Wedding two weeks away? How to get toned like Meghan Markle

With Meghan Markle's wedding just two weeks away, there's no doubt the bride-to-be has amped up her fitness regime. The future Royal is already a fan of yoga, but we thought we'd ask the experts at Virgin Active to see if there were any other easy exercises to add to the workout list.

With two weeks to go until your wedding day, what is the one move brides-to-be can’t afford to miss to look and feel their best?

Ahead of their special day, brides often experience increased stress levels or nerves. Exercise is the perfect antidote to manage stress levels and ensure you feel calm and confident in the build up to your wedding day.

To look and feel your best, with a fortnight to go, focus on exercise you enjoy that makes you feel good. If you are short on time, be efficient with work outs and prioritise moves which engage the whole body to capitalise on endorphins and benefit from increased energy levels.

Squats

Full range squats with an overhead press is the best total-body move that’s physically challenging, whilst also providing a mental escape that will tone, define and sculpt.

If brides are looking to improve muscle tone in specific areas of their physique, which might be revealed by their dress, full range squats are also a great way to encourage definition in shoulders, glutes, quads, hamstrings and core. Building strength in these muscles also helps to improve structural balance and encourages strong posture – perfect for promoting confidence in wedding pictures.

Plenty of water

With a few weeks till the big day, do not give in to wedding preparation stress. Maintain a balanced diet with clean, single ingredient foods and drink lots of water which will rid the body of toxins and fuel a glowing complexion on the big day.

Yoga

Finally, the night before the big day, if time allows, enjoy a yoga class to leave you feeling calm, composed and confident. Virgin Active offer a Calm by Candlelight yoga class which is the perfect antidote to combat any last-minute aisle nerves!

The killer Combo Exercise:

Barbell Front Squats into Overhead Press.

• 4 x sets of 12 reps using a challenging weight but with strict form throughout

• Place & hold the barbell across the front of the shoulders, elbows elevated to shoulder height
• Feet in parallel placed under hips. Full range squats for full muscle recruitment, driving the heels into the ground on the ascension, maintaining an upright back throughout
• Once the legs are lengthened, raise the barbell directly overhead before lowering the barbell to the starting position. Brace your core throughout to protect the lower back

Tip: Add 3 sets of wide Plié Squat mid-range Pulses for 15 reps at the end of this set for that extra burn!

What are the best exercises for the groom looking to ensure he feels his best on the big day?

For the groom, aspirations to set their congregation – and soon to be wife - at ease with a confident stance on their wedding day may mean pre-nuptial training plans are strength focused. But to maximise long term benefits and feel your most confident on the big day (and on the honeymoon!) focus on training the whole body to release tension and fire up the metabolism.

To ease any nerves in the lead up to your special day, maintain variation in your training plan, ensuring consistency and adequate rest to relax both your mind and muscles. As the leading man, focus on the chest, deltoids, biceps and triceps to assist in achieving a V-Taper shape that will leave you feeling confident in your suit.

Strong quadriceps can also help to create the visual impact of a smaller mid-section so gents, get squatting too!

The Exercises:

Chest Superset

• Incline dumbbell bench press & incline full range dumbbells flys.

• 4 x sets of 10 Reps

Tip: You are chasing the “Pump”. Use a challenging weight but ensure you’re still able to execute full range of movement

Biceps: Alternating Dumbbell Underhand Curls

• 4 x sets of 10 Reps each
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip and with your palms facing your sides. This is your starting position
• Raise one dumbbell towards your shoulder while simultaneously rotating the back of your hand. Pause with your palm facing your shoulder

Triceps: Skull Crushers

• These are typically performed with an EZ barbell, lying on a bench holding the bar in an overhand grip bringing the elbows in-line with eyebrows

Tip: Keep the elbows ridged, taking the forearms through the full range of movement, feeling the contractions through the triceps as you bring it parallel to the ceiling