Summer is only a few months away and with it comes all the things that keep us cool during those hot months: the pool, the beach, the lakes.... the swimsuits. If you are dreading swimsuit and short season, there is hope. By beginning right away, you can get your body into shape for a summer filled with sun and fun.

According to certified fitness consultant John Dickson, owner of Florida Fitness Concepts in downtown Orlando, with three months to go it is best to work from a plan involving three distinct phases. He calls the first six weeks the "growth phase," the next four weeks the "shaping phase," and the final two weeks the "cutting phase." Each involves a different weight lifting concept, nutrition plan, and cardiovascular exercise regimen.

THE GROWTH PHASE
During the first six weeks, the goal is to shock muscles into growth by using heavy weights. Dickson recommends thinking of muscle groups in six distinct parts, roughly described as: shoulders, biceps (top of the upper arm), triceps (back of the upper arm), chest, back, and finally butt and legs. He then implements a program involving three different exercises per body part. Each exercise is done four times, with six to eight repetitions per set.

For optimal growth, Dickson recommends trying to fit in four hour-long workouts per week. Each workout should focus on two body parts, and the fourth workout should be an all-body session with fewer exercises and sets per body part. He also recommends that abdominal (stomach) muscles get some attention every day. Cardiovascular exercise is de-emphasized during the growth phase; Dickson says 30 to 45 minutes of running, stepping, Spinning®, or treadmill three times per week should suffice.

If the growth phase is planned and performed properly, expect significant and noticeable gains in muscle mass, or what Dickson calls "thickness and density."

THE SHAPING PHASE
During the next four weeks, the structure of the weight lifting program is altered so that muscles that have grown in size can now be shaped to look their best. A former competitive bodybuilder, Dickson understands that--whether people are willing to admit it or not-- the primary goal of most weightlifting regimens is cosmetic. Many think the way to get the best look is to lift the heaviest weight possible, but Dickson says these one-dimensional programs don't attend to rounding, shaping, and displaying the muscle. "A three month program is not about how much weight you can lift or how many reps you can do," he says. "It's about how good you can make yourself look."

Continue using three exercises per body part, four sets each, during the shaping phase. But different exercises and more repetitions, usually eight to 12, should be used to further isolate each muscle. During the shaping phase, it is important to use proper form, so weight should be lowered if necessary to maintain that form.

If possible, consult with a trainer or specialist about the best exercises and proper form. Fitness books can also be helpful-particularly in demonstrating proper form. It also helps to pay attention to that guy or gal at the gym that's got the look you want, and take note of what they're doing. If that person looks friendly and accessible, ask questions.

When training clients, Dickson chooses exercises based on results during the growth phase. For instance, if legs are still looking a little thin, Dickson will continue with heavy weights throughout the shaping phase. He recommends that you take a good long look at your entire body several times throughout this phase, and make adjustments based on the look you want. He also notes that many men like to concentrate on muscles in the arms and chest, and so devote more time to them to the exclusion of legs and butt. "If that's the look they want, there's no problem," he says. "But it's an incomplete and disproportionate look."

Cardiovascular is increased slightly during the shaping phase, with amounts depending on body type and fat levels. If you're still carrying a fair amount of body fat-and the mirror tells all-then Dickson recommends increasing cardio to 30 to 45 minutes five times a week.
At the end of the shaping phase, muscles will be larger, more shapely, and noticeable. There should also be less visual disparity between different body parts.

THE CUTTING PHASE
During the final two weeks, the goal is to drop body fat, reduce fluid retention, and bring out the cuts in the muscles you've been developing. By this time you should be spending 15 minutes a day working abdominals: upper, lower, and oblique (sides).

Also by this time, Dickson says, weightlifting should be grouped in what he calls "super sets." Different exercises for each muscle group should be done one after the other, with no rest, so that muscles can be brought to full fatigue. He recommends super setting anywhere from two to five different exercises, depending on your endurance. Weight can be dropped a little, but by the end of the set the goal is "achieve failure," or the inability to lift the weight any more.

If body fat remains a real issue during this last two weeks, Dickson says weightlifting should be reduced to three days per week, but cardiovascular exercise should be increased to 30-45 minutes... seven days a week. "This is a lot of training," Dickson says, "but if what you want is a true transformation of your body, that's what it takes. It's not easy, but the rewards are wonderful."

NUTRITION
Throughout the entire three months, it is impossible to underestimate the importance of proper nutrition. "I've seen so many people attack the exercise program with real intensity," Dickson says, "but then never address their eating. They acquire some nice, big muscles, but you can't see them behind the fat, the gut, and the love handles. I can't get my hardest-working client to stop eating ice cream, and its taking years off of my life."

Dickson suggests the following formula to guide your eating during the three month training program. During the growth phase, multiply your body weight by 12 to determine the number of total calories you should be ingesting on a daily basis. For example, a 180-pound man should take in 2160 calories. 60 percent of this should be protein, 30 percent carbohydrates, and ten percent fat.

During the shaping phase, reduce caloric intake to ten times body weight (1800 calories for our 180 pound man), with the same percentages of protein, carbs, and fats. Then during the cutting phase, reduce calories yet again to nine times body weight: 75 percent protein, 15 percent carbs, and 10 percent fat. Also during the cutting phase, Dickson recommends drinking a full gallon of water a day to reduce sodium retention.

Dickson cautions that everyone's starting point, goals, and rate of metabolism are different. If you don't feel good on a particular diet, or lack necessary energy, make appropriate adjustments after consulting with a fitness trainer or physician.