Feeling and looking your best is always in season, and your having a strong core helps with both. Move through this effective circuit two to three times for a complete workout, and help tone your belly. The best part is that there's no equipment necessary! You can do this bodyweight routine just about anywhere.
Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
Keeping your weight in your heels, sit back into your deep squat. Make sure your knees do not go beyond your toes.
Holding your squat, raise both of your arms overhead. Hold this position for a moment, and then return to standing while lowering your arms to your sides. This completes one rep.
Perform 15 reps.
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2Push-Up Rotation
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Begin in a plank position with your feet in line with your hips.
Lower your body toward the floor, and then push through your arms, returning to plank.
Twist to the left, reaching your left arm to the ceiling without letting your pelvis rise or lower.
Return to plank position, bringing your hand back to the floor, and perform another push-up. When returning to plank, twist to the right, and reach your right arm to the ceiling.
Return back to plank position, returning your arm to the floor. This completes one rep.
Perform 15 reps.
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3V-Sits
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Lie on your back, and reach your arms rigidly to your side, off the floor. Lift your legs off the floor, and point them, so they are at about a 45-degree angle. Lift your head, so your shoulders are off the floor as well.
When you're ready to begin, lift your upper torso off the floor, and bend your knees. You can lean back to make this move harder or come up more to make it easier. Slowly lower your upper body back down to the floor, straightening out your legs as you do so. Stop when your back is on the floor, but not your head, shoulders, or legs.
This completes one rep.
Perform 25 reps.
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4Bicycle Crunches
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Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground (pull down your abs to also target your deep abs). Put your hands behind your head.
Bring in your knees toward your chest, and lift your shoulder blades off the ground.
Straighten out your right leg to about a 45-degree angle to the ground while turning your upper body to the left, bringing your right elbow toward your left knee. Make sure your rib cage is moving and not just your elbows.
Now switch sides, and do the same motion on the other side to complete one rep (and to create the pedaling motion).
Perform 25 reps.
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5Reverse Crunch
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Lie on your back on the floor. Place your hands on the floor beside you.
Bring your knees in toward your chest with your feet together.
Use your abs to slowly curl your hips off the floor and into your chest, and then slowly lower them back to the starting position to complete one.
Repeat for one minute. Don't swing your legs to create momentum; use your abs to control your movement.
Once you've completed the full circuit, repeat two or three more times to challenge yourself!
