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.
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.
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.
As I said in a previous post, “Every exercise is not for every body!”
There are TONS of reasons why some people are unable to do a variety of high-impact exercises that are known to result in a high-calorie burn and significant weight loss. Sometimes they are recovering from an injury. Maybe they’re just starting their fitness journey.
Rest assured, you can still get a good workout by doing low-impact exercises.
This video is actually first in a five-part series, so let’s get to those exercises. The asterisk (*) in the options indicates the option featured in the video.
Upper Body Exercises
Speed Bag
Stand tall will both arms raised overhead and up to the side
Keep abs engaged (stomach muscles pulled in tight)
Rotate your arms wrist over wrist toward the ceiling
Switch sides
Options:
Stand still*
Squat
Shuffle
Back Fat Blaster
Stand tall with arms up in the air like football goalposts
Slowly lower elbows toward ribs while adding resistance by squeezing muscles in the upper back
Return to starting position
Options:
Stand still*
Squat
Jump Squat
Core Exercises
Torso Twist
Stand with knees slightly bent and feet hip-width apart
Point elbows to the floor
Keep abs engages
Rotate from side to side
Options:
Stand still*
Squat
Squat and add knee lift on every third twist
Side Cruncher
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart
Lift right arm overhead to the left
Pull arm down while actively engaged the right obliques (side core muscles)
Repeat desired number of reps
Switch sides
Options:
Keep both feet on the floor*
Lift right leg while crunching on right side
Lower Body Exercises
One-Legged Jumping Jacks
Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides
Step out to the side with one leg while raising arms up in the air
Step leg back to starting position while lowering arms back to sides
Options:
Lift arms only as high as your shoulders
Lift arms all the way up as if doing jumping jacks*
Kick legs out to the sides
Side Leg Lift
Stand with feet together and hands on hips
Lift one leg out to the side
Return to starting position
Options:
Hold onto a chair for balance
Lift leg in air and return foot to floor
Lift leg in the air and lower foot without letting it touch the floor
Rear Leg Lift
Stand with feet together and hands on hips
Lift one leg to the back
Return to starting position
Options:
Hold onto a chair for balance
Lift leg in air and return foot to floor
Lift leg in the air and lower foot without letting it touch the floor
Chair Squats
Place chair directly behind you
Perform squatting motion
Return to standing position when you feel the chair on your legs
The Next Steps
In the coming weeks, I will post four different Tabata style workouts based on these exercises.
Weight loss! It’s one of the many positive side effects of getting fit. However, you may get to a point where you’re doing everything you know to do, but the scale never changes. If you’re facing that right now, please know that there are specific reasons you’re not losing weight.
For several weeks, I’ve hopped on the scale every Wednesday, and I can honestly say that the numbers on the scale have been consistently inconsistent. Sometimes the number goes down by two pounds one week, but the next week it goes up by 1.5 pounds. Since I’ve also been counting my calories, monitoring my water consumption and tracking my exercise, I’ve noticed some interesting trends.
I’ve come to realize there are four distinct reasons why my weight fluctuates from week to week. Because you’re on this fitness journey with me, I’ve decided to weigh in on why we’re not losing weight.
Reason #1: You’re Not Eating Enough
Logically speaking, if you want to lose weight you should eat less, but when it comes to the human body nothing is logical. Calories are energy, and we all need a basic amount of energy to simply get going. Though it may sound hard to believe, not eating enough can actually cause you to gain weight. You can’t run on empty; no one can. If you consistently consume fewer calories than your body needs, it will simply “hold on” to what you’ve eaten, storing it for later because it’s not sure when the next round of energy (meal) is coming.
The amount of calories you need to consume depends on how much you weigh and how active you are. In short, the more active you are, the more you’ll need to eat. Healthline.com has a Calorie Calculator that will show you how many calories you should consume on a daily basis to maintain your weight, to lose weight, or to lose weight fast. However, it’s important to note that all calories aren’t created equally.
Reason #2: You’re Not Eating The Right Foods
You know that you’re consuming the proper amount of calories, but you’re still not losing any weight. Maybe it’s time to look at what you’re eating. What you’re eating is another factor that comes into play where weight loss is concerned. Suppose you wanted to consume 300 calories for breakfast. You could have (Option A) one scrambled egg and a cup of rice, (Option B) one glazed doughnut, or (Option C) a vegan omelette with a side of berries.
Certain foods such as raw fruits and vegetables help expel waste from your body. The more of those foods you eat, the more you’ll be able to lose unnecessary waste in your body.
Reason #3: You’re Not Drinking Enough Water
You may have heard that water flushes out impurities. That means water helps eliminate toxins from your system, toxins that could be causing you to hang on to extra weight.
If you’ve ever attempted to drink the recommended amount of water for your weight, you’ve probably wondered about a few things. Like why you have to pee ALL the time, why your pee super dark, or why it smells, it’s because of the impurities or toxins that are in your system. If you stick with it, you’ll notice that you will have to use the restroom less and your urine will become more clear. The more clear your urine is, the least toxic it is.
Did you know that water can serve as a natural appetite suppressant? Drinking water before a meal causes you to feel somewhat full prior to taking your first bite. If you sip water between bites during a meal you will end up eating less. In both cases, the end result of drinking more water would be weight loss.
Reason #4: You’re Exercising Enough
You may already know that there are some amazing things that happen when you exercise: your metabolism increases, you burn calories and your bowels are stimulated. All three of those amazing things provide solid proof that exercise is the most effective avenue for losing weight.
Even so, there are times when you getting your workout in every day and working up a good sweat, but nothing is happening in terms of weight loss.
During those times, it is imperative to reassess your exercise regime. If all you do is cardio, it might be time to do some strength training. If you take a thirty-minute walk every day, it might be time to up the ante by transforming that walk to a jog. Making even a very subtle change to your workout schedule can result in a couple lost pounds in one week.
What now?
If any or all of those reasons you’re not losing weight resonate you’re probably thinking, “What in the world am I supposed to do now!?!?!”
My free email course, 5 Steps to Creating a Healthy Habit will lead you through everything you need to do.
Hopping on the Scale!
Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
I think most people shudder at the idea of weighing themselves on a regular basis. I’m guessing they’re a little intimidated by what the scale will tell them, and they’d rather be kept in the dark. However, I can honestly say that participating in a weekly weigh-in can have a really positive effect on your fitness journey. I’m sure you’ve figured this out by now, but this week I’ll be sharing two reasons to weigh yourself at least once every week.
There was a time when I weighed myself every day. That’s right! I hopped on that scale every single day for about two years. I’m not sure where I got the idea, but during that time I was also counting my calories. I became quite obsessive about the scale as well as extremely and carefully monitoring everything that I ate. My daily weigh-in filled me with a great deal of stress because I simply didn’t know what to expect, and a two-pound weight gain in a 24-hour period would cause me to significantly reduce my calorie consumption, which was not good at all.
I realized that the way I was doing things simply wasn’t healthy, so I made the decision to cut back on the weigh-ins quite drastically and dropped down to once a week. When I did that, I noticed a number of benefits that were not evident when I weighed myself every day. It didn’t take long for me to see that those benefits were not just experienced by me. They were universal, and I’ll share two of them with you right now!
Sense of Anticipation
When you weigh yourself once a week, it gives you something to look forward to. After devoting seven days to your fitness journey, you’ll really want to see how your hard work has paid off. Whether you’ve faithfully logged your meals for the week or you’ve been able to keep up with your exercise plan, you’ll be excited to see how you measure up.
Movement Motivation
Knowing that you’re going to hop on the scale may motivate you to move a little more each week. You’ll more than likely start experimenting with different types of exercise to see how it impacts the scale. If you happen to have a week with very little movement and see that you gain a pound or two that week, I’m pretty sure that will definitely inspire you to get moving a bit more.
Hopping on the Scale! After today’s blog, I really hope you can see the value of weighing in. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
