Tone up for your dress

You're wearing... A strapless dress

The strapless dress is an enduring cut that shows off your arms and decolletage. If you want to ensure you're super-toned, using light weights can quickly firm up any bingo wings or flabby bits! "Focus on the shoulder, triceps and biceps," says Nuffield Health Personal Trainer Matt Moulton. 

Moves to try:

Bicep curl: curl a light hand weight towards your shoulders.
Tricep extension: lie down with your arm straight towards the ceiling, bend at the elbows and push up.
Shoulder press: sit or stand and push the weight above your head.

You're wearing... A back-detail dress

Backless dresses are a huge trend! Make sure you look good with a few simple moves. "To tone up your back for that special wedding dress there are four muscles groups that will need training," says Matt.  

Moves to try:

Lat pull down: with the use of the machine, complete 3 sets of 20.
Cable row: with the use of the machine pull your arm towards your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together completing 3 sets of 20.
Swiss ball back extensions: lie on the Swiss ball face down with your hips positioned on top, then simply extend your body backwards to feel your lower back contract.

You're wearing... A sexy shortie

Not everyone wants a full-length dress – if you want to show off your legs (plus a great pair
of wedding day heels!), go for a short or tea-length instead. You'll need to make sure your legs are in tip-top condition and ready to be shown off on the day with some toning moves!

Moves to try:

"Simple calf raises on a step can help tone these muscles," advises Matt. "Ensure that you keep the repetitions between 15-25. If this becomes too easy, use ankle weights (available from sports shops or Argos) and practice holding each contraction for 3-5 secs each rep. Skipping is great too – stand on your toes and do rounds of two minutes at a time."

You're wearing... A slinky gown

If your dress is figure-skimming and made from satin or silk, then there's no room for bulges underneath! The key thing is to create a firm stomach to show off and create a smooth line – but if the thought of doing endless old school sit-ups scares you then don't worry; there are so many other things you can do to get your abs toned and sexy-dress ready! 

Moves to try:

"Cardiovascular exercise such as jogging, skipping swimming and power yoga is great for burning fat and toning," says Matt. "A small circuit-based programme involving Swiss ball rollouts and planks is good (visit your local gym for advice or nuffieldhealth.com for a free day pass). Complete this back-to-back with each exercise for three sets, looking to complete 12-15 repetitions for each exercise and ultimately holding that plank for as long as you can. Remember with the plank to keep your hips square to the floor!"