Over Your Shape? Do a Shape-Over

As anyone knows who has tried to institute a new routine, it can be daunting... and quickly lead to a feeling of failure.  The 6-week challenge posed here may be initiated whenever you find a block of time that works for you... after the holidays, the day after Mother's Day or your birthday... whenever you feel you can best stick with it.

Prior to the commencement of this regimen you may want to take a peek at our other preparatory blog posts:
Balancing the Budget & the Bod
Assess to Progress

This challenge begins with a 3-week fitness opportunity, perfect for the months leading up to Summer:
The 21-Day Total-Body Makeover Workout
by Nicole Dorsey-Straff

How It Works

Our supershaper workout delivers wow effects that will keep you hooked. "In less than a month you can not only sculpt a new body but, more important, change your exercise attitude," says trainer Marco Borges, author ofPower Moves, who shares the exercises that his A-list clientele, including Beyonce, swear by. The magic in Borges's mix comes from eight allover toners plus a dose of cardio on most days. "A five-days-a-week commitment is the key to both quick weight loss results and making a routine stick," Borges says; luckily, his "no excuses" session on the following pages is seriously habit-forming. Each week you'll add sets and reps of the sculpting moves and 10 minutes to your cardio workouts. All you need to get rolling is a 5- to 10-pound medicine ball or a dumbbell of the same weight.

Atlas Squat

Targets: Chest, arms, butt, and quads

-- Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hold medicine ball overhead between hands, squeezing palms into ball to engage arm muscles.

-- Keeping ball overhead throughout, lower slowly into a squat with thighs parallel to floor and knees bent 90 degrees.

-- Return to start.

-- Start with 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Pike Push-Up

Targets: Shoulders, back, chest, arms, and abs

-- Start on all fours, toes curled under, then move into downward dog position: Press hips toward ceiling, straightening legs and walking hands slightly forward until body forms an inverted V. (Keep heels flat on floor.) MAKE IT HARDER: Begin in inverted V position with feet on a step or bench.

-- Slowly bend elbows to lower torso about 4 inches toward floor. Press up to return to downward dog.

-- Start with 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Lunge Twist

Targets: Abs, obliques, butt, hips, and legs

-- Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding ball between palms in front of hips.

-- Lunge forward with left leg, bending both knees 90 degrees as you rotate torso to left and raise ball diagonally overhead with arms extended.

-- Rotate back to center and lower ball; then step left leg back to return to start position. Switch sides and repeat to complete 1 rep.

-- Start with 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Sit and Touch

Target: Abs

-- Lie faceup on floor with knees bent and feet flat, holding ball between palms with arms extended on floor behind head.

-- Curl head and shoulders off floor, raising ball overhead and then in front of you as you sit up.

-- Briefly place ball on floor between feet; then return to start position, raising ball overhead as you lower torso to floor.

Iron Sumo

Targets: Shoulders, arms, butt, and quads

-- Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly, and hold ball between palms in front of chest, elbows bent by sides.

-- Lower into squat, bending knees 90 degrees, until elbows tap knees.

-- Squeeze glutes and legs to return to start position.

-- Start with 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Reverse Lunge Press

Targets: Chest, arms, abs, butt, and legs

-- Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding ball between palms in front of chest, elbows bent by sides.

-- Lunge back with right leg, bending both knees 90 degrees; then extend arms to press ball diagonally overhead.

-- Bring ball back by chest and return to start position. Switch sides and repeat to complete 1 rep.

-- Start with 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Single-Leg Resisted Curl

Targets: Biceps, abs, and legs

-- Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold ball in right palm by right side, left palm pressing down on top of ball. Lift bent right knee to hip level in front of you. (If using a dumbbell, simply hold it in right hand by side, palm facing forward.)

-- Keeping knee raised and pressing down with left hand throughout, curl ball to shoulder and then lower it by side.

-- Start with 8 to 12 reps. Switch sides and repeat. Do 2 sets.

Crank Plank

Targets: Abs and obliques

-- Start in side plank position: Lie on floor on right side with feet stacked, place right palm on floor directly in front of right shoulder, and press up until right arm is extended. (Keep a slight bend in right elbow as body forms a straight line from head to toes.) MAKE IT EASIER: Instead of stacking feet, place side of left foot on floor in front of right foot for a wider base of support.

-- Bring left hand to touch behind head, elbow bent out to side. Keeping hips stacked, slowly rotate torso to bring left elbow toward right arm.

-- Rotate torso to return to side plank.

-- Start with 8 to 12 reps. Switch sides and repeat. Do 2 sets.

21-day total body makeover originally published in FITNESS magazine, March 2011