THIS IS A core session that will leave you absolutely spent. It’s important to complete it, no matter how long it takes and we advise plotting your progress over an eight-week spell.
We’re confident that with the right diet to supplement it you can go sub-20 minutes by the end of the eight weeks but to do that we recommend doing it three times a week.
There are six exercises to perform in total. They are as follows; reverse crunch, decline weighted sit-up; side-dips; crunch; hanging leg raises and toe touches. The session is broken down like this;
Perform 25 reps of each exercise, one after another without stopping, for one set. After three sets we will have a one-minute rest. Then we will do another three sets.
If you find yourself struggling, take a rest after sets two and four. If you are motoring, don’t take any rest. The exercises are explained here.
Reverse crunch Lie on your back and extend your arms out to the side, or keep your hands behind your head if that’s more comfortable. Raise your knees and feet so they create a 90-degree angle. Contract your abs and exhale as you lift your hips off the floor with control; your knees will move toward your head. Try to keep your knees at a right angle.
Decline weighted sit-up Sit on a declined bench with your legs planted on the ground either side of the bench for support. Hold a weight in front of your chest or if it’s too hard, use no weight at the start. Now, lower your body back until hips are almost extended. Raise your body by flexing hips until torso is upright. Repeat.
Side dips Lie on your side with legs stretched out and place your elbow on the floor directly underneath your shoulder with palm grasping the floor. Pile your feet on top of each other and lift your body up to neutral. Dip your hips down toward the floor and lift them higher than neutral.
Crunch Lie on your back, bend your knees, placing your hands on the sides of your head. Contract your abs and flatten your lower back against the floor. Slowly lift your shoulder blades one or two inches off the floor. Exhale as you lift, keep your neck straight and chin up. Hold for a few seconds (don’t hold your breath). Slowly lower while keeping your abs contracted.
Hanging leg raises Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with your feet off the floor. Contract your abs and tuck your hips underneath you. Raise your legs up towards the bar without swinging, using only your core strength. As your legs come up, relax your glutes and tense your abs pushing into your armpits and lift them as high as you can. Lower slowly to keep core muscles engaged for maximum benefits. Repeat.
Toe touches Lie flat on your back on a gym mat with your legs straight out in front. Raise both legs straight up. Keep a slight bend in the knees. Crunch the abdominals and reach up to touch the toes. Return to the start position.
