ARE YOU FED up of the same convoluted core routine? Are your core exercises snuggled away neatly at the end of your session when you’re too tired and lacking motivation for them to really make a difference? Try this 20-routine to blast away abdominal fat and reveal what really lies beneath.
Okay, so before you get the wrong idea that this routine – and this routine alone – will give you a six-pack, it won’t. The saying goes that ‘abs are made in the gym and sculpted in the kitchen’, so while this routine will definitely take you part of the way to the Matthew McConaughey body you’ve always wanted, there’s more to it than just that. More on that later. For now, grab an exercise mat.
Before you start it’s perhaps a good idea to do a brief warm-up like running on the treadmill for a few minutes or if you’re at home, up and down the stairs 10 times. This just elevates the heart rate and prepares your body for the hell that’s about to be unleashed.
It’s also a good idea to stretch for 10 minutes. Again, this is to prepare your body for the exertion of the next 20 minutes. Foam rolling for a similar period of time is also advisable. The most important muscles to stretch are the hip flexors, hamstrings, calf and lower back muscles.
What you need is very little. In fact, an exercise mat and around a foot radius around you when lying down.
The structure of this is broken down into four distinct core exercises; reverse crunch, leg raises, bicycle kicks, crunches.
So, you will do 30 reverse crunches, immediately followed by 30 leg raises, immediately followed by 30 bicycle kicks and lastly, 30 crunches, immediately. This completes one set. In total, you will do six sets. You will take a break after two sets, but for no longer than one minute. During the break you’ll stretch your hip flexors and hamstrings. Not send tweets.
Reverse Crunch
Starting position Lie on the floor or a mat on your back, with knees bent and hands behind head. Lift legs and bend knees to 90 degrees. Keep a space between your chin and chest (looking diagonal towards the ceiling).
Action Pull knees in toward chest and hold for 2 seconds. Inhale, and slowly lower legs back to starting position.
Special Instructions Don’t use your momentum to swing your legs up. Try to keep the motion controlled by your abs.
Leg Raise
Starting position Lay down with your hands to your sides for support.
Action Raise your legs so they are off the ground, keeping the abs tight. Slowly raise your legs 90 degrees, contracting the abdominal muscles. Slowly return to starting position. Do not touch the floor with your feet.
Special instructions Keep your back flat on the floor during this exercise. If you experience lower back discomfort, discontinue this exercise.
Bicycle kick
Starting position Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers.
Action Bring the knees in to the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck. Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
Special instructions Do not put pressure on your neck muscles.
Crunch
Starting position Lie on the floor and raise your legs so the shins are parallel with the floor, crossing feet at the ankles.
Action Place your hands behind the head for support, but avoid pulling on the neck. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
Special instruction Avoid pulling on the neck. This exercise is about the core muscles only.
A few things
- You must not take more than a one-minute break after the first two sets.
- The exercises will hurt during and definitely afterwards.
- As you progress, take less of a break after every two sets and try to break 18 minutes. Aim for a set every three minutes.
- To reveal the core muscles that everyone has, cardio must also form a part of the training schedule, be it running or cycling or swimming or cross training. When this ‘belly fat’ is stripped away, the core muscles will reveal themselves.
