Training methodology for cutting in fitness bikini

Author: Tkachenko Sergey - Master of sport in bodybuilding.
2015-05-22

Here, I will describe some secrets of cutting workouts for fitness bikini. The most important aspect for this category is not to get overly muscular or bulky. We are more interested in proportions and a balanced figure.

Priority Exercise Set

For us, the following exercises will be prioritized:

This is the basic set of exercises needed to build a proportional figure suitable for fitness bikini. Another nuance: it’s important not to gain too much definition, as we are not preparing for bodybuilding. Conditioning should be as close to defined as possible but without muscle striation and fiber separation.

Special Exercises

Pull-ups are an extremely helpful exercise for our posture, as we need to be straight as a stick on stage but not lose flexibility.

• Set the weight on the cables such that you can perform 10-15 repetitions. This is about 25-30 kg.
• Perform 3 or 4 sets.
• Try to keep your elbows together behind your back, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Use a wide grip.

If there is no "gravitrón," it can be substituted with:

The technique for performing the exercise is the same.

2. Abdominal Vacuum

Why do the "abdominal vacuum"? This exercise helps us get rid of a sagging or protruding belly. By doing this exercise, you will strengthen the weakened walls of the abs. Hardly anyone thinks about this exercise, and even fewer use it because they are unaware of it. Thanks to the vacuum, we can also achieve a narrow waist.

Technique:

• Sitting on a bench or chair, pull in your stomach as much as possible. Try to tuck in your lower stomach.
• When you release your stomach, do so with muscle tension, pressing the upper abs into the lower stomach.

You can also do something similar on an incline bench or lying on the floor:

• Lying on the floor, secure your feet under a support or some object where they can be fixed. Essentially, this is the same as "crunches."
• Keep your back arched while lowering and raising. At the top point, pull in your lower stomach. Then do another repetition.

You need to perform 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions. Do this at a slow pace, keeping your abs tense.

3. Incline Bench Chest Press on the Smith Machine

I recommend doing the exercise for the upper pectorals on the Smith machine. This effectively isolates this group because we do not need to maintain balance and monitor the movement's execution.

• This exercise is performed with the same technique as on a regular bench.
• It places less strain on the back.
• The front deltoids and triceps are engaged.

This exercise differs from the usual one:

Here, the oblique abdominal muscles are specifically worked. That is the focus is on isolation. The most important thing is that the back muscles are not engaged, and fewer stabilizer muscles bear the load, which prevents our waist from becoming thickened.

Recommendation for Leg Workouts

Legs should be trained at the end of the week. This is to avoid excessive fatigue in the legs. If you train them at the beginning of the week, then all the training days your legs will hurt. So, train legs on Thursday.

On Friday, we have a light workout. We don’t exert ourselves too much before the weekend to ensure adequate rest and recovery after the tough training program and leg workout.

How to Achieve a Narrow Waist

You can create a narrow waist by training the abdominal muscles while:

Trying to tense the lower part of your stomach, as if pulling it in. We also do this exercise:

This is an effective exercise for training the oblique abdominal muscles. You can also do:

You should avoid performing:

As this exercise engages stabilizer muscles, they only expand our waist.

Regarding cardio workouts: it is best to prefer the elliptical trainer. This is a very good machine that can be used in almost all programs and methodologies. I know that not all fitness bikini competitors do cardio and can build a decent figure without it. However, genetic factors should also be taken into consideration. Some people can manage without it while others cannot. Therefore, experiment and try various methods and complexes.

Do not forget about symmetry; it is an important part of the entire preparation. The upper and lower body should form a harmonious and beautiful figure. Therefore, you should focus on exercises for the shoulder girdle and legs. And, of course, a cutting diet. If it is not followed, all our efforts will come to nothing.