SIMON SAYS... - issue 25

RUSSH - november/december 08 - issue 25

Uber trainer Simon Anderson says "Get Set' for the season of sunburn! Here's his wet 'n' wild beach fitness tips, dripping with fun, and sure to give you that babewatch bod you want for Christmas.

Summer lovin', had me a blast... Summer lovin', got a bad rash... met a girl, dum dee dum dee... Ahhh, how good is summer? I love it! Nothing gets me more excited. Straight after this love letter to you, i'm gonna slip into my custom-made Borat mankini, slop on some 100 percent UV baby oil and slap myself down on the sand for some serious searing. So gear off, gorgeous people - it's beach fitness time! Girls, trust me, the look that you, the girls, the boys and all the magazines will love this summer is fit, firm and fun. Think Giselle, Cameron and Jennifer Aniston - they got hot and stay hot by getting outside in the great outdoors and shaking with what mamma nature gave them. They hike, they paddle, climb mountains and save whales and after they've done all that, they run their finger through sun-kissed hair, throw on some hot denim 'n' heel combo, and go out looking incandescent to whip their boyfriends at air hockey. Their bodies are the result of hitting life head on and getting involved with nature, not spinning the wheels on a bike to nowhere while listening to music you don't like. So let's put the gym membership on hold and find out how we can get you to have fun in the sn with your fitness this summer.
Let's start with one of the best ways to add some kick to your calf, and tone the thigh for when the skirt goes high - soft sand running. Now girls, this is a bitch of an exercise. It'll burn your lil' calves hotter than the flames from Lindsay Lohan's crotch and make your glutes shout at you to go sit on the couch. But stick with it. the calories burnt in a 30 minute session on the sand are 20 to 30 per cent more than on stuff that isn't sand. Start off on the harder bits near the water and progress up the soft sand as you get fitter. When you can do half an hour on the soft stuff give yourself a bowl of Nutri-Grain and challenge Candice Falzon to a man-slam session at the Clovelly Hotel, 'cause you are now an ironwoman!
After you've put the time in on the and worked up a hell of a summer sweat, grab your goggles, your sensible one-piece cossie and be cool in the pool. Swimming is not only an awesome way to work just about every muscle in your body, it's just so bloody Australian! Combine the benefits of the increased lung capacity with the resistance your muscles get from the water, and you have a winning exercise for sculpting your body with streamlined proportions.
The coolest way to get in shape this summer is to wax up your thruster and learn to surf. For the upper body, there's not much better you can do to tone the back and shoulders. Yeah, it's a tricky thing to master, but half the fun is in falling down. You're at one with the ocean, the sun on your back and saltwater washing away your cares. Even getting on a boogie board and getting amongst it is enough to get a feel, but nothing beats the thrill of standing up and gliding across the open face of a wave. And while i don't want to create an army of surfing size queens, bigger is sooooo much better when it comes to learning to surf. The extra foam and length of a longboard, or Malibu, make the process of paddling and getting to your feet that much easier than riding a short board.
The latest and greatest trend in a surf style fitness is stand-up paddle boarding. It's done on a long and buoyant board which you stand on, propelling yourself along with a paddle. Your balance is tested, your butt gets a workout and as a lot of the power is generated from your core, your stomach is pushed to the brink. And then you gotta paddle! And it's good fun too. I'm typing this article in beautiful Noosa, and i just got back from having my first ever go at paddle boarding, and while i can't say "like a duck to water". i got the hang of it fairly quickly. It's the closest thing to walking on water and gets ten points in the all-over body workout stakes.
Girls, summer should be about having a blast, and these sports will not only enhance the smile factor, but polish your bod so it shines and sparkles. The best way to do them is to do them all - gotta do the sand run to get your wheels a workin', and you must, you must do the swimming for the bust! While the surfing will make you the queen of the beach. Remember to slip, slop, slap and this will sure be a summer to remember. You don't get too many summers in life, so treasure them, grab the heat by the horns and charge, charge, CHARGE! Train Hard.