Day 1:
Perform 30 minutes of rowing, 25 side crunches, and 15 upward-facing hip flexes. Start with cardio to get your heart pumping before moving to muscle-toning exercises. This combination of exercises will burn fat, tone your obliques, and strengthen your hip and lower abdominals.
If your abs or hips get tired or tight easily, work out each side in small groups of repetitions, working up to your target number of 15 or 25 per side.
Men should perform an additional set of 10 repetitions on each side if they have the energy.
If your abs or hips get tired or tight easily, work out each side in small groups of repetitions, working up to your target number of 15 or 25 per side.
Men should perform an additional set of 10 repetitions on each side if they have the energy.
Day 2:
Perform 30 minutes on the elliptical, and alternate 10 minutes of the corkscrew Pilates move with 10 minutes of the jackknife Pilates move. Pilates routines force you to focus on muscle control and slow, deliberate movements that build strong, lean muscle.
Both the corkscrew and the jackknife work stabilizer muscles in your abs and back, which will help tone your abs and strengthen your back, preventing injury and improving posture.
Go through the moves slowly and carefully until you are comfortable with the positions and motions; then increase speed slightly, focus on tightening your abs and back muscles with each movement, and increase repetitions. Take care to avoid injuring your neck, back, or shoulders.
Both the corkscrew and the jackknife work stabilizer muscles in your abs and back, which will help tone your abs and strengthen your back, preventing injury and improving posture.
Go through the moves slowly and carefully until you are comfortable with the positions and motions; then increase speed slightly, focus on tightening your abs and back muscles with each movement, and increase repetitions. Take care to avoid injuring your neck, back, or shoulders.
Day 3:
Perform 30 minutes of running, and follow with 40 exercise ball reverse crunches and 40 leg lifts. These abdominal exercises will work your core and your lower abs as well as your lower back. Alternate exercises in groups of 10 without stopping until all 40 repetitions are complete.
Men should add an additional 10 to 20 repetitions if possible, provided they can maintain proper form and control.
Don’t rush through these; the point is to exert your muscles to control the movements.
Day 4:
Men should add an additional 10 to 20 repetitions if possible, provided they can maintain proper form and control.
Don’t rush through these; the point is to exert your muscles to control the movements.
Day 4:
Perform 30 minutes on a stationary bike, and then 2 sets of 12 scissor twists with an exercise ball, and finish with 3 sets of 15 sit-ups. If you feel physically able to perform additional sit-ups, place your hands behind your head and bring each elbow to the opposite knee with each sit-up to work side abdominal muscles in addition to your central abs, and perform another 1 to 2 sets of 15 sit-ups like these.
Day 5:
Run 30 minutes on a treadmill and then follow that with 20 Pilates boomerang moves, and 3 minutes of Pilates “hundred” moves. Like many Pilates exercises, these moves work multiple muscle groups at once, strengthening your entire core and improving your muscular control. Perform an additional set of 10 boomerangs and another minute of “hundreds” if you can take it
Days 6 and 7:
Rest your body. Take 1 to 2 days of rest each week from cardio routines and 2 days of rest from exercises that target your abdominal muscles, preferably spacing your rest days throughout the week to give your muscles time to recover and repair themselves. Overworking your muscles can lead to injury. Do not attempt to perform abdominal workouts every day. Adequate sleep is also required for effective and safe exercise routines. When exercising, you actually break down muscle, and if you give them the proper time to heal and refuel (by following The 6 Pack Ab Diet), they will grow back stronger than before. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep if you are an adult and 8 to 10 hours per night if you are a teenager.
