BeWOW: Abs and Legs Tone-Up Workout
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Sure, it snowed today (hello, freakish spring snowstorm). But it’ll be shorts weather soon enough, so now’s the time to whip your legs into shape!
This week’s workout focuses specifically on your legs and abs—so get ready for a serious burn. Here’s what you’re going to do: In each set below, you’ll do an abs exercise followed by a legs exercise, performing each for one minute. Repeat these exercises three times each, alternating back and forth and doing a six-minute set total. Then, you’ll run up and down a set of stairs for one minute before moving on to the next set. If you don’t have stairs handy, you could always jump rope, do jumping jacks, or sprint. When you’re done your cardio, move on to the next round. Good luck!
BeWOW: Abs and Legs Tone-Up Workout
Set 1:
1 minute plank
1 minute wall squat
x3
One minute: stairs
Set 2:
1 minute crunches
1 minute lunge jumps
x3
One minute: stairs
Set 3:
1 minute sit-ups
1 minute squat jumps
x3
One minute: stairs
Set 4:
1 minute ab twists
1 minute dead lifts
x3
One minute: stairs
Explanation of exercises
*Click the links below for how-to videos.
Plank: Get in push-up position, resting on your elbows; keep back, hips, and legs in a straight line. Hold.
Wall squat: Do a squat (legs forming a 90-degree angle) with your back against a wall. Hold.
Crunches: Get in sit-up position, with knees bent and hands behind the head. Without pulling the neck, squeeze your abs and sit halfway up. Hold for a beat, and return to starting position.
Lunge jumps: Start standing with feet together and step forward with the left leg into a lunge, bending knee to about 90 degrees. Jump as you stand back up and switch legs before you land, so your right leg is forward. Lunge again, then jump, putting your left leg forward, and so forth. Left and right counts as one.
Sit-up: Lie on your back with feet on the floor and knees bent. Put your hands behind your ears. Without pulling on your neck and using only your abs, lift your shoulders off the mat and come to a full sit-up position. Lie back down slowly.
Squat jumps: Stand with feet hip-width apart and perform a squat, dropping your rear until your knees are just behind your toes and your hamstrings are parallel to the floor. As you stand, propel yourself upwards and jump. Return to standing and squat again.
Ab twists: Sit on the floor with knees bent, heels pressing into the ground. Lean back slightly and use your abs to twist side to side.
Dead lifts with dumbbells: Hold dumbbells with arms extended down so they’re resting on your thighs, feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping shoulders back and abs tight (and without locking your knees), bend at the hips and let the weights lower towards the floor, going as far as you can without bending your knees too much. Drive your heels in to the floor and stand to return to the starting position.
>> Did you complete this week’s BeWOW? Tell us how you did in the comments! Or, feel free to tweet at us about it using the hashtag #BeWOW. Check out all the BeWOW workouts here.
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Audrey McKenna Hasse is the owner of A.M.Fit, a personal training and healthy consultation business on the Main Line. You’ll find her workouts every Monday right here on Be Well Philly.
Photo: Shutterstock
