Abs is a curse for most of us, because we all know the golden rule: abs are made in the kitchen. I could not agree more and yet I love a good abs workout, even though I know that this belly area is one of the toughest areas to sculpt. But hey, what challenges you the most, is always worth it?
So I am responsible for coming up with a good abs workout for me and my gym buddy Kelly every two weeks. That involves hunting online, looking up the best athletes, motivators and generally trying to spot some good stuff that the owners of a six pack do at the gym. Yes, I am gym stalker for fitness reasons only, of course!
Our abs workout system is pretty easy and I believe quite decent. We workout five times a week and we do abs at the end of each daily workout. Two days a week we do what I call: ‘Cardio abs’. It is high intensity, timed and a quick workout that targets the four different parts of the ab muscles. For example:
- Heel touches x 30s
- Bicycle x 30s
- Reverse crunch x 30s
- Pump x 30s
- Without a break straight into plank x 1 minute
That’s it, your daily abs workout done in 3 minutes. I know that half way through it feels like you can’t do it anymore, but you can. Push and do you hardest, just a few minutes and you’re done.
Every second day we do an easier usually three different exercises workout using the TRX ropes. Even though it may feel as you’re not doing much, TRX is great for strengthening your whole core. This is our TRX workout:
- Suspended crunch
- The pike (yes, your butt has to go all the way up!)
- Spiderman crunch
- Rest 1 minute, repeat again
On the last day, which is usually strength and conditioning for the whole body we also do conditioning workouts for abs and core. This is personally my favourite day and favourite abs workout. Just a quick tip – if you can’t do hanging knees to chest, look up for easier version and just do it! Few months later you will be swinging knees like a pro! So this is how we condition abs:
- Swiss ball between legs lift x 12 (make sure your legs are tight!)
- Legs resting on a Swiss ball, knees to chest tuck x 12
- Hands on the Swiss ball, mountain climbers x 12 (great for improving balance)
- Swiss ball plank x 1 minute
- Rest 3 minutes
- Hanging knees to chest (arms straight) x 12
- Hanging (dip position) knees to chest twist on each side x 12
This is our abs workout framework. I make sure to change and mix up the individual exercises every two weeks, so our core muscles would not start feeling too comfortable with the routine. Like I mentioned above, I hunt for exercises literally everywhere and chose the ones which I know will challenge us enough. It doesn’t mean that we’re perfect at doing all of them. For example I hate V sit ups which is one of the best for abs. Kelly dislikes pump and literally cheats every time doing it. At the end of a day, it’s so many exercises for abs, that it would be a shame not try at least few of them!
-Justina
BU Health & Fitness 
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