Men's Health May 22, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret Routine Everyone’s Using to Sculpt Their Dream Body Before Summer Hits!

Summer means shredded, right? Well, that’s the mantra flashing all over your socials as soon as the temperature climbs—and sure, having a towering goal to sculpt your dream body is awesome—but here’s a twist: what if this summer is less about sculpting and more about moving, shaking, and actually enjoying that golden sun? Imagine swapping the stale indoor gym grind for fresh air workouts in your yard, park, or beach, letting your fitness routine breathe in the season’s best vibes. I get it, the pressure to snap into “beach body” mode can feel like a tidal wave, especially when every scroll is packed with perfectly toned physiques. But what if we focused less on how our shorts fit and more on how energized and free we feel in them? Because honestly, summer should be about having a blast while breaking a sweat, not stressing over some cookie-cutter look. Ready to flip the script and find joy in movement that powers you up for the seasons ahead? Let’s dive into workouts that do just that—whether you’ve got a full gym at your disposal or just a pair of dumbbells and the great outdoors. LEARN MORE

4 min read

Summer means shredded… right? Yeah, that’s probably the message about the sunny season you’re getting from social media—and it’s great to have a lofty fitness goal, to be clear—but we think the most exciting thing about this time of year is all the potential for fun and movement in the sun. This is the perfect opportunity to let loose and get outside, hitting the park, beach, pool, court, or even just your yard to get active in the best weather of the year. Your workouts, which have likely been constrained to indoor fitness spaces or garage or basement gyms will be even better in the season’s more favorable temps.

But you might be feeling some pressure to do more than just enjoy yourself. If you’re thinking more about your body than any other time of the year outside of resolution season in January, you’re not alone. Beach body discourse and the endless stream of physique-flaunting videos can be difficult to contend with.

Here’s an idea: Think more about how your body feels than how it fits into any predetermined standard or swim trunks. You can (and should!) set and achieve goals related to your physique—but we think it’s much more important that guys spend their valuable time and effort, both in the gym and outside of it, on activities that will help them to move better doing whatever it is they want to do. And if the season is all about fun, your summer exercise routines should be doubly focused on having a good time while you sweat.

These workouts will get you where you want to be, pushing you toward your fitness goals in the most efficient ways possible. Some of these sessions use a full gym’s worth of equipment, while just as many are designed to be completed with minimal gear you probably have at home or can take outside to get out into the open air. Need a specific plan to begin? Begin with this four-week fundamentals program that builds full-body muscle. Level up with this 8-week core-centric plan that will do more for your midsection than those extra sets of summer situps you’ve been tacking onto your routine since March. If you’re really locked in, check out the entire Abs Redefined package for next-level knowledge. And if feeling good with more summers on the horizon is your goal, focus on your Strengthspan to maximize your longevity. And if you’re ready to embrace Quad Summer, just remember: sky’s out means thighs out, so train your legs.

Want to get outside and get moving? We hand-picked a dozen of our favorite outdoor workout sessions so you can take your training to nature. And if you’re an MH MVP member, you have access to even more options, from beginner-friendly muscle guides to six-pack abs programs to 20-minute pump plans.

Need tools for all that park, beach, and backyard action? Our fitness editors hand-selected some of their favorite gear for the season. Get started with these top home gym picks:

Best Beginner Adjustable Dumbbells

PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells (50 lb)

Best Premium Adjustable Dumbbells

SMRTFT NÜOBELL (80 lb)

Best Value Adjustable Kettlebell

Bowflex SelectTech 840 Kettlebell

Now 13% Off

Best Premium Adjustable Kettlebell

Bells of Steel Adjustable Kettlebell Set

And if you’re already in fun-in-the-sun shape, all of these workouts and exercise will push you to another level, building on the muscle you already have.

Enough talk. Let’s get outside and get after it!

SCULPT YOUR ABS

THIS ONE’S ABOUT more than beach abs. A trim, ripped waistline doesn’t just look good when you’re out in the sun. It protects your spine, bulletproofs your lower back, and makes you stronger all-around. Translation: You’ll build the rest of your beach body that much faster. You’ll need more than crunches to build those abs though. Start with these moves.

build stronger, better looking abs with this 15 minute workout

15-MINUTE ABS

chisel out a six pack with this hiit ab routine

HIIT YOUR ABS

the 3 abs exercises to unlock your six pack

SUMMER SHRED SIX-PACK

WEIGHTED AB EXERCISES

ATTACK YOUR ARMS

BUILDING JACKED BICEPS and triceps doesn’t just mean lifting the heaviest weights in the gym. Your fastest route to beach-ready arms is filled with precision techniques and slow, controlled reps. Learn the secrets of smart arm training, and you’ll unlock size, strength, and definition that’ll show whether you’re in a tank top, T-shirt, or no shirt at all.

blow up your arms with these 15 triceps exercises

MUST-DO TRICEP MOVES

the 20 best biceps exercises for your muscle building workouts

BEST BICEPS BLASTS

this german volume training inspired 10x10 workout blows up your biceps fast

GVT BICEPS BUILDER

your path to big arm gains is this 5 minute workout

5-MINUTE ARMS

CHISEL YOUR CHEST

SURE, FLEXING YOUR biceps is fun—but once you take your shirt off, you’ll want to be able to stay confident with your chest. Whether you’re pumping out pushups or pressing through bench reps, these workouts will help you to stimulate the muscle growth you’ll want to go sans top.

20 BEST CHEST

try this 4 week plan for a bigger, better chest

4-WEEK CHEST

the no bench press beginner's chest workout

NO-BENCH CHEST

this all pushups home workout builds your chest more than bench pressing

BODYWEIGHT CHEST

BUILD YOUR BACK

THE MOST UNDERRATED part of an eye-catching beach body: a well-muscled back. Build size and strength in your lats and middle back, and it instantly makes you stand taller and walk broader, and it’ll protect your shoulders and make your chest exercises more effective too. And maybe the best part? It’ll make your waist look slimmer! Start building that back right now.

BODYWEIGHT BACK

the 25 best exercises to build your back muscles

BEST FOR BACK

15 dumbbell exercises to build back strength and muscle

DB BACK BUILDERS

10 upper body exercises to build your next pull day

UPPER BODY PULL

CRUSH YOUR LEGS

DON’T JUST FOCUS all your energy on your abs and arms–you’ll be wearing shorts along with your tank tops, after all, and you’ll want to fill them out right. And this year, fellas, we’re talking SHORT. Get your squat form locked down, use dynamic movements to get those quads and glutes ready for top billing. As the saying goes: Sky’s out, thighs out.

this lower body workout will jump start your body recomp goal

RECOMP LEGS

LEG DAY ESSENTIALS

take on this military inspired bodyweight workout to crush your quads

BODYWEIGHT QUAD CRUSHER

14 squat variations to crush your leg day workouts

BEST SQUATS

FULL BODY FLEX

IF YOU WANT to spend less time in the weight room as the weather improves but you don’t want to skimp on performance, these are the workouts for you. Put all the parts together with these full body crushing routines that will get you the most bang for your workout buck. You’ll address most of the major muscle groups in one go, making these the most efficient, effective routines you can use to get ready for the beach.

this superset program will help you prep for outdoor workouts

DB SUMMER SUPERSETS

your 4 week workout plan to get cut for summer

BEACH PREP WORKOUT

this single dumbbell workout builds serious muscle

1-DUMBBELL WORKOUT

this single kettlebell program can help you achieve your total body training goals

1 KB WORKOUT

Brett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men’s Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.

Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is the fitness director of Men’s Health and a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He’s logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes and his current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga. Before joining Men’s Health, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News.