If a perky posterior and toned midsection are your goals, there are few icons in the industry who are more qualified to inspire you and guide you down the road to improved fitness than three-time Ms. Olympia Bikini champion and IFBB Bikini pro Ashley Kaltwasser— the only woman in history to win three titles in a row, or even back-to-back Olympia titles.
Ashley, a top fitness cover model who is also a two-time Ms. Bikini International, knows all about blasting fat and toning up to create an amazing bikini body. With Ashley’s workouts, tips and advice, you’ll have the right tools to craft a stunning figure worthy of praise and accolades from those around you.
WORK THOSE GLUTES
Deep Squats: 4 x 10
Split Squats: 3 x 10 (each leg)
Walking Lunges With Dumbbells: 3 x 20
Jump Squats Holding Weight: 3 x 10
Straight-leg Deadlifts: 3 x 15
Sumo Squats (holding kettlebell): 3 x 15
Leg Press: 3 x 10
Glute Bridges: 3 x 10
Fire Hydrants: 3 x 20 (each leg)
Ashley’s glute-training tips
• Don’t overtrain— allow time for recovery. “One or two good booty workouts per week should be sufficient.”
• Mind and body connection. “Really think when you are doing glute exercises … squeeze!”
• Go low. “Typically, the lower or deeper you go, the more you are engaging your glute muscles.”
• Lift heavy.
• Stretch properly before training.
WORK THOSE ABS
One-Minute Planks: 3 times
V-Ups: 3 x 10
Weighted Crunches: 3 x 20
Bicycles: 3 x 30
Leg Raises to Bar (hanging): 3 x 10
Ashley’s ab-training tips
• Diversify your ab-training regimen. “Do not repeat the same exercises over and over. You abs will adapt; you want to keep it challenging.”
• Add weight to your ab exercises for an additional challenge.
• Don’t forget to train the lower abs. “They oftentimes can be neglected.”
• Lose fat to reveal abs. “Remember, seeing your abs come through is a result of overall body fat percentage loss. You cannot spot reduce.”
• Ashley trains abs once per week.
BIKINI CARDIO
On average, Ashley completes around two to three cardio sessions per week. In addition to the abs- and glutes-focused workouts listed here, Ashley says that cardio is “very important” to her abs and glutes training. “To keep these areas tight and firm, you will need to make sure you’re at a healthy weight,” says Ashley. “Your abs won’t show through if you are not lean enough. This is where cardio comes into play. As most of us know, cardio will help us lean out. I would recommend doing HIIT cardio, 10- to 20-minute sessions. You can look up some examples of HIIT workouts on www.fitnessrxwomen.com.”
In addition, here are some examples of Ashley’s favorite cardio workouts to amp up the calorie burn:
• 10-minute Jacobs Ladder intervals: 45 seconds moderate, 15 seconds all-out sprint. “I like to do this exercise because it is overall body cardio. You are working a lot of muscles.”
• 15-minute StepMill intervals. “I love the StepMill; it’s my favorite piece of cardio equipment. This machine is great for the booty. Make sure you focus on pushing through the heels while you step, and keep your knees in line for an optimal booty burn.”
• 24 minutes “around the world” on the treadmill: One minute of standard running, one minute of side shuffle to the left, one minute of backward running, one minute of side shuffle to the right, and then return forward. Repeat six times for a total of 24 minutes.
“This is a great exercise to switch your cardio routine up. It is much more fun than standard running. It keeps your mind and body guessing. It’s tricky to get the hang of— switching from side to side takes some getting used to at first. I would suggest you practice a few times first on a slow setting so that you can get the hang of it.”
• 10-minute stationary bike intervals: 45 seconds of moderate intensity with decreased resistance, and then 15 seconds for an all-out sprint with increased resistance. “Almost all gyms have a stationary bike, which makes this exercise very convenient. I would suggest, for this exercise in particular, that you really get a good stretch and warm up beforehand. If not, your legs (especially quads) will tighten up. This exercise will really pump some blood into your legs!”
Ashley Makes History
Ashley Kaltwasser won her first Ms. Olympia title in 2013, earning her most prestigious title to date, Ms. Bikini Olympia. She was the first rookie to ever win this title. That honor was followed by a history-making win at the February 2014 invitation-only Arnold Classic. These wins cemented her name in the history books as the only Bikini pro to ever win both titles. Ashley also earned a perfect score from the judges at the 2014 Bikini Olympia.
Ashley Kaltwasser is an official Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals athlete, and is partnered with Fuel Meals and Celestial Bodiez
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