A Kick-Butt "Girl Power" Workout

Girl power! This weekend was all about the ladies. On Sunday, I trained with Bonne Marcus and had an awesome workout. I trained alone because Rene didn’t want to miss football Sunday for the third week in a row (insert eye roll here). I was upset I had to go alone, but it ended up being amazing — Bonne taught me special workouts to focus on my lady parts (exercises she would not give to Rene) and the parts that are going to show while I'm wearing my wedding dress.

We started with what Bonne calls "The Wedding March" — aka walking lunges — where you start with your feet together, step with one foot into a lunge, step up, and then lunge with the other foot. These were not easy. We also did side kicks, where you rest one arm on the top of a chair, balance on one leg, and kick the other leg out to the side in slow motion, so you really feel it in both legs.

Left: The Wedding March. Right: Side Kicks

We did push-ups, followed by tons and tons of chest-flys with a resistance band. We then switched to chest-flys while laying on the floor with dumbbells, placing a block in between my legs with my butt in the air. This killed! We then did lunges on gliders to the back and to the side, followed by bicep curls and side shoulder raises while sitting on a set of blocks and leaning back slightly. I felt that in my abs. Lots of the exercises focused on my inner thighs, butt, abs, and arms, which was perfect because I need to work on all of those to get in tip-top shape for the dress I’m hoping to wear.

For more “wedding dress-ready” workouts, check out Bonne’s article in Bridal Guide magazine this month! Better yet, email her at [email protected]. Bonne will be happy to give you exercises to get you wedding dress ready.

After just one hour of training, I left her house and every muscle in my body was shaking. She said it was because the exercises I did were simple but focused. We did lots of leg raises instead of step ups and squats, which is a change from what I’m usually working.

Sunday morning, I also walked in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Jones Beach in Long Island. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago, and I’m proud to say she is now a 7-year survivor. Every year, my sister and I put together a team to raise money and walk in this annual event. This year, my team (The Pink People) raised close to $1,000 dollars, and we had a team of about 12 who proudly walked. It’s truly amazing how many people come out each year to support this cause, and I’m so happy to be a part of it.

I look at it like it’s just one morning a year that I need to wake up a little earlier and walk a few miles, but because of that one morning, I alone am making a huge difference. If interested in walking in this walk next year or donating to the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, click here. 

—Jennifer Crow