The Importance of Core Strength for Brides: How to Tone and Sculpt Your Midsection

Jason Keigher • November 13, 2024

A strong core is essential for overall fitness and plays a significant role in how you carry yourself on your wedding day. Brides often focus on toning their arms, legs, or back, but the core is the foundation that supports all of these areas. A strong core enhances posture, balance, and stability, and it can help you move with grace and ease on your big day.


At FitBrides, we prioritize core strengthening exercises that target all areas of your midsection—your abdominals, obliques, and lower back. Here are some of the most effective core exercises that will not only help you look great in your wedding dress but also feel more confident and strong.


1. Planks: The Ultimate Core Exercise


Planks are one of the best core exercises, and for good reason. They target your entire core, including your abdominals, obliques, and lower back, while also engaging your shoulders, arms, and glutes. At FitBrides, we incorporate various plank variations into your routine, such as side planks and forearm planks, to increase intensity and work different muscle groups.


Holding a plank position for longer periods of time helps build endurance in your core muscles, which supports your posture and helps you stand tall in your wedding dress. Start with shorter holds and gradually increase your time as your core strength improves.


2. Russian Twists: Sculpt Your Obliques


Russian twists are a great way to target your obliques—the muscles on the sides of your abdomen—helping to create a toned, sculpted waistline. This exercise also works your entire core and enhances rotational movement, which is important for overall functional fitness.


To perform a Russian twist, sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Lean back slightly and hold a weight or medicine ball with both hands. Twist your torso to the right, bringing the weight beside your hip, then twist to the left. This exercise helps tone the obliques and build rotational strength, giving you a leaner, more defined waistline.


3. Bicycle Crunches: Target Your Upper and Lower Abs


Bicycle crunches are one of the most effective exercises for engaging both the upper and lower abdominal muscles. They also work your obliques, providing a comprehensive core workout.


To perform bicycle crunches, lie flat on your back and bring your knees to a 90-degree angle. Place your hands behind your head and twist your torso to bring your right elbow toward your left knee, while extending your right leg out. Switch sides and repeat. This exercise tones the entire core, helping you build the strong, sculpted midsection you desire for your wedding day.


4. Superman Holds: Strengthen Your Lower Back


While most core exercises focus on the front of the body, the lower back is an equally important part of the core. Superman holds are excellent for strengthening your lower back and improving overall spinal stability.


To perform a Superman hold, lie face down on the floor with your arms extended in front of you and your legs straight. Lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground simultaneously, squeezing your glutes and lower back. Hold for several seconds, then lower back down. This exercise helps strengthen your lower back and balance out the muscles of your core, supporting good posture and stability.


Building a strong, sculpted core is essential for both your bridal look and overall health. If you’re ready to focus on core strength and build a more toned, confident midsection, FitBrides can help you get there with a customized fitness program.


Contact me, Jason Keigher, at 760-884-8840 or info@fitbrides.com to start your core-strengthening journey today!

engagement ring
By Jason Keigher November 14, 2024
As a bride-to-be, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of advice from well-meaning friends, family, and social media influencers. However, not all fitness advice is created equal, and some of the common bridal fitness myths can actually hinder your progress. At FitBrides, we believe in debunking these misconceptions to ensure that your fitness journey is both effective and enjoyable. 1. Myth: You Need to Lose Weight Fast One of the most common misconceptions about bridal fitness is the belief that drastic, rapid weight loss is necessary to fit into your wedding dress. This approach can be harmful to both your physical and mental health. Extreme dieting or excessive exercise can lead to fatigue, stress, and even long-term damage to your metabolism. At FitBrides, we focus on a sustainable approach to fitness. Our personalized plans are designed to help you feel confident and strong without resorting to extreme methods. Healthy weight loss comes from consistent exercise and a balanced approach to nutrition, not from quick fixes. 2. Myth: You Should Only Focus on Cardio Cardiovascular exercises like running or cycling are important for overall fitness, but they shouldn’t be your sole focus when preparing for your wedding day. Strength training is just as crucial, as it tones muscles, boosts metabolism, and improves posture. At FitBrides, we include a mix of cardio and strength training to ensure you build lean muscle mass and enhance your endurance. Exercises like weightlifting, resistance bands, and bodyweight exercises not only sculpt your body but also support your joints and bones for long-term health. 3. Myth: Bridal Fitness Is All About Appearance While many brides aim for a toned physique before their big day, bridal fitness is about so much more than how you look. Your fitness journey should also focus on feeling great, reducing stress, and building confidence. After all, your wedding day is about celebrating love and joy, not just fitting into a dress. FitBrides emphasizes a holistic approach to fitness, addressing both mental and physical well-being. Through tailored programs that include stress-relieving activities, like stretching and mobility exercises, we ensure that your bridal fitness routine helps you feel relaxed and centered in the midst of wedding planning chaos. 4. Myth: You Have to Work Out Every Day While it’s important to stay consistent with your fitness routine, working out every single day is unnecessary and can lead to burnout. Your body needs rest to recover and repair muscles, especially when you’re strength training. Overtraining can result in injury and fatigue, which can hinder your progress. At FitBrides, we believe in balancing hard work with rest. Your custom training plan will include rest days to allow your body to recover, ensuring that you stay energized, healthy, and motivated throughout the process. 5. Myth: Bridal Fitness Is Only for ‘Fit’ Brides Many brides think they need to already be in great shape before starting a bridal fitness plan, but that’s not true. Bridal fitness is for all brides, no matter their starting point. Whether you’re just beginning your fitness journey or you’ve been training for years, FitBrides can design a plan that works for you. We tailor every program to your individual needs, fitness level, and goals. Your progress will be gradual and specific to your personal abilities, making bridal fitness accessible to everyone.  Don’t let fitness myths hold you back from achieving your goals. At FitBrides, we take the guesswork out of bridal fitness and provide a science-backed, holistic approach that helps you look and feel your best on your wedding day. Contact me, Jason Keigher, at 760-884-8840 or info@fitbrides.com to start your personalized fitness journey today!
bride standing on a car
By Jason Keigher November 14, 2024
Staying motivated to work out during the weeks leading up to your wedding can be tough. With all the tasks to manage, it’s easy to let fitness take a backseat. However, maintaining a fitness routine can ensure that you look and feel your best on your wedding day. At FitBrides, we’ve developed strategies to keep brides on track with their fitness goals, no matter how hectic their schedule. 1. Set Realistic Goals Setting achievable fitness goals is the first step in staying motivated. Instead of aiming for drastic changes, focus on smaller, realistic targets that you can track. Whether you’re aiming to tone your arms, lose a few pounds, or increase your stamina, setting goals gives you something to work toward. We help you establish short-term and long-term fitness goals, and we support you throughout your journey to ensure you stay on track. By breaking your larger fitness goals into smaller milestones, you’ll experience a sense of accomplishment every step of the way. 2. Accountability Partners Having a workout buddy is a great way to stay motivated. Whether you involve your fiancé, a bridesmaid, or a personal trainer, knowing that someone is expecting you to show up can help you stick to your workout routine. FitBrides offers group sessions, which create a sense of camaraderie and accountability. You’ll find motivation in the support of your fellow brides and your trainer, who are all there to help you succeed. 3. Mix Things Up Variety is key to keeping your workouts interesting. Repetitive exercises can lead to boredom and burnout. By incorporating a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises, you’ll keep your body challenged while avoiding the monotony of doing the same workout every day. At FitBrides, we customize your workouts to keep things fresh and exciting, introducing new challenges that will push you toward your goals while keeping you engaged. 4. Track Your Progress Seeing your progress is one of the best motivators. Keep track of your workouts and any physical changes you notice, whether it’s an improvement in strength, increased energy, or changes in body composition. Regularly measuring your progress will remind you of how far you’ve come and keep you motivated to continue working toward your goal. Staying motivated during your pre-wedding fitness journey is key to ensuring you feel confident and strong on your wedding day. At FitBrides, we provide the support, guidance, and customized workout plans to help you stay motivated and on track. If you’re ready to commit to your fitness journey, contact me, Jason Keigher, at 760-884-8840 or info@fitbrides.com today!
women running
By Jason Keigher November 14, 2024
After your wedding day, it can be easy to fall off track with your fitness routine. You’ve been so focused on preparing for the wedding that once it’s over, the motivation to continue working out may fade. However, maintaining a fitness routine post-wedding is essential for keeping your energy levels high, boosting your confidence, and maintaining the strength you’ve built leading up to the big day. 1. Keep the Momentum Going The transition from pre-wedding workouts to post-wedding fitness doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it can be a great opportunity to build upon the progress you made. Whether you want to maintain your weight loss or continue building strength, it’s important to keep up the momentum. FitBrides offers post-wedding fitness programs that help you maintain the results you’ve achieved and keep you on track with your long-term fitness goals. 2. Set New Fitness Goals Post-wedding fitness is an opportunity to set new goals for yourself. If you were focusing on weight loss before your wedding, now you can shift your focus to building endurance or increasing flexibility. By setting new goals, you’ll stay motivated and continue working toward becoming a better version of yourself. At FitBrides, we work with brides after their wedding to help them set new fitness targets and keep progressing. We’ll adjust your fitness routine to fit your new goals and ensure that you stay excited about continuing your fitness journey. 3. Celebrate Your Progress It’s important to celebrate the progress you made during your wedding fitness journey. Whether you’ve achieved weight loss, toning, or improved stamina, acknowledging these accomplishments can provide the motivation you need to keep going. Reward yourself with a new workout outfit, a relaxing spa day, or anything that reminds you of how hard you’ve worked. Post-wedding fitness is all about continuing the healthy habits you’ve established during your pre-wedding training. FitBrides can help you stay on track and maintain your fitness progress long after the wedding day. If you’re looking for post-wedding fitness support, contact me, Jason Keigher, at 760-884-8840 or info@fitbrides.com to start your journey.
bride working out with kettlebell
By Jason Keigher November 14, 2024
If you’re looking for an exciting and effective way to get in shape before your wedding, a bridal bootcamp might be just what you need. Bridal bootcamps are high-intensity, full-body workouts designed to help brides tone, strengthen, and improve their fitness in a short amount of time. FitBrides offers fun, customized bootcamp sessions that deliver amazing results while keeping things fresh and engaging. 1. Why Bridal Bootcamps Are Perfect for Brides Bridal bootcamps are specifically designed to target all the areas brides care about—arms, legs, core, and back—while improving overall endurance. These workouts combine cardio, strength training, and core exercises into one high-energy session. They’re perfect for brides who want to feel their best on their wedding day but have limited time to dedicate to their fitness routine. Bootcamp workouts are also incredibly efficient, burning fat and building muscle in a short period. Whether you’re looking to slim down, tone up, or simply boost your energy, FitBrides’ bridal bootcamps are designed to give you maximum results in minimal time. 2. Fun and Varied Workouts One of the best things about bridal bootcamps is that they’re anything but boring. At FitBrides, we keep things exciting by mixing up the exercises each session. One day might include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with bodyweight exercises, while the next might involve kettlebells or resistance bands. We ensure that every workout challenges you in new ways, helping you avoid plateaus and stay motivated. Bridal bootcamps also foster a sense of camaraderie. Whether you’re working out with your bridesmaids or on your own, you’ll feel supported and encouraged by your trainer and fellow bootcamp participants. 3. Results-Driven Each FitBrides bridal bootcamp session is results-driven, targeting your specific goals. Whether you’re aiming for weight loss, toning, or increasing stamina, our bootcamps provide the intensity needed to achieve those results. We work closely with you to tailor the workouts to your unique fitness level and goals. You’ll get a full-body workout that challenges your cardiovascular system, tones muscles, and burns fat. These dynamic sessions are designed to help you feel stronger and more confident as you approach your wedding day. You’ll also notice that the high-energy environment of a bootcamp session can elevate your mood, helping to relieve wedding day stress and give you a mental boost. 4. Customized for Brides Unlike generic bootcamps, FitBrides offers bridal bootcamps that are customized to meet the needs of brides. Whether you’re looking to target specific areas like arms, legs, or your core, or if you simply want a fun, full-body workout, we adapt each session to ensure you’re getting the best results possible. You’ll be supported by a certified personal trainer who understands the physical demands of wedding planning and will push you to achieve your fitness goals in a way that’s safe and effective. Whether you’re doing a bootcamp solo or inviting your bridesmaids along for some extra fun, the energy and camaraderie will leave you feeling empowered and ready for your big day. If you’re ready to turn up the intensity and get fit for your wedding day, FitBrides’ bridal bootcamps are the perfect solution. Fun, motivating, and results-oriented, our bootcamps will help you feel strong and confident on your wedding day. Contact me, Jason Keigher, at 760-884-8840 or info@fitbrides.com to book your bridal bootcamp session and start your fitness journey today!
stressed out bride
By Jason Keigher November 14, 2024
Wedding planning can be exciting but also stressful, and many brides find themselves overwhelmed by the logistics, guest lists, and decision-making. But there’s a powerful way to combat stress and improve your mental and physical well-being—exercise. At FitBrides, we believe that a strong workout routine not only prepares you physically for your wedding but also helps you manage stress and anxiety. 1. The Science of Stress Relief Through Exercise When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, the hormone that triggers the “fight or flight” response. However, regular exercise can help lower cortisol levels, releasing endorphins instead—your body’s natural mood boosters. By incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you’ll find that you can better manage stress and stay calm and collected during the wedding planning process. Even light to moderate exercise, like walking, yoga, or a quick 30-minute workout, can significantly reduce stress levels. At FitBrides, we focus on combining strength training, cardio, and relaxation techniques to help you achieve a well-rounded approach to stress management. 2. Exercise for Better Sleep Stress often affects sleep quality, making it harder to get the rest you need. Sleep is vital for both physical recovery and emotional well-being, and lack of sleep can leave you feeling fatigued and irritable. Regular exercise improves sleep by regulating your circadian rhythm and promoting deeper, more restful sleep. A well-rested bride is better able to handle the stresses of wedding planning and can maintain the energy required to stay on top of tasks. At FitBrides, we understand how important rest is, so we ensure your fitness plan includes exercises that enhance sleep quality, like relaxation stretches and light cardio. 3. Mindfulness and Stress Relief During Workouts Incorporating mindfulness into your fitness routine is another powerful way to reduce stress. During workouts, we encourage you to stay present and focused on your body’s movements. By shifting your attention away from worries about wedding details and focusing on your breath and form, you’ll find that your anxiety lessens and your confidence grows. Whether you’re doing a bodyweight workout, using resistance bands, or taking a brisk walk, we guide you through each session with mindfulness techniques to help you remain calm and grounded. As a result, you’ll leave each session feeling not just physically stronger but also mentally at peace. 4. Group Workouts for Social Support If you’re feeling the pressure of wedding planning, sometimes a workout with a group can be just what you need. Exercising with friends or your bridesmaids offers both physical and emotional support, which can be an excellent stress reliever. Group workouts provide a sense of camaraderie and allow you to bond over a shared goal—fitness and fun! At FitBrides, we offer personalized group sessions for brides who want to include their bridal party in their fitness journey. Together, you can support each other through fun and challenging workouts while building stronger relationships and relieving stress. Exercise is a powerful tool for stress management, especially when preparing for a wedding. At FitBrides, we combine fitness with relaxation and mindfulness techniques to help you stay calm and confident throughout the planning process. If you’re ready to use exercise to reduce stress and feel your best on your wedding day, contact me, Jason Keigher, at 760-884-8840 or info@fitbrides.com . Let’s get started on your stress-free fitness journey today!
dumbbells
By Jason Keigher November 13, 2024
The journey to your wedding day is an exciting time, but it’s also a period filled with to-do lists, planning, and—if you’re like many brides—fitness goals to look and feel your best. At FitBrides, we believe your pre-wedding fitness journey should empower you to feel confident, strong, and radiant as you walk down the aisle. Here are the top five fitness goals many brides aim for, along with the strategies we use at FitBrides to help you accomplish them. The Goal: Toned Arms A common focus for brides is achieving toned, sculpted arms, especially if their dress features a strapless or sleeveless design. Strong arms aren’t just about appearance—they’re also about functionality, as toned arms support good posture, which will help you carry yourself confidently on your big day. At FitBrides, we prioritize safe, effective arm workouts that target both the upper arms and shoulders. Our routine includes resistance exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions, and lateral raises. We also use bodyweight movements, such as push-ups and planks, to build strength and endurance. Each session is tailored to your progress and goals, helping you create lean, defined arms without bulking up. The Goal: A Strong Core Building a strong, stable core is a goal for many brides—not only for aesthetics but also for the benefits it provides to posture, balance, and strength. A strong core will support you during the demands of the wedding day and allow you to stand tall and gracefully. At FitBrides, our core-strengthening exercises go beyond basic crunches. We use moves like planks, Russian twists, and leg raises, which engage multiple muscle groups. This holistic approach ensures that your core becomes more defined and functional, providing you with stability and endurance that will carry over into everyday life. The Goal: Improved Posture With all eyes on you, standing tall with good posture can make a huge impact on your appearance and confidence. Proper posture is also essential for overall health, as it reduces the risk of back pain and muscle fatigue. FitBrides emphasizes posture-focused exercises that strengthen the back, shoulders, and core. By incorporating exercises like rows, shoulder retractions, and reverse flyes, we help you develop the muscles needed to hold a natural, upright stance. This focus on posture ensures you feel graceful and at ease on your wedding day, enhancing your natural beauty and poise. The Goal: Increased Stamina Wedding days are long, and the last thing you want is to feel drained before the evening even begins. Increasing your stamina allows you to enjoy every moment of your big day, from the ceremony to the dance floor. At FitBrides, we include cardiovascular training that is tailored to your fitness level and preferred intensity. Whether you’re new to cardio or enjoy higher-energy workouts, we guide you through exercises that boost your endurance in a sustainable, enjoyable way. Our approach combines interval training, low-impact cardio, and even dance-inspired moves to make workouts fun and effective. By building your stamina, you’ll be ready to keep up with the celebration without feeling exhausted. The Goal: Overall Confidence Beyond physical goals, the ultimate aim of bridal fitness is often confidence. Feeling your best means more than just looking a certain way; it’s about feeling strong, capable, and empowered. At FitBrides, we create a supportive, judgment-free environment where you can achieve your fitness goals at your own pace. Each milestone is celebrated, and every workout is crafted to leave you feeling stronger than the last. With our guidance, you’ll approach your wedding day not only looking fantastic but feeling accomplished and ready to embrace every moment. Starting a fitness journey as a bride-to-be can be one of the most rewarding parts of wedding planning. At FitBrides, we’re here to support you every step of the way with personalized training designed to empower you. If you’re ready to start working toward your bridal fitness goals and feel your best on your wedding day, we’d love to help. Contact me, Jason Keigher, at 760-884-8840 or email info@fitbrides.com to schedule your first session and take the first step toward your big day with confidence and strength.