Workout Summary
- Main GoalLose Fat
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelBeginner
- Program Duration8 weeks
- Days Per Week7
- Time Per Workout45-70 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, Machines
- Target Gender Female
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
It’s going to be bikini season before we know it.
And instead of hoping on some fad “lose weight quick” scheme, how about we take some time to go over a workout and strategy that will have you looking fabulous in your bikini this year.
If you start now, there’s no reason you can’t be confident at the beach, pool, or wherever you find yourself at this summer.
This workout will take a two-ish month approach into helping you shape your body in a way that makes you feel comfortable in your two-piece this year.
Let’s get started!
The Bikini Ready Workout Overview
The workout below is an 8 week workout routine to promote fat loss while shaping your muscles so you can look great in your bikini.
The workout is an upper/lower workout focused on compound movements to get the best bang for your buck in the gym. Focus on getting stronger at these lifts and watch your body begin to tighten in all of the right spots.
The upper workouts focus on shaping the back, chest, and shoulders. Indirectly, all of the exercises will target your arms. If you would like to add in additional arm work, you are more than welcome to. However, it isn’t necessary with this routine.
The lower body workouts focus on the entire leg. There are exercises to target your hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves.
The off days also provide some bodyweight work you can do at home to assist you with your goals. These at-home workouts shouldn’t take more than 25 minutes and will provide additional work for your core and glutes.
During the 8 weeks of this routine, it is also recommended that you perform 30 minutes of low intensity cardio either in the morning, after your workout, or some other time during the day. These cardio sessions will help boost your recovery from your workouts while also increasing your calorie expenditure for the day.
Rest on all exercises should be kept to just 60 seconds. For the off day bodyweight work, limit rest to just 30 seconds.
Bikini Workout 1
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
T Bar Row | 3 | 10 |
Seated Cable Row | 3 | 10 |
Lat Pull Down | 3 | 10 |
Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 |
Push Up | 3 | 10 |
Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 10 |
Bikini Workout 2
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Barbell Squat | 3 | 10 |
Leg Press | 3 | 10 |
Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 |
Leg Curl | 3 | 10 |
Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10 |
Bikini Workout 3
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
Machine Chest Press | 3 | 10 |
Lateral Raise | 3 | 10 |
Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 10 |
Close Grip Pull Down | 3 | 10 |
Tricep Cable Extension | 3 | 10 |
Bikini Workout 4
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Sumo Deadlift | 3 | 10 |
Hip Thrust | 3 | 10 |
Barbell Reverse Lunge | 3 | 10 |
Goblet Squat | 3 | 10 |
Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10 |
Off Days from Gym
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Plank | 3 | 1 Min |
Oblique Crunch | 3 | 15 Each |
Reverse Crunch | 3 | 15 |
Crunch | 3 | 15 |
Bicycle Crunch | 3 | 15 Each |
Glute Bridge | 3 | 15 |
Frog Pump | 3 | 15 |
Fire Hydrant | 3 | 15 Each |
Glute Kick Back | 3 | 15 Each |
Extra Tips for Fat Loss
Resistance training is helpful in shaping your body. Cardio is great from a mental, calorie expenditure, and overall health aspect.
However, to really achieve fat loss it takes a full well-rounded lifestyle approach.
This includes diet, stress management, sleep and managing your cycle.
When it comes to diet, the biggest indicator of whether you’ll have success with your workout routine is your calorie intake. If your goal is to lose fat, you’ll need to be in a slight calorie deficit. Use a bmr calculator to determine your calorie needs first.
From there, subtract ~250 calories from that number to create a small deficit to lose fat. You can increase this deficit if you wish, however, it is recommended that you don’t increase it greater than ~500 calories below maintenance.
After that, you’ll want to ensure you consume enough protein. Having a high protein intake will increase your overall feeling of satiety throughout the day while also helping you recover from your workouts. In addition to this, protein is also thought to have some thermogenic benefits as it requires the most amount of energy for the body to digest and consume.
A protein intake of ~1g per pound of bodyweight is recommended during the duration of this workout. When it comes to carbs and fats, you can consume however many grams you prefer of each so long as you are in a calorie deficit during the 8 weeks.
In regards to stress management, you’ll want to minimize stressors where able. If you need help in determining strategies to reduce stress, the following article is a very helpful read.
Your menstrual cycle can also affect your progress, for obvious reasons. To learn more on what you can do to maximize your diet and training during the ebbs and flows of your 28 day cycle, read this.
Lastly, sleep is super critical to hormone regulation and fat loss. Not only is the quantity of the total hours of sleep you get each night important, but so is the overall quality of sleep during those hours. Try to limit blue light exposure and intense activity before bed.
Instead, trade these in for more meditative activates such as a yoga practice or read a book.
If you have any questions about the Bikini Workout or the fat loss tips that followed, please feel free to leave us a comment!
29 Comments
Good day, I am a female, age 46, height 163cm and weight 52kg's, bmi 19.79. I want to tone and build some muscle for bikini. Which I have some experience with weights but mostly do treadmill cardio. Please recommend a program to lose fat, tone and build some muscle. Thanks
The one you asked this question on is actually the one I would suggest for you, Louise. Give this one a full run, and let us know how it goes for you.
The Exercises section at the top of the page has links to numerous exercises you can choose based on the equipment you have. It would be faster and more effective for you to go there and choose them based on the muscle group.
Thank you Roger, much appreciat3ed. Will this program build some muscle as well?
As long as the nutrition and recovery are on point, you may notice some new muscle as well.
Thanks once again. Could you recommend alternative exercises for those with gym equipment as I train at home. I have dumbbels 2kg, 3kg, 3.5kg, 5kg and 10kg, stability ball, mat, treadmill, 4kg ankle weights and bands.
Hi! I started doing this program last week. I really like it. My question is the reverse lunge is it 3 sets of 10 per leg (60 in total) or is it for both (30 in total).
Thanks in advance!
Hi, Carolina! 60 total reps. 3 sets of 10 for each leg.
Should I follow the same guidelines being over 50?
Should I drink a protein shake before or after work outs?
Yes and Yes, Lisa. Drink the shake before or after, that is up to you. If you can do both, go for it!
Hi, can I do this at home with only barbell and dumbells please?
What alternative exercises can I do instead of the machines?
Thank you
Hey Meany - yes you can do this with barbells and dumbbells. Check out these articles for upper and lower body alternatives:
- Upper Body: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/upper-body-gym-machine-altern...
- Lower Body: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/lower-body-alternatives-your-...
Could I do this workout for a 4 week program? Would I just life heavier? I have been doing other workouts from your site consistently, but looking for a new one/change in routine to amp up my game. Any suggestions?
Hello! How heavy should I be lifting and should it be the same amount each set? I know the goal is to increase as the weeks go by.
Are you supposed to increase weight each week or something else? I'm not seeing the progression noted anywhere.
Hi Cassandra,
Yes, aim to increase the weight weekly or whenever possible. Everyone's rate of progression will be different, but so long as you are progressing during the duration of the program you will see results.
Hi, I will begin this 8 week workout for women; how much cardio time do you recommend doing before the workout?
Hi Sandra,
I wouldn't recommend doing any cardio before your weight training sessions. You can add cardio as you feel needed after your workouts. Just be sure to select a form you enjoy doing.
Do you suggest rotating through each exercise for one set then starting over or does it really matter? Can you do all three sets of one exercise then move on to the next? Is there benefit to one way over the other?
Hi Alana,
I'd recommend performing all of the sets of an exercise before moving onto another. This will allow you to get in the zone with that particular exercise, and likely have a more effective training session.
If you're short on time, you can superset some of the exercises. But, again, I'd recommend performing one exercise at a time.
Hi:
Could you please advise if I am getting this part right “A protein intake of ~1g per pound of bodyweight is recommended during the duration of this workout” I weight 149 pounds and my daily BMR should be 1880 calories after taking 250 cal deficit, so out of the 1880 Daily calories should I eat 149grams of protein daily?
Thanks in advance.
Jess
Hi Jess,
Yes, that is correct.
sorry I am being a little dumb here i think
its a 7 day workout is is designed that you do exercise 1 on one day exercise 2 on another day and so forth and the other days in between gym days you do ' off gym' exercise ???
Hi Maria,
You do 1 workout a day, 4 days per week. The day's you do not perform the workouts, you can perform the optional exercises.
If my goal is not weight loss and therefore do not eat in a calorie deficit for the duration if this work out, will I still notice changes in physique and fitness?
Hi Lou,
Yes, absolutely.
Hi
Im Going to start the 8 week bikini plan
I know it's a 7 day plan but when do I put in the rest days and how many
Do I alternate legs and arm days
Many thanks
Niki
Hi Niki,
You can set up your weekly schedule however best fits your individual needs. A popular option is M/T/Th/F with the other days as rest days.
The optional workouts can be done on your recovery days if you feel it is necessary for your goals.
This was my concern too as i'm used to going to the gym 4 days a week and working both upper and lower body each day...I feel like this plan and not working everything all the time, (especially my legs), won't work for me??? my goal is to slim down at least 5 or so lbs but to definitely build my quads and glutes backup...and sculpt and have definition for upper body, mainly arms, but not "bulk up" .