Blooming flowers, singing birds, and warmer days are welcome reminders that summer is right around the corner. But, if you have yet to shed your winter wardrobe for fear of exposing your non summer-ready body, thoughts of tank tops and bikini bottoms might have you wishing it were still November.

The following yoga poses will help tone your arms, core, hips and thighs so you can sport a fit summertime physique.

Plank Pose

Better than doing a bench press, practicing plank pose tops the list as one of the best yoga poses to do for overall strength and tone. Practice at least one set of plank every day, and work up to holding your plank for up to one full minute. If you need to modify, practice plank pose on your knees until you can work up to practicing it on your toes.
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Getting to the gym on the weekends doesn’t usually happen for me. It’s my time to relax and unwind and the last thing I want to do is get bundled up, make myself presentable and go get sweaty for an hour. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a quick workout before my weekend officially kicks off. This 10-minute arm workout that can be done at home (or anywhere) is my solution for that.

From boxing to yoga to body weight moves, this quick arm toning workout hits almost your entire upper body, including triceps, chest, core, and even your legs. So get into something comfy and breathable, grab a bottle of water to stay hydrated, and let’s get started!

During last week’s inauguration we got a glance at Michelle Obama‘s toned, fit arms in that gorgeous sleeveless gown she wore to the ball. The first lady has always had an admirable figure, but her arms truly speak to the dedication she has to her fitness regimen. They don’t come easy, but if you follow my guidance here, we can start working on a set of strong arms of your own.

We want to see the curves of the bicep and the nice little cap of the deltoids. We absolutely do not want to see the tricep waddle! A lot of curls and kickbacks may create some shape in your arms but they are not the most efficient way to build muscle and burn fat. So how does a girl build fabulous arms and shoulders?

First, I will tell you how it’s not accomplished.

Not with infomercial gadgets that promise you fantastic muscles in only 10 minutes a day.

Not with endless curls with soup cans or water bottles.

Not with starvation diets.

Here are my top five tips to get fantastic arms you want to show off in your tank tops and shoulder-baring dresses.
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After reading a recent interview from a rising Bollywood star, here’s to hoping our Western culture can start teaching our daughters to embrace the Indian culture of actress Bhavna Pani.

The Times of India headlined with Pani’s own words, “I never go on a diet.” The beautiful dancer and actress told the news source that she exercises faithfully, but she never diets, and stated that “shortcuts always prove to be disastrous.” These sage words are coming from a 22-year-old who has to be on screen in front of millions. It was really refreshing to hear that she’s embraced healthy living as a lifestyle and scoffed away quick, hard hitting diets that won’t last.

Pani said in her interview that all her exercise comes from dance and body weight training. She mentioned that she dances about 1-2 hours a day while adding in a toning activity like Pilates or yoga on alternating days. She says her routine is effective and does not demand too much time.
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When it comes to health and fitness each decade has its own claim to fame. Crossfit, P90x, Zumba, spinning and yoga claimed the 2000s. The Atkins Diet, Soloflex, Tae bo and the release of fitness DVDs claimed the 90s (raise your hand if you still have one or two tapes in your arsenal). And when it comes to the 80s it was almost more about the style than the actual exercises.

Side ponies, bright pastel spandex and scrunchy socks reigned supreme. And so did trampoline workouts, Suzanne Somers and Jane Fonda, who released her first workout video in 1982 titled “Jane Fonda’s Workout.” The video was so well received it sold more than 1 million copies! That’s a lot of workout tapes and spandex, even for the 80s.

Though we have a few 90s-born babies in our office, the majority of our staff was born in the 1980s, meaning we have a personal fondness for fitness from that era (myself included). So this week’s Saturday Morning Drill channels that decade with workout moves that require no equipment and tone your whole body. The best part? It’s an absolute blast. So get on your tightest neon spandex, fashion your hair in a side pony and let’s get started!