Workout: Abdominal Workout 1

Equipment Used: Balance/Stability Ball Soft ground area / Yoga Mat Flat Bench / Flat Surface A light, medium and heavy dumbbell Highly recommended:Medicine Ball (weighted)

Abdominal Workout #1

Get Fab Abs!!! Everyone wants that flat stomach but the icing on the cake is to build up a set of defined ab muscles. The expression "Abs are made in the kitchen" is very true however. No matter how much ab work you put in, if you are not down to a certain body fat percentage, your abs won't show. So make sure to diet properly so that your nutrition doesn't cover your six pack with a layer of fat. This circuit is comprised of all ab exercises to help build up that six pack. Working your abs/core is different than building up other muscle groups. Abs in general have a quicker recovery period that other muscles so we want to limit our rests between sets. You also want to make sure to focus on form and breathing. Perform the exercises deliberately engaging your core and flexing your abs. Make sure to engage your abs on the negative of each exercise too. Squeeze those abs and breathe out at the peak of each exercise rep. You're only cheating yourself if you only put in half-hearted reps!

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Walk Outs V-Ups Oblique Crunches Bench Knee Raises Plank Superset Scissor Kick into Bicycles Superset Squat Thrusts into High Knee Superset

Stretch / Warmup Loosen your muscles (both upper/lower body). Stretch out and hydrate.

1 - Walk OutsClick For Video Example Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend at the waist and roll down until your fingertips touch the floor in front of your toes. Walk your hands forward, keeping your feet stationary, as you release the bend in your back. Walk until your legs are lowered and your arms are in pushup position, then reverse directions. Walk your hands back to starting position. Repeat 5-10 reps for 3 sets. Optional: You can start on your knees instead of on your feet.

2 - V-UpsVideo Example Lie supine with hands on floor over head. Hold a stability ball with your feet. Simultaneously raise straight legs and torso. Reach toward raised feet and grab the stability ball. Return to starting position but hold the ball with your hands instead of feet. Repeat the motion but when your reach toward your legs, place the ball back in between your feet. Repeat for as many reps as possible for 3 sets. Optional: If the stability ball is too hard, you can leave it out & just reach for your feet each rep. Optional: If the stability ball is too easy, use a slightly weighted stability ball or medicine ball.

3 - Oblique Crunches Video Example Sit on the stability ball and walk your feet out and spreading them as wide as you can. As wide as you feel comfortable with your hips and bring your hands up behind your head. You're going to alternate twisting from side to side trying to bring the elbow up towards the opposite thigh or knee. Each time that you come back, you want to come back as deep as you can so that your shoulder blades will touch the edge of the ball each time. Get the full range of motion coming through and focus on squeezing those obliques each rep. Repeat for at least 15 reps each side for 3 sets.

4 - Bench Knee Raises Video Example Sit near the end of a flat surface (flat bench or similar). Lean back slightly and hold the sides of the flat bench. Place your legs together and extend them out in front of the end of the bench. Perform reps by bending your knees and pulling them in toward your chest while leaning forward. Release by leaning back into starting position and extending your legs back out. Repeat 15+ reps for 3 sets.

5 - Plank Superset A - PlankClick For Video Example Drop down onto a soft ground surface. Get face down to the ground, resting on the forearms w/ palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, raising onto your toes and rest on your elbows. Keep your back flat and form a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds to complete a rep. Lower onto your knees to rest. Move into Side Planks immediately after. B - Side PlankClick For Video Example Still on the ground, turn to the side. Lift your body off the ground and balance on one forearm and the side of your foot. Contract your abdominals and relax your shoulders. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds to complete a rep. Then switch sides & hold again for an equal amount of time. Repeat the entire superset 3 times.

6 - Scissor Kick into Bicycles Superset A - Scissor KickClick For Video Example Find a soft surface and lie down. Tilt your head forward so it is slighty off the ground. Place your hands under your butt to support your lower back. Raise both your feet off the ground a few inches w/ your legs out straight. Now raise your left leg to a 45 degree angle while leaving the right leg out straight. Lower the left leg, keep it straight and then raise the opposite leg 45 degrees. Repeat and alternate to perform reps. After completing reps, move into Ab Bicycles. Perform at least 10 kicks per leg. B - BicyclesClick For Video Example In the same lying position as flutter kicks, place both hands behind your raised head. We will instead bring your left knee in toward right elbow and attempt to make them touch. Keep your right leg out straight. Return to the start position & perform a rep w/ the other leg. Repeat and alternate to complete multiple reps. Perform at least 15 cycles, focusing on form and then repeat the entire superset at least 3 times.

7 - Squat Thrusts into High Knee Superset A - Squat ThrustsVideo Example Get down on the ground into a push-up position. To perform a rep you want to bring both feet simultaneously toward your hands by bending your legs and "jumping" your feet forward. Once forward, jump both feet back so that you return to your original push-up position. Perform at least 10 thrusts and then move onto high knees. leg. B - High KneeClick For Video Example Get into a standing position with feet shoulder width apart. You want to start running in place but bringing your knees very high, at least up to the start of your torso. At the same time, take your elbows and alternate bringing them down to meet the opposite knee (right elbow to left raised knee then left elbow to right raised knee). Perform high knees for at least 20 seconds (or until too fatigued). Repeat the entire superset at least 3 times.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!