15 minutes to a bikini body! This exclusive workout poster shows you how to tighten your abs and jiggle-proof your butt, hips and thighs for a beach-ready body - Shape in Balance

Shape, May, 2003 by Linda Shelton

Stretch to finish Lying on your side, hug top knee in toward your chest, holding stretch; release and repeat on the other side.

The Plan Schedule Perform moves shown above 2-4 days a week as part of your regular exercise program, which should include strength and cardio. You'll do 1 set of each move (see captions for specifics on reps), taking just 10-15 minutes total.

Warm-up Begin each workout with hip rolls: Lie faceup with knees bent and feet flat on mat and hip-width apart, arms by sides, hips level. Inhale, then exhale, rolling your hips and torso up off the mat by peeling one vertebra up at a time, until your body is in a bridge position, supported by your shoulder blades and feet; avoid arching lower back. Inhale, then exhale to roll back down, sequencing one vertebra at a time, until you're lying back on the mat. Repeat 3-5 times.

Cool-down Finish this series by stretching each muscle group worked, holding each stretch without bouncing for 8-10 seconds. See the end of each pair of moves for suggestions.

Cardio Aim to get 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-5 days per week. For ideas, see "4 Simple Summer Calorie Blasters," below.

4 Simple Summer Calorie Blasters

For truly efficient fat-burning, apply the "Pilates Form Pointers" at the top of the poster to your aerobic activities (for instance, always use your abs to stabilize your body position), then use some of these tips for an easy way to up your summer fun factor. For each of the activities below, a 145-pound woman will burn from 205 (dancing) to 765 (running a nine-minute mile) calories per hour, depending on intensity.

1. Take it outside. Walk, hike, run, cycle, mountain bike or inline skate for an exhilarating aerobic adventure that will really get your lower body and abs bikini-ready.

2. Just add water. Try deep-water running, surfing, windsurfing, rowing, kayaking or boogie boarding for a wet and wild calorie blast and beach-worthy body.

3. Shake your groove thing. Burn up the dance floor, not to mention extra calories, with supersculpting salsa, ballroom, folk or disco dancing.

4. Be sporty. Try a sport such as tennis, volleyball, badminton, soccer or basketball for the lean and toned look of an athlete.

Buy the Band You can purchase a flex band in most stores that carry fitness equipment and accessories, or you can order one at a variety of fitness equipment Web sites. Prices start at $5, and the amount of resistance each provides varies according to color and manufacturer. Visit pilates.com or stottpilates.com to order or for more information.

Power Up Your Pilates

The main goal of any Pilates exercise is to strengthen and lengthen your muscles while restoring the natural curves of the spine through a balanced work out. With every exercise, you engage your pelvic floor and muscles before moving. This ensures that the body is stabilized and helps you better execute the following Pilates principles Which are also crucial.

Breath Each part of every exercise has a specific breath attached to it that helps facilitate the movement, so don't forget to inhale and exhale as directed. What to do Breathe deeply into the lungs to relax tense muscles and to maintain focus. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, pulling the navel in toward your spine, lips pursed as if blowing out a candle.