Try something new this week!
For a waist worthy of a painted-on Versace sheath, work your core from every angle, hitting all abdominal muscles (including obliques) and primary back muscles (erector spinae)
Sun Salute with Cross
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
Stand with legs slightly more than shoulder-width apart, arms extended overhead with hands just touching. Bending forward at the waist, reach down and touch your right foot, keeping your torso straight and moving as one unit. Straighten back to start. Repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep.
Ankle Reach
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
Lie on your belly with legs straight and toes touching the floor. Bend your arms with palms on the floor in line with your ears. Reaching both arms back and up, bend your right leg, reaching your heel toward your butt as you touch your hands to your right ankle. Slowly lower your arms and leg to start. Repeat with your left leg to complete one rep.
Double-Side Jackknife
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
Lie on your left side, your legs stacked and straight. Wrap your left arm in front of your torso, placing it on your right hip, and put your right hand behind your head. Simultaneously raise your torso and legs, bringing your head toward your hips. Return to start in a controlled motion and repeat for all reps, then switch sides and repeat reps to complete one set. Too hard? Start by lifting just your legs.
Dynamic V-Crunch
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
Lie face up with your legs straight — in line with your hips and perpendicular to your torso. Extend your arms in front of you, keeping them in line with your shoulders. Contract your abs and lower your legs so they're at a 45-degree angle with your hips. Then reach toward your left leg, simultaneously raising it and bringing it in line with your hips. Lower your left leg. Repeat with the right leg to complete one rep.
Raised-Hips Crunch
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
Lie face up with knees bent and feet flat on floor, hands behind head, and fingers unclasped. Press your hips off the floor into a bridge position, keeping your hips level. Maintaining the bridge, contract your abs and then raise your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor as one unit. Pause, then lower, and repeat. For more of a challenge, lift one foot slightly while you perform half of your reps, then lift the other foot off the floor for the other half.
Side Double Crunch
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
Lie balanced on your right buttock, with legs straight but not locked, arms straight, palms up. Simultaneously crunch your legs and torso together, bending your knees toward your chest while still balancing on your right buttock. Return to start and repeat for all reps, then switch sides and repeat to complete one set.
Bosu Reverse Hyperextensions
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
Lie face down with your belly on a Bosu and legs fully extended, palms flat on the floor. Squeeze your lower back and glutes to raise your legs, holding the contraction for as long as you can at the top of the movement. Lower your legs until they lightly touch the floor. Repeat.
The Perfect Crunch--Circle Crunch
Sets:
2-3
Reps:
8-20
These crunches work your abs from every direction, and the continuous motion forces you to isometrically hold your core tight, adding extra burn. The best part: They're totally doable — and you get a complete abs workout with one move.Lie face up with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hands behind your head with light fingers. Lift your shoulders off the floor until you feel a tight contraction, and curl your torso around in a small, clockwise circular motion (starting from 6 to 9 to 12 to 3 and back down to 6). For the next rep, repeat in the opposite, counterclockwise direction. Make 'em Harder Raise your legs with knees bent at 90 degrees, calves parallel to floor, as you perform each set.
Have fun and work those abs!
