...a medicine ball and a Swiss ball, that is! What exactly did you THINK I meant???

This weekend, I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and picked up an 8-lb Nike medicine ball and a 26" inflatable Swiss ball. I use these two devices in conjunction with several other moves to take myself through an absolutely punishing ab workout. It only takes about 15 minutes and it gets results FAST.

Here's my routine:

1. Double Crunches: Lay flat on your back on a mat or other solid but supportive surface. Bend your legs from the hip and lift them straight up in the air, so that they're perpendicular to the ground. Using your core (ab) muscles--WITHOUT straining your neck!!--pull your shoulder blades off the floor and extend your arms skyward, reaching your fingertips towards your toes. Pulse your arms and legs towards each other forty times, making sure to keep breathing evenly. If you're just beginning, you should start feeling a severe burn in your abs around rep #20. Just push through the pain! This works both your upper and lower abs.

2. Weighted Oblique Crunches: Grab a 6 to 9 lb medicine ball. Laying flat on your back, cross your right ankle over your left knee. Place the medicine ball on top of your left armpit and hug it tightly with your left arm. Using your core muscles only--again, don't strain your neck!--lift just your left shoulder blade off the floor and towards your right knee, across your body. This works your obliques, which are the lateral abdominals. Do twenty-five reps, then switch sides and cross your left ankle over your right knee and repeat. For argument's sake, let's just assume the guy in the below photo is hugging a medicine ball to his armpit. OK?



3. Situps with Medicine Ball Extensions: Hang on to that medicine ball. This time, lay flat on your back, bend your knees but keep your feet flat on the floor, and hold the ball between your palms. Extend your arms over your head and do traditional situps. As you use your abs to pull you up into a sitting position, bring your hands up over your head while holding the weighted ball for an extra shot of strength training. Try not to puke. I do two sets of 25 reps.



3. The Plank: this is a great yoga move that REALLY works your abs. It's mostly mental. The first time I tried this move, I only lasted about ten seconds before collapsing on the floor. Now I can go almost two minutes straight.



Lay on your stomach, with your forearms propping up your upper body. Push yourself into the "up" position of a traditional push-up, but try to keep your butt as tucked in as possible...not sticking up in the air. Look down at the ground or straight ahead, and just hold this position for as long as physically possible.

Your entire body will begin to shake violently, but like I said, it's mostly mental. You have to convince yourself to ignore the shaking and just focus on keeping your abs tucked in and up, and your butt tucked in and close to the floor. Good luck. I usually do this move two or three times, each time about two minutes (and getting better EVERY time!). Also, another tip...the lower you try to stay to the ground, the harder this pose works your abs.

4. Side Plank: Another great yoga move that is better illustrated than explained:



Again, I do this for about two minutes on each side, two or three times. It hurts.If you want to get REALLY fancy, extend the arm that's on top into the air while you do this pose. And try not to fall on your face!

5. Dead Bugs: This is the last move in my current ab routine, and it is the one that consistently KICKS MY ASS every single time. Grab your inflatable Swiss ball and lay flat on your back. Holding the Swiss ball between your hands, extend your arms fully over your head. Then raise your arms and the Swiss ball towards your core. At the same time, lift both your legs. When your arms and legs meet, which should happen right above your belly button, pass the Swiss ball from between your hands to between your ankles. Then return your legs to the floor and your arms above your head. Keep passing the Swiss ball back and forth between your ankles and hands for ten full repetitions. But be careful not to go too far--I find that if I am too enthusiastic while doing this move, I come VERY close to vomiting. Eeew, I know.

So there you have it: my ab workout! If you try any of these moves, let me know what you think!

Labels: health