Circuit 2: “AB-solutely Awesome.”

Perform 10 reps of each exercise, then move on to the next one. Rest at the end. 3 rounds!

1. Pushups

Yes, pushups help your abs, and your entire core because you’re basically holding a plank. If you were to completely not use your abs and core muscles, your butt would drop to the floor. Keep your body in a straight line.

If you’re a beginner, you can do pushups on the horizontal bar or any raised surface. Forget doing them on your knees. Adjust height as needed.

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2. Inverted Body Rows

On a horizontal bar like a Smith machine, get underneath and simply row yourself up. Don’t let your body drop fast and hard; CONTROL IT on the way down and don’t give your shoulders that extra stretch at the bottom because it will hurt your shoulder muscles by over-stretching the fragile tendons. Go low enough that your arms are almost fully extended but still bent a bit like in the pic above.

Start with an overhand grip and change your grip each time such as wide, narrow, underhand and overhand.

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3. Crunches on Ball or Bench

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Place your back on a ball or bench with your upper back bending backwards slightly. If using a ball, move back far enough that you are bending backwards a bit. If using a bench, let your upper back hang off slightly so you can bend a little.

Secure your feet, place hands on your head and concentrate on crunching your upper abs only, ribs toward your naval. Make each one slow and super-controlled, with perfect form, allowing you to hold it at the top for 1-2 seconds. Don’t hold your breath; inhale deeply on the way down, exhale on the way up. 1.5 sec up, 2 sec hold, 2 sec down.

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4. Dumbbell Squat Jumps

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Hold dumbbells at your shoulders and jump. Motivational music optional.

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5. High Pulley Seated Crunches

Use a rope attachment or two handles. Don’t just bend at the hips; CURL your body!

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6. Ab Roller Weighted Crunches

Or you can hold 2 dumbbells on your shoulders. But try the Roller. It’s great.

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7. Reverse Crunches

Hands on the floor near your butt. Legs don’t go all the way down. Your upper legs don’t go much past 90° to the floor or you will begin using your lower back muscles and hip flexors and they can get strained easily.

We want to concentrate on your lower abs. This is about curling your torso by lifting your hips and lower back off the ground.

Nice and slow, don’t rock or you’ll be using momentum and cheating your abs.

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8. Split Jumps

With dumbbells hanging on your sides or up at your shoulders. (L, R = 1 rep)

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9. Reverse Crunches on Incline Bench

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Place your hands on top of the back rest and curl your body so you lift your lower back a bit and your knees touch your elbows.

If they are too easy, try holding a 10 lb weighted ball between your legs. If they are too hard, lower the bench a little.

Rest: 30s. Now repeat for a total of 2 or 3 rounds!

Advanced:
Body Rows and Pushups: raise your feet on step
Squat and Split Jumps: heavier DBs
Reverse Crunches: add a weighted ball between your ankles (not your knees)