Core training is part of my weekly workout routine as a runner. And being an avid Pilates fan, I wasn't too worried about this workout. But I was wrong. Despite looking fine on paper, my lower abdomen was sore for several hours after this workout.
I need more inspiration. I carefully selected the best abdominal workouts on the Internet.
Daisy Keach explains in her intro that this move is designed to give you a "nipped-in waist rather than work the obliques outward." The YouTuber implies that by working the external obliques next to the abdominals, one can get a more square torso, meaning that if one wants a smaller waist, one should target the abdominal muscles.
It is important to note here that one should not avoid strengthening the obliques. The obliques are important for those who practice the sport of twisting from side to side, which further helps to strengthen the core. [Many abdominal workouts tend to focus on the upper abs and obliques, but if you try to increase blood flow to the lower abs, it will help burn stubborn belly fat," explains fitness model Keach.
Daisy Keach's 8-minute clinch-waist workout is as follows:
1-minute supine crunch: As with a regular crunch, maintain a bent-leg and knee position on a table. Crunch the upper torso toward the knees while engaging the core, then lower to the starting position.
Rest for 15 seconds Stand on tiptoes for 1 minute: a classic Pilates exercise that works the rectus and transverse abdominis muscles. Begin in a position with your legs resting on a table. Engage the core, lower the right leg with the knee bent and the toes on the floor. Leave the left leg on the table. Do the reverse in the same manner. Rest for 15 seconds Reverse Crunch for 1 minute: To perform a reverse crunch, lie on your back and place your feet on the table. Engage your core, breathe in and lift your hips off the floor and bring your legs back up to your chest. Exhale and return to the original position. This is one rep.Rest 15 seconds
Bicycle Kick 1 minute: To perform a bicycle kick, lie on your back on the floor with your back to the ground. Place your hands next to your head and lift your shoulders off the ground. Bend your knees and pull your feet up off the ground. While straightening the left leg, bring the right knee close to the chest. When the right knee rises, twist the body so that the left elbow touches the right knee. Do the same on the other side, making sure the leg and shoulder are off the ground.
Rest for 15 seconds
Russian Twist for 1 minute: To perform this exercise, sit on the floor with knees bent. Lean back against the backrest with your back straight and pull both legs up off the ground. Twist to one side (as far as you can without touching the ground), then twist to the other side.
Rest 15 seconds
30 second leg raise: Lie on your back and press your lower back into the floor. Keeping both legs straight and attached to each other, lift both legs toward the ceiling and lower them so that they are not completely on the floor. Keech keep leg raises fairly low to the ground to work the lower abdominal muscles.
15 sec rest
30 sec superwoman: To perform the superman (or superwoman) exercise, lie face down and extend both arms in front of your head. Lift both arms, head and legs off the floor and hold as if you are flying.
I know what you're thinking, it doesn't look so bad. Read on to see what happens when you try this workout.
First of all, I liked that this workout requires no equipment. Keech developed this workout routine during his isolation, so he doesn't have to worry about hand weights or access to a gym to feel the burn.
Second, I liked that the exercises were not hard on my spine. I suffer from sciatica from a horseback riding accident as a teenager, so I often have to modify my workouts to avoid straining my back. The only exercise I had to modify was the leg raises, and instead of keeping the legs low as Keech does in the instructional video, I opted for higher leg raises to ensure that my lower back was pressed against the floor.
When it came to the workout itself, I was astonished at how a simple movement could cause pain in my core. All of these exercises had been done before, but I think it was the combination of high reps and short rest periods that really worked my inner core. I found that the Russian Twist worked my core and the Superwoman at the end really worked my abs. Surprisingly, like a Pilates workout, I didn't really feel the benefits of the workout until an hour later, when I rolled out my mat and sat down at my desk. My core felt as if I had done a hard workout after only eight minutes of exercise.
There's no quick fix for visible abs (how visible your abs are depends on your body fat percentage, so no amount of bicycle kicks will give you abs overnight). However, this quick, easy, equipment-free workout will definitely be added to my weekly strength training routine.
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