Do you want to get in the best shape of your life for your wedding day?
Yoga, bodyweight and pilates-inspired exercises are great for giving you the tone and definition you want to look amazing for your wedding day.
Your upcoming wedding day can be a great reason to jump-start a healthy lifestyle or revive an old workout habit. The exercise routines below are perfect for getting you back in the swing of things, or as a complement to an on-going strength and cardio regime.

1. Strength Warm Up Exercise Routine
2. Strength And Flexibility Exercise Routine
3. Yoga Cool Down Routine #1
4. Yoga Cool Down Routine #2

How To Use 4 Yoga Routines Below:

• Practice the Strength Warm Up Exercise Routine before a treadmill workout, Sprint 8 (HIIT) training session, or as a prelude to the Strength and Flexibility Routine.
• Practice the Strength and Flexibility Routine a few times a week in the months leading up to your wedding day to build muscle definition and burn calories.
• The final two Cool Down Yoga Routines will help you to be long, lean and feel great in your body. The second one is especially good for the two weeks leading up to your wedding day to calm you down, chill you out and restore your glow.

Most importantly, doing yoga routines like these leading up to your wedding day will help bring focus and mental clarity to your life. You want to look good, yes, but you don’t want to lose sight of what really matters. Yoga can bring balance to your life in times of stress and be something you can stick with long after the honeymoon.
Lastly, don’t forget the cardio! If you’re revving up your workout regime in advance of your wedding, having cardio equipment in your home may be something to consider. Johnson Fitness & Wellness offers the best home exercise equipment, feel free to chat with our team with questions or for advise on the best equipment and exercise programs for you.
These 4 routines were developed by Certified Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor, Joli Guenther.

1. Strength Warm Up Exercise Routine

Wall Sit 1 minute

Bring your back against a wall and sit down as though you are sitting in a chair with your legs as close to 90 degrees as possible.  Hold for one minute.

Tricep Kick Backs And Pulses

Placing one hand on a chair or countertop for stabilization, use a light weight (or water bottle) in the opposite hand.  With upper arm parallel to the floor bend the elbow to 90 degrees.  Now kick the elbow back, straightening the arm, using the muscles on the back of the arm to fully extend.  Complete 15 reps.  Then complete 15 pulses, by not fully bending the elbow and working through 1/3 of your range of motion.  Finally, hold the arm in place while fully extended for 30 seconds.  Repeat on the other side.

Scapular Depression And Stabilization

Setting up as with the triceps kickbacks, straighten your arm and bring it in line with your thigh, keeping the arm straight press the shoulder down and reach the arm back.  Return to the starting position, no closer than your thigh.  Complete 15 reps, then reduce your range of motion to the top third and complete 15 pulses, finally hold in position for 30 seconds.  Repeat on the other side.

Foldover Leg Raise And Heel Kick

Standing with your hands on a counter or kitchen chair for support, step away from your counter or chair to fully lengthen your spine bringing it close to parallel to the floor.  Standing on your left leg, kick your right leg back fully behind you to the top of your range of motion, lower to the floor.  Repeat 8 times, then reduce your range of motion to the top third and complete 16 pulses, finish by holding the top of your range of motion for 30 seconds.  Follow with the heel kick.
Heel kick, from your top positon of the leg raise, bend your knee to 90 degrees.  Press your heel towards the ceiling with your foot flexed, raising the knee about 2 inches.  Lower back to parallel to the floor.  Repeat for 16 pulses, finish by holding the top position for 30 seconds.  Repeat sequence on the other side.

Front Leg Raise

Standing with your back to a counter or kitchen chair with hands on the counter or chair for support, keep the right knee bent and raise the right thigh to parallel to the floor.  Kick the right leg forward extending the knee.  Return to the starting position.  Repeat 8 times, then pulse at the top 16 times, followed by a hold of 15 seconds.  Repeat on the other leg.

Heel Raise Squat

With hands on a counter or chair for support, lift your heels as high as possible.  Keeping heels lifted, abdominal muscles engaged, and spine perpendicular to the floor, lower yourself down (this will not be very deep, if your heels start to drop, come back up until you can keep them up).  Return to starting position, keeping heels lifted.  Repeat 8 times, complete 16 pulses at the bottom of your range of motion, then hold the bottom for 20 seconds.

2. Strength and Flexibility Exercise Routine

Plank: 1 minute

Using knees or toes come up to a high push up position with wrists under shoulders and abdominal muscles engaged.  As a modification, you can use your forearms to reduce wrist strain. Hold for up to one minute.

Bodyweight Squats: 1 minute

Standing with feet slightly wider than hip distance, squat down as though you are lowering yourself into a chair to the maximum depth allowed by your mobility.  Stand up.  Complete as many as possible in one minute.

Push Ups: 1 minute

From your high push up position on your knees or toes with arms slightly wider than your shoulders lower your chest as close to the floor as possible.  Push back up.  Complete as many as possible in one minute.

Pilates Swim: 1 minute

Lying on your stomach, draw your navel in towards your spine and shoulders towards your hips.  Extend legs long and alternate raising each leg to a 45 degree angle.  Reach hands overhead and alternate arm and leg movements.  As a modification, bring hands in front of chest and complete only the leg portion.

Pilates 100

Lying on your back, engage your transverse abdominus by drawing in as though you were bracing to cough while your knees are above your hips or legs extended (harder) with arms at your sides, palms facing the floor.  Curl your chin towards your throat to draw your lower ribs towards your abdominals.  Now quickly raise and lower the arms simultaneously while keeping the legs extended.  Complete 100 movements of the arms.

3. Yoga Cool Down Routine #1

Warrior I

Standing with your feet approximately four feet apart, turn your right foot directly forward and angle your left food in by 30 degrees, keeping your left heel grounded and pressing your left hip towards your front leg.  Bend your right knee to as close to a 90 degree angle as your strength and mobility allows while raising arms overhead. Repeat on the other side.

Cobra

Lying on your stomach, bring your hands directly under your shoulders with thumbs towards your rib cage and the top of your feet on the ground.  Lift up using only the muscles of your upper back drawing shoulder blades down and keeping belly on the ground.  When you can’t lift higher with your back strength, use arm strength bringing elbows to up to 90 degrees, while belly remains on the ground.

Down Dog Or Happy Puppy Pose:

From all fours, press your bottom up and press down through your hands and feet for down dog.  For Happy Puppy, bend both knees placing them on the floor, lifting bottom up and stretching hands forward to open the chest.

Standing Bow Pose

Take hold of the inside of your right foot and reach your left hand overhead while straightening your left leg.  Kick back into your right arm and reach forward with your left while pressing your right hip down and your left shoulder forward.  Repeat on the other side.

Child’s Pose

Stretch your fingertips forward and bring your forehead as close to the earth as possible while pressing your hips back towards your heels and bringing your knees to a comfortable position for you.

4. Yoga Cool Down Routine #2

Standing Bow

Take hold of the inside of your right foot and reach your left hand overhead while straightening your left leg.  Kick back into your right arm and reach forward with your left while pressing your right hip down and your left shoulder forward.  Repeat on the other side.

Forward Fold

With feet at hip distance or with toes and heels together, fold forward bending your knees as much as you need to to bring your belly in contact with your thighs.  Using your hands to take hold of the back of your thighs, calves, or heels, tuck your chin to your throat and pull using the strength of your arms to begin to gently straighten your legs, stretching the back of your body.

Camel

Kneeling with your feet and knees at hip distance, bring your hands to the back of your hips to support your low back.  Lift your chest up and press your hips forward while pressing your tailbone and legs down.  Stay with your hands on your hips or progress by taking hold of your heels.

Cat Cow

Kneeling on all fours, inhale and allow your belly to drop down as you look up, exhale and press your belly towards your spine as you curve your spine towards the ceiling.  Repeat.

Happy Puppy

Bend both knees placing them on the floor, lifting bottom up and stretching hands forward to open the chest.

Child’s Pose

Stretch your fingertips forward and bring your forehead as close to the earth as possible while pressing your hips back towards your heels and bringing your knees to a comfortable position for you.

Reclined Twist

Lying on your back with your knees at your chest, drop your knees to the right side and extend your arms long.  Look down your left arm.  Repeat on the other side.

Happy Baby

Pair Yoga With Cardio For Best Results

Start by building a base by doing steady state cardio for about 20 minutes at least three times a week. As you get closer to your wedding day, increase the intensity of your training to blast fat and improve your body composition. Sprint 8 or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a proven method to help you lose weight quickly because it quickly builds your muscle tone. Learn more about the best treadmills here.