Abs workout…

Not my favourite part of the workout, but a necessary evil.  The best ab workout I’ve found is the P90X workout, if anyone has another one that’s great, I’d love to try is so send me the link. 

I’m going to be doing these on Tuesdays and Thursdays after my weights workouts, one set, 25 repetitions of each exercise:

1. Knees to chest, in and out – sit down with knees bent, feet together, hands on the ground behind you.  Start by stretching out your legs and bend them to bring your knees and your chest together.  Once you get more advanced, take your hands off the floor and extend them over your head.
2. Bicycle – same position as before, bicycle your legs forwards 25 times and backwards 25 times.  Once you get stronger, take your hands off the floor and extend them over your head.
3. Cruncy frog – same position as before, but your hands are now off the ground.  As you pull your knees into your chest, wrap your arms around your legs as if hugging them.
4. Up and over – lying down straight legs keeping your feet 2 feet apart.  As you crunch your body up to sit, reach your right hand to the ceiling, to your left leg, back to the ceiling and lower your body to the ground.  Repeat with the left hand going up, over to your right foot, up and roll back down.
5. Fifer scissors – lying down, arms by your side, keep your legs extended, right leg off the ground by an inch, left leg pointing to the ceiling.  Every 4 seconds switch your legs without touching the ground.  Make sure your lower back stays on the ground the whole time.
6. Hip Raises – lying down, arms by your side, bring the soles of your feet to touch, creating a diamond shape with your legs, knees close to the ground.  Keeping your legs in that position, lift the feet towards the ceiling and lower them back down an inch from the mat.
7. Pulse ups – lying down, arms by your side, legs together, straight in the air.  Lift from your hips one or two inches off the ground and back down.  Keep the movement small and controlled, legs do not swing they only lift up and down.
8. V-up, roll up – lying down, arms overhead, legs together, straight.  Roll up to touch your toes and roll back down to the start position.  As you roll up the second time, lift your legs at the same time to create a V with your legs and upper body, bringing your hands to touch your feet.  Repeat both exercises 12 times, for 24 roll-ups in total.
9. Oblique V-ups – on your left side, keep your left arm in front of you on the floor for balance, right hand by your head for support, legs slightly bent and together.  Lift your legs up and bring them towards your right elbow, crunching sideways.  Try not to use your left arm to lift you and keep your legs of the ground for the whole set.  After 25, switch sides and repeat on the right.
10. Leg climbs – lying down, arms by your side, left leg bent, right leg straight, up in the air at 45 degrees.  Crunch your abs and walk your hands up your right leg to touch your toes.  The fewer times you need to touch your leg the better.  Start with 3 times, and eventually work your way to just touching your toe with the left hand.  After 25 times on the right leg, switch legs and repeat with the left leg.
11. Mason Twist – sitting up, legs bent and together, hands to your chest fingers intertwined into one big fist.  Keeping your feet off the ground, twist your body left and right to touch your knuckles on the floor to the left and right.  Repeat 40 times … work up to 50 if you can.  Do this as fast as possible but make sure your knuckles touch the floor every time!
12. Lie down and rest!!!  Flip over on your stomach, use your hands to lift your head up to stretch your abs!  Go into childs pose if it feels good!

The whole workout should take approximately 15 minutes.  The plan is to do what I can at first, giving myself a minute to do as many reps as I can, two minutes for the exercises where I’ll have to do both sides.  Once I get stronger, I’ll move from one exercise to the other without a break to keep my abs engaged the entire time!