BeWOW: Amazing Abs Workout



Get ready to tackle your midsection, folks, because this week, you’re going to work your abs like crazy. You’ll have 10 exercises to do, with every other one focusing on your abs. The goal is to get through the exercises as many times as you can in 30 minutes, so try to move quickly, with little rest in between each exercise, without sacrificing. Good luck!

BeWOW: Amazing Abs Workout

20 sit ups
20 squat jumps
1 minute plank
20 lunge jumps
20 toe touches
20 push-ups
20 ab twists (on each side)
20 bent-over rows
20 rocking planks
20 skiers

Explanation of exercises
*Click the links below for video how-tos.

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.

Plank: Get in push-up position, resting on your elbows; keep back, hips, and legs in a straight line. Hold.

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.

Toe touch: Lie on your back with legs in the air, so your body forms an L shape. Reach your hands towards your toes and try to touch them, lifting your shoulder blades off the mat. Hold for a beat, then release your upper body down, keeping your legs straight up. Repeat.

Push-up: Start lying face down with your chest on the floor, with hands facing forward and palms down in line with your shoulders; elbows should be pointing back. Push up until arms are extended (the inside of the elbow should be facing forward) and drop back down.

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.

Bent-over rows: Hold a dumbbell in your hand with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend forward from the waist, keeping your spine straight and letting your hand fall forward in front of you. Pull the dumbbell back (you should feel like you’re rowing a boat), squeezing your shoulder blade. Release and return to the starting position.

Rocking plank: Get into a plank on your elbows and toes. Pressing from your toes, shift your body straight forward, pause, then pull your body back. Forward and back is one rep.

Ski jumpers: Start in a skier’s stance (like a squat, but bent forward at the waist slightly). Using your arms for momentum, jump up and to the left, landing on both feet. Jump to the right. Repeat.

>> 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 week right here on Be Well Philly.