Tag: ab exercises

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6 Minute Core Workout #2

6 Minute Core Workout #2

A few weeks ago, we talked about 20 Core Exercises that didn’t include traditional crunches or sit-ups. This week we’ll be doing Core Workout #2, the second 6-minute workouts focused on the core.

As you know, my goal is to show you how to get fit at home, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect by any means, and I’m okay with that. Most of the time I record them early in the morning to kick start my day. They are real-life workouts.

This is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Core Exercises: Vertical Scissors and Vertical Toe Touches. One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout. That will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning, like I do. The descriptions for each exercise are listed below.

Clock Abs

  • Prop up on elbows with floor
  • Hold legs at 45-degree angle
  • Circle legs CW twenty seconds, like you’re drawing a circle on the wall with your toes

Heel Touches

  • Lie on back w/ legs bent in chair position and arms straight in the air
  • Reach to the right side and touch right hand to right heel, then alternate to other side
  • Keep shoulders in contact with the floor at all times
  • Even if you don’t touch your heels, you should still get a good side crunch.

The Next Steps

Next week, I will feature two more exercises in another workout. The workout will be approximately 6 minutes long.

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6 Minute Core Workout #1

6 Minute Core Workout #1

Last week, we talked about 20 Core Exercises that didn’t include traditional crunches or sit-ups. This week we’ll be doing Core Workout #1, the first of many 6 minute workouts.

As you know, my goal is to show you how to get fit at home, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect by any means, and I’m okay with that. Most of the time I record them early in the morning to kick start my day. They are real-life workouts.

This is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Core Exercises: Vertical Scissors and Vertical Toe Touches. One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout. That will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning, like I do. The descriptions for each exercise are listed below.

Vertical Scissors

  • Start with hands under butt and legs straight
  • Lift legs to 45-degree angle
  • Then alternate legs between 45-degrees and 75-degrees

Vertical Toe Touches

  • Lie on floor with hands at sides
  • Start with legs straight up in the air
  • With legs straight in the air, lift shoulders off floor and try to touch toes with hands
  • Options:
    • Both arms at the same time*
    • Reach R arm to R foot, then switch
    • Reach R arm to L foot, then switch

The Next Steps

In the coming weeks, I will transform these 20 core exercises into a series of Tabata workouts. Each workout will be 6 minutes long and feature two exercises.

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20 Core Exercises (Situps are NOT included)

20 Core Exercises

Who doesn’t want firm abs these days?!?! But push-up and crunches are not what folks are looking for. So here are 20 Core Exercises that don’t include traditional crunches or sit ups.

1. Horizontal Scissors

  • Start with hands under butt and legs straight
  • Lift legs to 45-degree angle
  • Then have legs go out to the sides as if doing jumping jacks and cross in the middle

2. Vertical Scissors

  • Start with hands under butt and legs straight
  • Lift legs to 45-degree angle
  • Then alternate legs between 45-degrees and 75-degrees

3. Scissors w/ a Twist

  • Start with legs straight and upper body in C-curve
  • Perform horizontal scissors
  • Twist upper body in opposition

4. Flutter Kick

  • Lie on back with arms out to sides and toes off floor
  • Scissor kick legs making sure they are 3 to 4 inches off the floor

5. Bicycle Crunches

  • Lie on back with leg straight and hands behind head
  • Lift shoulders and legs off floor, keeping neck neutral
  • Bring R knee to chest, hold for a few seconds, then switch
  • Continue alternating

6. Leg Lifts

  • Start with hands under butt and legs straight
  • Lift legs to 45-degree angle
  • Then lower them within a few inches of the floor
  • Legs should not touch the floor when lowered

7. Reverse Crunches

  • Start with hands under butt and legs in upside down V
  • Lift knees toward the chest, lifting butt off floor
  • Keep shoulders and upper back “glued” to the floor

8. Clock Abs (*not featured in video)

  • Prop up on elbows with floor
  • Hold legs at 45-degree angle
  • Circle legs CW twenty seconds
  • Circle legs CCW during the next round

9. Single Leg Drop

  • Lie on the floor with hands under butt
  • Start with legs straight up in the air
  • Lower one leg until it is few inches off the ground
  • Return to starting position
  • Repeat with the other leg
  • Think of this as an exaggerated scissors exercise
  • Control your lower abs and do not allow gravity to take over

10. Vertical Toe Touches

  • Lie on floor with hands at sides
  • Start with legs straight up in the air
  • With legs straight in the air, lift shoulders off floor and try to touch toes with hands
  • Options:
    • Both arms at the same time
    • Reach R arm to R foot, then switch
    • Reach R arm to L foot, then switch

11. Pulse Ups

  • Lie on floor with hands under butt
  • Start with legs straight up in the air
  • Lift legs toward ceiling, lifting butt off floor
  • Imagine that you’re trying to place your footprints on the ceiling

12. Windshield Wipers

  • Lie on back w/ legs bent in chair position and arms to the sides
    • Keep knees tight together and move them to the right, the center and the left
    • Keep abs engaged and do not allow gravity to take over
    • Knees should not touch the floor
    • Keep shoulders in contact with the floor at all times

13. Dead Bug

  • Lie on back w/ legs bent in chair position and arms to the sides
  • Extend R leg while lowering L arm to the ground, then return to starting position.
  • Do the same with L leg and R arm

14. Heel Touches

  • Lie on back w/ legs bent in chair position and arms straight in the air
  • Reach to the right side and touch right hand to right heel, then alternate to other side
  • Keep shoulders in contact with the floor at all times

15. Bow

  • Lie on right side with arms and legs fully extended w/ body aligned
  • Lift and lower arms and legs to the ceiling simultaneously
  • Legs, shoulders and arms do not touch the floor
  • Switch sides

16. Seated Angled Bow

  • Balance on butt with knees together and heels off floor
  • Roll onto left butt cheek and bring heel to right side of body
  • Return to starting position and repeat to other side
  • (Make sure your feet are off the floor to get the maximum effect.)

17. V-Sit

  • Sit with back at a 45-degree angle, legs in broken V and hands out in front
  • Hold as long a possible
  • Options
    • Lift heels from floor
    • Lift legs in air at 45-degree angle
    • Move arms either out to sides, straight in air over head or in line with upper body

18. V-Sit w/ Alternating Knee Lift

  • Sit with back at a 45-degree angle, legs in broken V and hands out in front
  • Bring R knee to chest, return to floor, bring L knee to chest, return to floor, repeat
  • Upper body remains at 45-degree angle the entire time.

19. Russian Twist

  • Sit with back at a 45-degree angle, legs in broken V and hands together at chest
  • Twist torso making R elbow touch floor; return to center, twist to the left
  • Upper body remains at 45-degree angle the entire time.

20. Earthquake

  • Sit with back straight and legs and arm out in front
  • Lean back to 45-degree angle and hold for as long as possible, reset if necessary

The Next Steps

In the coming weeks, I will transform these 20 core exercises into a series of Tabata workouts.

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