No more skinny fat… How Deena Gindling went from
relatively in active to WOW in 6 short months!
Bikini Competition Training and Cardio Plan

In Part 1 of Deena Gindling’s story, we learned about the Bikini Competition Diet and Supplement plan that helped her gain muscle, lose body fat and rock the bikini stage.  In part 2, Deena shares her Bikini Training and Cardio Plan that transformed her body!

Deena Gindling at a glance:

• 41 years old
• I am a Registered Nurse on a very busy Labor & Delivery unit at a hospital in Cincinnati, OH
• I’ve been married for 18 years to my husband, Greg, and we have 2 fantastic children: Paige (15) & Blake (12)
• Birthplace & Current Residence: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
• Height: 5’10”   off season weight: 138lbs   contest weight: 132lbs
• Favorite bodybuilding meal: Healthy Peanut Butter & Jelly
• Favorite supplements: UMP. I keep 2 or 3 different flavors around all the time for variety. I work 12 hour night shifts, so when I’ve slept all day and need to get all of my macros in in a shortened period of time, I will add peanut butter, yogurt, or even oats, and blend it all together with ice & water!

• What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? Try UMP! Clean eating doesn’t have to be torture & protein powder doesn’t have to taste bad! I truly look forward to my 2 meals each day made with UMP. Its so versatile: besides the protein shakes, I’ve used UMP to make French toast, pancakes, pudding (with peanut butter & cold coffee)… The possibilities are endless!
• On my iPod: Lots of rap. It gets me pumped up and feeling invincible.

No More Skinny Fat – Bikini Training and Cardio Plan

“While I love the compliments that my physical transformation has elicited, for me its really all about my health!  I may not be able to control my genetics, but I can certainly control how I treat my body with diet & exercise!”

Deena’s Bikini Training Schedule

I have come to truly enjoy weightlifting. I look forward to it on my training days and actually miss it on my rest or cardio-only days. The key for me is variety; my coach, Julie Lohre, changes up my training program at least every 4 weeks. This keeps me & my muscles from getting bored with my workout. A typical 4-week training schedule during contest prep looks something like this:

Monday: Legs & Biceps
Squats (Varying Foot Placement)
Walking lunges
Hammer curls
Leg extension
Bicep curls

Tuesday: Back, Chest & Abs

Pullups
Lat Pulldowns
Bench Press
Reverse Decline Crunches
High Cable Rows
Incline Bench Flyes
Lying Leg Raises
Bent over barbell rows

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Delts, Hamstrings & Glutes

Lateral Raises
Seated Overhead Press
Leaning Lateral Raises
Barbell Deadlift
Plie Squats
Glute Kickbacks
Lying Leg Curls
Switch Lunge Jumps

Friday: Triceps, Calves & Abs

Cable Pressdowns
Close-Hand Pushups
Alternating Arm Rear Delt Raises
Standing Calf Raises
Leg Press Machine Calf Raises

Ab Circuit:
Reverse Decline Crunch
Weighted Floor Crunch
Ball Pike Ups

Saturday: Plyometrics
Sprints/Pushups/Long Jumps

Deena’s Bikini Cardio Schedule

Cardio, while not my favorite form of exercise, is a big part of contest prep. I do 30-minute sessions 4 times each week. To target my glutes specifically,   I typically choose the step mill or set the treadmill at the maximum incline. Hill intervals when the weather is good are another great choice for glute activation.

Deena’s Advice on Bikini Presentation

Presentation is a major component of competing. For me, this was more challenging than the hours spent training or the super-clean diet. I consider myself a fairly modest person, so the thought of getting onstage in a tiny bikini and “strutting my stuff” was enough for me to reconsider competing.

This is where a fabulous coach is a must when thinking about competing. Julie held mock competitions in her studio several times throughout the 12-week prep so we could practice everything from walking in those 4-inch heels, to posing, waving at the judges, & changing places with other competitors during call-outs. Julie also worked with each of us individually to decide which poses best suited our own physique. Each of these mock competitions put me more at ease about walking onto a real stage with real competitors.

In addition to these mock competitions, I practiced at home in front of my husband or a full length mirror 2-3 times/week for 20 minutes each session.

In closing: I entered my first competition knowing that it would force me to give 100% to the diet & training schedule outlined for me by my coach, Julie Lohre. There was no way I was going to get onstage unless I looked like I belonged there! As a wife, mother, and nurse, its so easy for me to forget about taking care of myself when I’m so busy caring for others. With the full support of my husband & kids, this contest prep allowed me to put myself first and reap the rewards of my hard work in the gym and clean eating in the kitchen. Even though this competition season is over, I am continuing to work with Julie because I know she will help me achieve the new fitness goals I’ve set for myself. My favorite compliment these days isn’t, “You look fantastic for 41!”, but simply, “You look fantastic!”.