through and completing every rep in your sets. When it burns, that’s when it’s time to keep pushing. Being consistent also means making every action in and out of the gym count towards your fitness goals.
INTENSITY Transforming your body takes effort, that’s common knowledge. However, simply going through the motions of your workouts won’t cut it. Intensity is crucial. Allow yourself sufficient, yet minimal rest time between sets. Keep the intensity high to accelerate fat loss.
FORM IS SUPERIOR TO WEIGHT “Going heavy” is awesome but counterproductive if you haven’t mastered the proper form. Having control with the full range of motion at a moderate weight will allow you to train your body to take on heavier lifts in the long run. Bodybuilding and weight training are a marathon, don’t sprint.
ACCOUNTABILITY Can you ask yourself if you are doing your best? Being honest with yourself is very important to gain self-awareness, reaching your goals and maintaining personal responsibility. If you fall off track from your fitness goals, don’t procrastinate, as it will only prolong those unhealthy habits! Remember why you have chosen this lifestyle and embrace your dreams.
CONFIDENCE Be steadfast in your belief of your own abilities. Some days you will be the only girl in the weight room and that’s okay! Get in the zone and give your workout your all. Just like your physical strength, your confidence and mental strength will grow.
Try this quick legs and glute workout you can do in a small campus gym with limited equipment to build and tighten up fast.
Bikini Legs and Glute Workout
THE WARMUP DIRECTIONS: Walk on treadmill then lunge on treadmill. Perform three times. Treadmill Walk Speed: 3.5mph Duration: 2 minutes Lunges on Treadmill Speed: 1.5mph Duration: 1 minute
THE WORKOUT Perform each exercise for 4 sets of 15 reps with minimal rest.
Barbell Hip Thrust Sit on the floor holding the barbell across your lap with your back against the bench. Driving your heels into the floor thrusts your hips upwards while engaging your core and squeezing the glutes. Hold for 3 seconds and return to the starting position.
Barbell Glute Get-ups With the barbell across your back stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Slowly sit back into your heels to briefly sit onto the bench behind you and get up! Squeeze the glutes at the top.
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat Hold the dumbbell with two hands to make a “V” with the heel of your palms touching. Take a lunge stance and elevate the back leg onto the bench. Lower yourself into a deep lunge and return to the start position.
Barbell Step-ups with Back Lunge Face the bench holding the barbell across your back. Step your right foot onto the bench, step back down and immediately perform a reverse lunge (right foot is behind you). Complete the right side before repeating on the left side.
Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlift Stand next to a wall for balance. Hold the dumbbell in your hand that’s away from the wall. Engage your core and hinge forward while lifting the leg closest to the wall behind you. Feel the stretch in your hamstring and squeeze your glute and hamstring to return to the starting position.
Barbell Good Morning Place the barbell across your back. Engage your core and bend at the hips to form a 90 degree angle. Return to the start position by squeezing through your hamstrings and glutes.
FINISHER Bodyweight Walking Lunge performed to failure.
Krystyna Chmura is a MPH Candidate at Keck School of Medicine of USC. Chmura is an NPC Bikini Competitor and fitness model on Team Bombshell.
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