Getting toned for summer clothingCORRECTIONS

Local experts offer advice on getting a bathing suit body

Jim miller/VIEWLas Vegas Athletic Club member Marta Valdez works out using a weighted ball. Experts recommend a combination of strength training and cardiovascular workouts to reach fitness goals. Jim miller/VIEWLas Vegas Athletic Club group fitness director Melanie Byrne discusses the variety of programs the LVAC offers for women. Advertisement

Las Vegans want to take off their clothes. Each spring, because of the rising temperatures, people increasingly wear less clothing.

With the impending heat on its way, many women are looking to get into shape and tone their bodies to take full advantage of what summer has to offer. In the spirit of summer, two fitness professionals have offered to lend some advice to the women of the Southwest to help them kick start their summers the healthy way.

Dr. Randa Bascharon is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, sports performance specialist and a board-certified athletic trainer, whose practice, Advanced Orthopedics, specializes in helping athletes attain their best, fitness-wise.

"Probably the safest bet is to link up with someone who understands sports injuries before starting an exercise program," Bascharon said. "That person can look at all the dynamics to help you reach your goal. Those things on the front end are really important."

Melanie Byrne, group fitness director for Las Vegas Athletic Club, recommends women "work on cardio, muscle conditioning, strength training and flexibility and range of motion."

"With cardio, you need to work hard enough so you can't hold a conversation for more than three words before needing to take a breath," Byrne said.

Bascharon, who is a big advocate of women and weight training, said "One pound of muscle burns nine times more calories than fat, so it's a way to burn more calories without doing anything. The more muscular a person is, the more calories they're going to burn."

"It increases metabolism," she continued. "Weight training is an equally essential component to cardio training. You see much faster changes in your physique than doing one or the other. Lean bodies come from doing push-ups, sit-ups and leg squats. Those exercises emphasize large muscle groups. A lot of women forget about those standards. Weight training seems to be so directly linked to a weight loss institution, but you don't need any special equipment to do it."

Inside the Las Vegas Athletic Club on West Sahara Avenue, women take full advantage of the club's women-only gym that is outfitted with cardio machines, free weights and cable resistance machines.

"LVAC and its owners very much focus on women," Byrne said. All of the club's Las Vegas locations are outfitted with a women's gym that is separate from the main gym, so women have the option of working out with men or without.

Most gyms offer members free classes that are included with their memberships, including sessions that cover cardio, strength training and flexibility.

"You have women who only take classes, but it's good to cross train and do both," Byrne said. "I highly recommend classes in water to women who are pregnant."

Examples of classes offered at most gyms include yoga, spin and aqua classes, which are held in your local gym's pool area.

"The thing to remember is the body has to learn and classes take some getting used to," Byrne said. "If you lose us or we lose you, you just march in place."

Byrne also recommended spin classes for those that are unsure about taking a group fitness class or that may be a little uncoordinated.

"You get on the bike and go. It's an easy learning curve," she said. "Always tell an instructor that you're new to a class. They love to help."

"I really highly recommend getting a buddy," Byrne continued. "You're usually more successful if you have one. Go out there and try to make friends."

A story about the Nevada Center for Missing Loved Ones that ran May 1 in the Southwest View contained an incorrect phone number. The correct number is 564-1466.

A story about donating sports magazines to troops that ran May 1 in the Southwest View contained an incorrect Web address. The correct address is www.legendssportsmagazine.com.