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IMAGES: How to get swimsuit-sexy this summer!

With this special bikini bootcamp workout, getting into shape for the swimwear season is going to be easy and fun!

Summer's around the corner and it's time to tone and flaunt your body. Get yourself into some sexy workout gear and training shoes, put on your favourite foot-tapping music and let's get going!

Before we begin, though, just a quick bit of advise -- first off, please consult a doctor before beginning on this or any other exercise programme. Also, make sure the shoes you're wearing are adequately cushioned and perform all exercises on wooden or carpeted flooring only.

Equipment required

• A pair of light dumbbells or two bottles of water
• A mat to lie on
• Two paper plates

Warm up

Twist and slow-jog to your music. Put your hands up in the air and do some knee-ups as you clap your hands overhead and to the back of you, then go into some easy dance moves that you enjoy. Stop after five minutes.

Keep that music playing, though, because we're now going into the exercise routine in the following pages!

Brinda Sapat is Group Exercise Instructor at Gold's Gym, Napean Sea Road, Mumbai. Certified with Training Zone & Progressive Fitness (USA), she has been a fitness instructor for over a decade.

Exercise 1: The platypus walk

Stand with your legs wide apart and toes turned out. Bend your knees and try to get your thighs parallel to the floor. Hold this position. Place your hands behind your head with the elbows out to the sides. Maintain a straight back (don't arch or round the back).

Keeping your knees bent, start walking forward eight steps and then back eight. Repeat this four times.

Exercise 2: Walking push-ups

Get into a push-up position and walk four steps sideways. Do four push-ups, then walk back and do four push-ups again. Repeat this four times.

Once you're done, kneel down, raise your hands overhead and stretch. Then get back into the push-up position for the next exercise...

Exercise 3: Plank run

Hold yourself in the push-up position and bring your right knee in towards your chest, then push it back out. Do the same with the left. Now do it at full speed (like you are running) for about 30 seconds.

Exercise 4: Jack and press

Grab your light dumbbells. Perform jumping jacks as you raise your hands overhead, starting at the shoulders. This is an exercise performed by jumping to a position with the legs spread wide and the hands touching overhead, and then returning to a position with the feet together and the arms at the sides.

Perform 16 reps, then rest and repeat.

Exercise 5: Samurai pulses and jumps

Get into a wide squat position. Place your hands just above the shoulders, palms facing up to "support the heavens" like the Samurai practice. Make 10 small upward pulses and then jump up and land in the same position.

Repeat this four times.

Exercise 6: Shadowboxing

Hold onto your dumbbells and get ready for some boxing. Stand with your legs a bit wide and punch alternating arms at shoulder height, then high, then low (do not jerk and lock your elbows). Allow your lower body to move rhythmically.

Perform eight reps at each level, then repeat.

Exercise 7: Flying

Hold a dumbbell each both hand. Place your right leg forward, lean your upper body forward as well (almost till its parallel to the floor) and get the left leg off the floor. Your head, hips and toes should be in a straight line.

Simultaneously, lift both your arms out to the sides in line with the shoulders, as if you are flying. Squeeze your back, shoulder blades and left hip. Lower your arms and leg, then lift the right leg and your arms. Keep alternating.

Do a total of 20 reps.

Exercise 8: Tip toes and biceps

Hold dumbbells in both hands. Place your hands alongside your hips, with your palms turned out. Rise up on your tip toes, bend your elbows and bring your hands up to your shoulders, then lower hands and feet.

Do 16-20 reps.

Exercise 9: Paper plate thighs

Place your right leg on a paper plate. Pressing your foot into the paper plate, slide your leg along the floor to the right as far as it will while bending the left knee. Then pull the leg back in, squeezing your inner thigh. Make sure your foot stays in heavy contact with the floor all through.

Do 12-16 reps with each leg.

Exercise 10: Paper plate butt

Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet (dig your heels in, toes upward) on paper plates. Slide your feet forward and then pull them in towards your hips. As your feet come in, squeeze and raise your hips off the floor. Lower the hip and extend the legs again.

Repeat 12-16 times.

Exercise 11: Obliques

Lie on your back. Place your arms on the floor overhead. Raise both your legs up to the ceiling and lift your upper body, twist to the left and reach your right hand out to the left toe. Keep alternating sides.

Perform a total of 20 reps.

And now you're done!

Turn down the dance music and pop in a relaxing CD. Wind down with some stretching, relax with a few slow, deep breaths and lie down with your eyes closed for a minute -- you'll feel fresh and rejuvenated.

Do this workout four to five days a week and follow it up with a low-fat, well-balanced diet.

Have five or six small meals in the day instead of two-three heavy ones and keep your dinner light, consuming it three hours before you tumble into bed!

And when summer's here, slip into your bikini and get ready for the wolf-whistles!!