Strengthen Your Core With This Intense Abs Workout
Add this intense abs workout as a burner at the end of your next workout! You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership to get a six pack. If strengthening your core and building your abdominal strength is your goal, you’ll want to focus on two things:
- Nutrition
- Strengthening ALL your abdominal muscles (meaning you’ll have to target all areas and not just focus on sit-ups or crunches until you’re blue in the face)
Most times, people focus on only strengthening the top layer of the abdominals, more scientifically referred to as the Rectus Abdominis. The problem with this lies in the fact that most people stop there, and they never take it a step further, or a layer deeper, and also target the Transverse Abdominis – the abdominal muscles that lie underneath that top layer. The Transverse Abdominis is super important because those are the muscles that are responsible for pulling our muscles together, maintaining our posture and total back and core strength, and even assisting with breathing. And, they’re the ones that are going to give you that six pack of your dreams.
This burner abdominal circuit targets multiple abdominal muscles within your core to help get your heart rate up, strengthen those ab muscles, and give you a slimmer waistline. Grab a timer and let’s do this!
Intense Abs Workout
What you’ll do:
Complete each move for 30 seconds in a circuit style – meaning you’re going to complete 30 seconds of move 1, followed immediately (without rest) 30 seconds of move 2, immediately (no rest), into 30 seconds of move 3, immediately (without rest) into 30 seconds of move 4. That’s one round! You’ll complete a total of 5 rounds.
DB Reach up/Weighted Reach
- Start by laying with your back flat on the ground, knees bent and heels planted firmly on the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands (each hand gripping one end of the bell), and start with it at your chest.
- Perform a sit up, keeping your knees bent and feet firmly on the ground.
- As you sit up, extend your arms out overhead so you’re reaching up in the air with that dumbbell.
- Lower your arms (and the dumbbell) back to your chest, and lower your back down on to the ground.
Leg Raises
- Lie with your back flat on the ground and your legs extended out in front of you.
- I like to place my hands underneath my bottom to help stabilize and cushion my tailbone.
- Lift your shoulders just barely off the ground to reduce any strain on your back.
- Raise your legs straight up in the air, lifting your bottom slightly.
- Slowly lower your legs back to the ground.
DB Fly with Leg Raise
- Following the same movement pattern as the leg raises only this time you’re going to be holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Start with your legs straight, up in the air, and your arms extended so that your hands and dumbbells are meeting in the middle above your chest.
- As you lower your legs down to the ground, lower each arm out the side and down to the ground in a fly position.
- Bring your arms and legs back up the middle, straight up in the air above you.
Forearm Plank
- Flip over on your hands and knees.
- Bring your forearms to the ground so they rest there underneath your shoulders.
- Extend your legs out behind you so your toes are planted firmly on the ground.
- Brace your core so that your back is straight, and abs stay tight.
- Hold this position.
