Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide Review: Equipment

Today I wanted to talk about the Kayla Itsines 12-week Bikini Body Guide program – or more to the point, what equipment you need for the Kayla Itsines BBG program. I thought I’d do a full post on this because when I first looked at starting this program, I was a little worried about shelling out so much money, not just for the training guide but also for the equipment required to actually do the moves. So as I’m in the final week of the 12-week program, I thought I’d share my experience on this as well as what equipment I did and didn’t use!

All up, I think I paid a little over $100 for the program – first, $69.97 for the actual guide and about $45-ish for the equipment I needed. To be honest, I really could have done all my workouts at my gym which had all the equipment required… buuut I knew I was going to be waaay sweaty and falling apart midway through my workouts and dying all over the place and really I’d rather do that in the privacy of my own home than right next to the weights section in the gym where all the muscle men are working out and most likely judging me! Also, on the days where I’m feeling extra lazy, it made it just that bit easier to start working out when I knew all I had to do was throw on some workout clothes and stumble into my living room rather than make the drive to the gym!

18 Ab Exercises for a Flat Belly—No Crunches Required!

Sick of sit-ups? Over planks? Still want six-pack abs? We've got outside-the-box core exercises that add up to a major ab challenge

18 Ab Exercises for a Flat Belly

It's crunch time! Not that's there's a single crunch in this bunch of ab moves. Instead, we teamed up with Tone House trainer Lauren Williams to showcase some of the best tummy toners out there. 

This diverse group of exercises targets your entire core to help you sculpt a flatter belly. Better yet, you can group them together for maximum payoff in just five minutes—which is way better than cranking out sit-ups for the same amount of time. Just check out our 30-Day Ab Challenge for ideas on how to mix and match the moves. We abs-olutely guarantee it. 

Abs Workout: The Fastest Way to Lose Belly Fat

The secret to amazing abs? Stop doing crunches and start doing these 3 flat-belly moves!

We all want a toned, flat stomach. No surprise there. But since many women are still relying on crunches to get it, we want to make one thing clear: Crunching is not the most effective abs workout. "Crunches work only the muscles on the front and sides of your abdomen, but it's important to target all the muscles of the core to get more defined abs—including lower back, hips, and upper thighs," says Lou Schuler, co-author of The New Rules of Lifting for Abs.

To lose belly fat and uncover amazing abs, Schuler recommends a series of core stabilization exercises based on a training program devised by co-author and personal trainer Alwyn Cosgrove. "Core exercises like the plank help train muscles to stabilize the spine and pelvis so you can avoid back pain and improve posture, Schuler says. "They also burn more calories than crunches because they work more muscles."

Trade crunches for these three super-effective abs exercises from The New Rules of Lifting for Abs and you’ll be on your way to a perfectly toned, flatter tummy.

10-Minute Belly-Blasting Workout

You already have abs. You just need to uncover them!

6 Moves for Flat, Sexy Abs

Pretty much every woman wants tight, toned abs. We've known that for a long time. But what most women don't know is that they already have them! They're just hidden under a thin layer of fat. To reveal your defined midsection, you may need to change your definition of an "abs workout." I apply the same high-intensity interval training (HIIT) technique that I use to prepare my body for beach volleyball season to my abs program.

One of my go-to abs workouts combines intervals of jumping rope with six core-sculpting moves. This 10-minute workout is an efficient and effective way to melt belly fat, improve core strength, and uncover your carved stomach. For best results, tack these moves onto the end of your regular routine or do them as a separate workout three to five days per week.

10 Ways to Lose Weight and Get Fitter Faster

Maximize your workout time with these research- and expert-backed strategies from the new book 20 Pounds Younger

See Fitness and Weight-Loss Results Sooner!

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, sculpting the body of your dreams also takes time. But you don't need to make extreme, drastic changes to get the results you want. Sometimes minor, simple tweaks to your diet and fitness regime can make a huge impact on your overall physique. We compiled these 10 effective-yet-super simple tips from 20 Pounds Younger, a new book by Yahoo Health Editor-in-Chief Michele Promaulayko. (Find out more about the book and get 4 Foam Roller Exercises to Burn Fat and Reduce Cellulite.) Incorporate as many as you can into your fitness routine and watch the pounds—and years!—melt away.

Swap Some Cardio for Weight Training

According to researchers at the University of Southern Maine, 30 minutes of weight training burns as many calories as 30 minutes of running at a blazing six-minutes-per-mile pace.

4 WEEKS TO YOUR BEST BIKINI BODY!

Whether you're itching for summer or planning a vacation to the beach, you can get your body ready for bikini weather in 4 short weeks with this complete training, nutrition, and supplement guide!

Your bikini called. It wants to know if you'll be meeting it like you promised last year year—you know, with a killer beach-ready body and all?

If that question just set off your panic alarm, don't worry! It's never too late to get down to business and make super strides toward your dream physique, so let's get you started now.

As a seasoned fitness model, I know the secret sauce to whip my body into shape during crunch time: discipline, a proper training program, and a fork—with which to eat nourishing foods, of course!

Get a hot bikini body

If the thought of stripping down to swimwear for summer fills you with dread, our simple tips will get you feeling awesome in no time

Summer is finally here, and that beaming sun has just reminded us how the season is best spent feeling confident, energetic and light.

Whether you're hitting the beach for a summer holiday or just looking forward to digging out those warm-weather outfits, we've got the best ways for you to be feeling at your prime this summer.

The ultimate bikini wearing guide

We have the expert lowdown on how to look and feel the best ever in your swimwear

The flights are booked, the room is reserved and you've bought a whole new swimwear wardrobe. So now it's time to get to work on that bikini bod. But where to start? Ella Siaperas, Nike trainer and studio manager at The Laboratory Spa & Health Clun gives us his tips. 

Blitz that muffin top 

First things first, that extra bit of paunch has to go, so a fat-burning workout is an essential part of your beach-body toolkit. 'The best form of training to burn fat is high intensity training' says Ella. 'Try doing 30 seconds of sprints followed by 30 seconds of walking.' Or sign up for a high intensity class so someone else can do the timing and motivation part for you!