Wealden Times | WT186 | August 2017 | Wedding supplement inside

impressions First
Personal trainer Sarah-Jane Holt gives
her tips for a peachy posterior
During a traditional wedding ceremony, the
main view guests will have of the bride and
her bridesmaids is from the back. From
entering the church or registry office, to the final
moment when the bride and groom are pronounced
man and wife, can take a while so it’s vital that the
bridal party’s dresses and hair look great from behind.
A well-defined waist and shapely silhouette (think
bridesmaid Pippa Middleton’s back view at her
sister’s wedding to Prince William in 2011) sets off
a wedding or bridesmaids’ dress to perfection.
We asked personal trainer Sarah-Jane Holt for
three pre-nup exercises to ensure that the bride and
her attendants look their best on her big day!
Squats – These are a great all-round exercise that not
only work all three glute muscles, helping to firm and tone
a beautiful bottom, but also work on strengthening and
toning the legs and core as well. To perform a perfect squat,
start with your feet just wider than shoulder width apart
and turn your toes out very slightly. On the way down,
make sure that your knees are tracking over the second toe,
keep your chest up and imagine you are sitting down onto
a chair. You will be pushing your bum back slightly then
bending your knees. On the way up, focus again on knee
position and on squeezing your buttocks all the way through
the movement until you are back to a standing position.
Repeat 15 times, weight can be added to increase strength.
Raised glute bridges – Lie on your back with your
knees bent and the bottom of your feet on the edge of a chair
or sofa so your feet are off the floor. With arms by your sides,
push through your feet and squeeze your bum to lift your
hips off the floor. Really focus on squeezing your buttocks as
hard as you can whilst lifting your hips up. Pause at the top of
the movement for 3 seconds, squeezing your buttocks all the
time. Bring your hips back to the floor and repeat 20 times.
Rear elevated split lunges – These are tough
but very effective, the elevated back foot places more
emphasis on the opposite glute working to really tone your
bottom as well as working to develop leg shape. Stand
with the back of your knees touching a bench or chair,
take a decent step away with one foot and then place the
back foot on the bench behind you. This set-up will help
to make sure your front foot is the right distance away
from your back foot. When in this position drop your hips
straight down to the floor by bending your front knee. On
the way back up, focus on driving through your front heel
and squeeze the glute of the front leg. Repeat 15 times on
each side, you can also add weight for a stronger effect.
sarahjaneholt.co.uk
Crowning
glory!
The Rye Retreat has a great reputation for
preparing brides for their big day. We talked to
them about this season’s trends, wearing a veil
and how much time to allow in the salon…
What are the most popular styles this season
for long-haired brides wanting to wear
their hair up? ‘Relaxed chic’ is what our
Brides are looking for at the moment. They
want something un-done, un-structured
and whimsically romantic. Tendrils are
left at the nape and around the face and
braids are often incorporated to give the
look a suggestion you might have almost
done it yourself (if only you could!).
Does wearing a veil restrict a bride’s hairstyling
options? A veil doesn’t restrict a
Bride’s style options at all. Here at The Rye
Retreat, we sew veils into the hair so that
there’s no need for lots of clips. We also apply
this technique to add jewellery to the hair.
How much time should a bride allow in
the salon on the morning of her wedding
day? We will accommodate any time
necessary, but 2–2 ½ hours is average
theryeretreat.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
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