To get into shape this summer, you should ideally start exercising a few months in advance. Get ahead of your summer fitness routine by creating a tailor-made physical preparation programme now!

Getting Fit This Summer: Where to Start

Being healthy in body and mind means, above all else, living a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis.

Summer Preparation Begins on Your Plate

Start your summer fitness programme with a few adjustments to balance your diet:

• Include protein, the basic nutrient needed to create muscle fibre, in all your meals: breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.
• Reduce your carbohydrate intake: the body will have to draw on fat to produce energy during physical activity.
• Eat 1 to 2 pieces of fruit a day to fill up with vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. Tip: As summer approaches, eat more carrots, apricots or foods containing beta-carotene to prepare your body for tanning!
• All year round, on a daily basis as well as during and after exercise, drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water or unsweetened beverages a day.

Planning a Fitness Programme and Sticking to It

Shaping a beautiful body for the summer takes time: plan ahead by setting aside 2 to 3 times every week to workout. Having a well-defined training schedule helps to include sports in your routines and to maintain good physical condition over time. Soon, being fit in the summer or winter will no longer be a question: you will stay in great shape and be ready to take on any challenge all year round!

Rest and Sleep Well

During sleep, the body regenerates itself and the work you put in during training bears fruit. In short, the more you sleep and the better your sleeping conditions, the faster and more visible your recovery will be! Go to bed at set times and aim for 7 to 8 hours of rest each night.

Home Fitness: The Ideal Way to Reach Your Goals Before Summer

To successfully complete your physical preparation before the summer, exercising at home has only advantages:

• No waste of time: Your fitness equipment is just waiting for you!
• No time constraints: You can train whenever you want, day or night, just put on your outfit!
• Privacy: While you wait to get your body ready for the summer and reach the fitness level you’re aiming for, you can work at your own pace, away from the gaze of others, in the comfort of your living room.

Your Special Summer Physical Preparation Programme

To prepare for your summer fitness routine, combine endurance exercises on a home fitness machine with bodyweight training exercises targeted at the parts of the body you want to strengthen or sculpt. Here is a special 8-week summer training programme, with 4 weekly sessions (divide the phases of each session as you wish during the day) :

Week 1 – Take stock of your fitness level, take your measurements to remember where you are starting from and start with a two-step session:

• 30 minutes of endurance: Running, rowing, stationary bike or low-speed elliptical bike.
• 10 jumping Jacks + 1 planking exercise held for 10 seconds: plank, wall sit, etc.

Week 2 – Increase the intensity:

• 40 minutes of endurance: Trying to aim for 60% of your MHR (maximum heart rate), a pace at which you can still hold a conversation but with accelerated breathing.
• 20 burpees + 1 planking exercise held for 2 x 10 seconds

Week 3 – Target new muscle groups:

• 40 minutes of endurance at 60-70% of your GCF.
• 20 burpees + 1 planking exercise held for 2 x 10 seconds
• 20 repetitions of an exercise involving the upper body: Push-ups, dips, pull-ups, weight lifts, etc.

Week 4 – Continue your efforts and take your measurements, you are halfway through the programme:

• 40 minutes of endurance at 70% of your GCF.
• 20 burpees + 20 jumping jacks + 2 planking exercises held for 2 x 10 seconds
• 20 repetitions of an exercise involving the lower body: Squats, front lunges, etc.

Week 5 – Split the training into 4 stages:

• 2 x 1 hour of endurance at 60% of your GCF.
• 2 sessions with each:
  • 20 burpees
  • 20 jumping jacks in a fast tempo
  • 3 planking exercises held for 2 x 10 seconds
  • 20 lower body movements
  • 20 upper body movements

Week 6 – Focus on split training:

• ●        2 x 1 hour of endurance, alternating phases at 80% of your GCF and recovery periods of one minute.
• ●        2 sessions with each:
  • 20 burpees
  • 20 jumping jacks at a fast tempo
  • 3 planking exercises held for 3 x 10 seconds
  • 20 lower body movements
  • 20 upper body movements

Week 7 – You’re almost there: How about enhancing the programme?

• 2 x 1 hour of endurance at 70% of your GCF.
• 2 sessions with each:
  •  20 burpees
  • 20 jumping jacks
  • 3 planking exercises held for 3 x 10 seconds
  • 20 lower body movements
  • 20 upper body movements
• 1 mixed session: 30 minutes of running + 30 minutes of exercises of your choice on the training circuit, with 30 seconds of recovery between each series.

Week 8 – Set aside some rest to prepare your things for the summer: plan only 3 sessions, combining all the exercises you have learned. Compare your body measurements and running times to those at the start and see how much your body has changed. The beach and summer sports await!

To take it one step further and discover new training programmes prepared by coaches, compatible with all NordicTrack equipment, browse the iFit® library!

Check out our Fitness & Training page for more advice.