Short, high-intensity workouts have gained popularity and acclaim in recent years. A 2005 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that sprint interval training improved endurance in humans over a 2-week period. The New York Times reported in 2007 that interval training is highly effective as long as the high intensity phase is "long and strenuous enough that a person is out of breath...and the recovery period does not last long enough for the pulse to return to resting rate."
High-intensity, interval training principles are easy to apply to an abdominal workout. Work your muscles to exhaustion and you will see changes in 2 to 4 weeks.
Super Charge Your Plank Pose
Work all of your core muscles groups with an advanced variation on plank pose. Start in push up position with your toes and hands touching the floor, your back straight and your neck in line with your spine. Lift your right leg 3 to 6 inches off the ground and hold for 20 seconds. Alternate sides for two minutes. Feel the added burn in your oblique muscles.
Circuit Train
Create a two-minute abdominal exercise circuit that you can do anywhere. Try this routine created by fitness expert and personal trainer Amie Hoff, broken into 4 30-second segments:
Start with crunches. Hoff recommends bringing your feet off the ground and your knees up to better isolate your abdominal muscles. Transition into Hoff's favorite bicycle crunches: bring your head off the ground, hands lightly behind the ears, neck in line with the spine. Contract your abs and bicycle with your legs while keeping your upper body still. Move into scissors, kicking with straight legs. Roll over into downward dog position and finish with a 30-second blast of mountain climbers.
Get on the Ball
Use an exercise ball to your maximum advantage with this quick workout adapted from a Women's Health Magazine article entitled "Get Six Pack Abs in Weeks." The workout is broken into two one-minute segments.
First put your hands on the exercise ball and assume inclined push up position, with a straight back, strong arms and tight quads. Bring your right leg towards your chest, hold for one second, and return to the floor. Repeat on the other side and continue for one minute, focusing on your form and using your core muscles to keep your balance on the ball.
Next, balance your shins on the ball and put your arms on the floor in front of you, hands shoulder width apart and with back straight and your core long and strong. Keep both feet on the ball and bring your right leg in towards your right shoulder, bending your knees in the process. Repeat on the other side.
Member Comments