Effective Bodyweight Workout for Toning & Shaping - 4 Week Plan

James Farrell

About This Workout

Sunny news, bikini boot camper: You're about to really cinch it in — and get the best curves and cuts — for that teeny two-piece. "By using just your body weight and a towel, this workout will tighten every inch of you, trouble zones and all," says your trainer Tiffany Rothe, the creator of Inner Circle FitClub online training. Bust out Rothe's towel tone-up here three days a week; that's her showing you how it's done. Let's grab a towel and go!

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James Farrell

Rocket Squat

Targets abs, butt, quads, and calves

• Stand with feet together, arms by sides. Lower into a deep squat position with elbows bent and touching knees, fists just under chin.
• Jump up as high as you can, thrusting hips forward, chest lifted, as you swing arms down by sides and slightly behind you. Return to squat and repeat.
• Do 3 sets of 25 reps.

James Farrell

Fire Hydrant

Targets back, abs, butt, outer thighs, and quads

• Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent, and hinging forward from hips, place both palms above left knee.
• Lift bent right leg behind you with heel as high as you can. Keeping right knee bent 90 degrees throughout, draw a counterclockwise circle with knee.
• Do 15 reps; switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets.

James Farrell

Lunge Twist

Targets shoulders, obliques, butt, and legs

• Stand holding ends of a towel with both hands in front of thighs, palms facing in (keep tension in towel). Step back with left leg into a lunge, both knees bent 90 degrees.
• Maintaining lunge throughout, fold forward from hips to touch towel across right foot, then straighten up as you raise towel overhead.
• Twist torso to right, then to left. Return to center and repeat, lowering towel to foot.
• Do 20 reps; switch legs, repeat. Do 3 sets.

James Farrell

Princess Push-Up

Targets chest, arms, and abs

• Start on floor on all fours, knees bent 90 degrees, hands directly under shoulders, palms atop ends of towel.
• Keeping shoulders over hands, slide towel forward as you lower hips until body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Bend elbows to lower chest toward floor, then push up.
• Slide hips and hands back to start.
• Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

James Farrell

Plank Jack

Targets shoulders, abs, butt, hamstrings, and calves

• Start on floor in full plank position with feet hip-width apart, palms directly under shoulders.
• Hold plank for 30 seconds, then hop feet out wider than shoulder-width (as if doing a jumping jack) and back in again. Do 10 reps.
• Do 3 sets, lowering knees to floor to rest for 15 seconds in between.

James Farrell

Towel Biceps Curl

Targets biceps, abs, hips, butt, and quads

• Stand with feet together and wrap towel behind right knee, holding ends of towel with both hands in front of thigh.
• Bending elbows by sides, pull ends of towel to lift bent right knee to hip level in front of you.
• Lower arms to bring right leg halfway down; repeat.
• Do 15 to 20 reps. On last rep, keep right leg lifted and do 10 pulses, lifting and lowering knee 1 inch.
• Switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets.

James Farrell

Triceps Lift

Targets shoulders, triceps, and quads

• Stand with feet together, arms by sides, holding ends of towel behind back (keep tension in towel), palms facing forward.
• Squat and fold forward from hips until back is parallel to floor and towel is touching heels.
• Maintaining squat position, pull arms up as high as you can, then lower to touch towel to heels.
• Do 20 reps; on last rep, with arms lifted as high as possible, do 10 pulses, lifting and lowering arms 1 inch. Do 3 sets.

James Farrell

Towel Snap

Targets shoulders, abs, butt, and legs

• Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent, and hold ends of towel in both hands overhead, palms forward (keep tension in towel).
• Keeping arms straight, lower arms forward to chest level as you swing right leg forward to touch shin to towel.
• Do 30 reps, alternating sides. Do 3 sets.

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, May 2014.