Quick exercises to tone your trouble spots

Tips from the man who helped shape the body of Jessica Gomes

WHO Contributor / April 29 2016

You’re doing everything right: eating well, exercising often, upping your water intake. And yet, there’s that same area that refuses to tone. Whether it’s your tummy or your triceps, we’ve got your covered. Here, celebrity trainer Simon Jackson, who helped shape the body of Jessica Gomes, devises these exercises to target four different areas, so you can reveal your best body ever. 

You’ll need:
One Swiss ball
2 x 3-5 kg dumbbells

1

Tone your… Arms

- Sit on a bench or Swiss ball.
- Hold the dumbbells (3–5kg should be good to start with) in front of your face with elbows bent at 90 degrees and wrists and forearms close and parallel.
- Move the dumbbells apart to either side of your body as if you were opening a huge book.
- Reverse the motion by “closing the book.” Try to maintain upright posture throughout the exercise.

Complete three sets of 12-15 reps with one minute rest between sets.

2

Tone your… Legs

- Stand with your feet together.
- Draw the belly button towards the spine.
- Take a comfortable stride forward, then drop down so your back thigh and front shin are perpendicular to the floor.
- You should have an upright torso and your back knee should almost touch the floor when you drop down.
- Rise to the start position, keeping the ear, shoulder and hip in alignment.

Complete three sets of 10–12 reps with one minute rest between sets.

3

Tone your... Tummy

- Kneel with the Swiss ball in front of you, and place your forearms on the ball. There should be a 90 degree angle at both the hip and at the shoulder.
- Draw the belly button to the spine and keep your head in line with the spine.
- Roll the ball forwards, moving the arms and legs so that the angles at the shoulders and hips remain equal.
- Do not allow your pelvis to drop forward. Keep your abdominals tight at all times, then roll back to the starting position with the arms and legs finishing the movement at the same time.
- Roll the ball out for three seconds, hold for three seconds, then roll back for three seconds.

Complete three sets of 10 reps with one minute rest between sets.

Before contributing to BEAUTYcrew, Danielle worked on the print pages for WHO magazine.