SELF 8 Moves to Your Best Summer Body

By Lucy Danziger and the staff at SELF

 Ballerina chop

Works abs, butt, thighs
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in both hands at your chest. Squat, bringing the weight across your torso to your left side. Stand, lifting your right knee to hip height, as you twist your torso to raise the weight to head height on the right side (as shown). Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Kick it

Works triceps, back, abs, butt, hips, thighs
Lie faceup with your knees bent, arms down. Push your arms against the ground and straighten your legs directly over your hips, toes pointed, to start. (Wobbly? Brace your lower back with both hands throughout.) Extend your right leg behind your head, keeping your left leg straight up (as shown). Return to start. Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep. Do 12 reps.

Complete curl

Works biceps, abs, obliques, back, butt, hamstrings
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your knees soft and back flat, bend forward, pushing your hips back as you lower the weights along your legs as far as you can (as shown). Return to standing, raising your right knee to hip height as you flip your wrists to curl the weights to your chest; return to start. Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep. Do 12 reps.

Skinny dip

Works triceps, abs, butt, thighs
Start in tabletop position, facing up, with your feet and palms flat on the ground, knees bent, hips lifted and elbows locked. Contract your abs as you bend your elbows until your butt hovers above the ground, and extend your right leg at a 45-degree angle, foot flexed (as shown). Return to start. Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep. Do 12 reps.

Tummy tucker

Works abs, obliques, shoulders, back, butt
Start in plank position with your wrists directly under your shoulders, abs engaged. Bring your left knee to your left elbow, then extend your left leg behind you above hip height, foot flexed (as shown). Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Power press

Works chest, abs, hips, legs
Sit holding a dumbbell in each hand at your chest, palms facing out. Lift your feet off the ground, knees bent, and lean back at a 45-degree angle, to start. Keeping your abs engaged, straighten your arms and legs (as shown). Return to start; repeat. Do 12 reps.

Bridge burner

Works back, chest, butt, thighs, hamstrings
Lie faceup with your knees bent, a weight in each hand. Lift your hips as you extend your left leg up and straighten your arms above your chest, palms facing each other, to start (as shown). Lower your hips and leg to the ground and dumbbells out to sides (hovering just above ground). Return to start. Do 12 reps. Repeat on the opposite side.

Reach and squeeze

Works back, obliques, butt
Lie on your right side, propped up on your right forearm, legs stacked with your bottom leg bent, a weight in your left hand, your left arm extended overhead. Lift your hips off the ground into a side plank to start (as shown). Bend your elbow and bring the weight to your shoulder as you lift your top leg as high as you can. Return to start. Do 12 reps. Repeat on the opposite side.