During a traditional wedding ceremony, the main view guests will have of the bride and her bridesmaids is from the back. From entering the church or registry office, to the final moment when the bride and groom are pronounced man and wife, can take a while so it’s vital that the bridal party’s dresses and hair look great from behind.

A well-defined waist and shapely silhouette (think bridesmaid Pippa Middleton’s back view at her sister’s wedding to Prince William in 2011) sets off a wedding or bridesmaids’ dress to perfection.

We asked personal trainer Sarah-Jane Holt for three pre-nup exercises to ensure that the bride and her attendants look their best on her big day!

SQUATS – These are a great all-round exercise that not only work all three glute muscles, helping to firm and tone a beautiful bottom, but also work on strengthening and toning the legs and core as well. To perform a perfect squat, start with your feet just wider than shoulder width apart and turn your toes out very slightly. On the way down, make sure that your knees are tracking over the second toe, keep your chest up and imagine you are sitting down onto a chair. You will be pushing your bum back slightly then bending your knees. On the way up, focus again on knee position and on squeezing your buttocks all the way through the movement until you are back to a standing position. Repeat 15 times, weight can be added to increase strength.

RAISED GLUTE BRIDGES – Lie on your back with your knees bent and the bottom of your feet on the edge of a chair or sofa so your feet are off the floor. With arms by your sides, push through your feet and squeeze your bum to lift your hips off the floor. Really focus on squeezing your buttocks as hard as you can whilst lifting your hips up. Pause at the top of the movement for 3 seconds, squeezing your buttocks all the time. Bring your hips back to the floor and repeat 20 times.

REAR ELEVATED SPLIT LUNGES – These are tough but very effective, the elevated back foot places more emphasis on the opposite glute working to really tone your bottom as well as working to develop leg shape. Stand with the back of your knees touching a bench or chair, take a decent step away with one foot and then place the back foot on the bench behind you. This set-up will help to make sure your front foot is the right distance away from your back foot. When in this position drop your hips straight down to the floor by bending your front knee. On the way back up, focus on driving through your front heel and squeeze the glute of the front leg. Repeat 15 times on each side, you can also add weight for a stronger effect.

 

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