Elite gymnast Jade Carey has mathematically qualified for the Tokyo Olympics as an individual — when we spoke with her last fall, she said she was excited about the opportunity but is still set on heading to the Olympic trials [1], where spots on Team USA's four-person squad will be up for grabs as well. Currently, she's preparing for the 2021 US Gymnastics Championships, ahead of which she debuted an amazing new skill: a triple-twisting double back layout [2] (or triple-double layout).
To get ready for the Games, Carey, 21 and a future Oregon State University gymnast, is perfecting her routines [3] and making small upgrades to skills on bars and beam specifically. At least once a week, Carey and her teammates do an ab circuit at gymnastics practice that consists of about 25 different exercises. All of the moves are core-focused and done lying on the ground.
"It's pretty quick, but it's still pretty hard and a good workout," she told POPSUGAR. Keep reading for six of those exercises — they are bodyweight but will bring the heat for sure (trust me, I know from being in the sport for over a decade [4]). Most of the moves are based on a basic hollow position crucial for correct form during swings on bars and certain tumbling passes.
The following exercises aren't designed to be completed as a single workout; it's just a list of exercises to try. Extra props if you point your toes!
Hollow Hold
This is the basic shape that is crucial for most of the exercises to come.
- Begin on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended overhead.
- Actively press your lower back into the floor, and draw your belly button into your spine.
- Inhale to slowly lift your shoulders, arms, and legs off the floor. Keep your hands and heels as low to the ground as possible, while still pressing your lower back into the floor. Maintain tight abs and glutes. It's OK to bend your knees if straight legs are too challenging.
- Hold for five to 30 seconds to complete one rep.
Hollow Body Rock
- Begin on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended overhead.
- Actively press your lower back into the floor, and draw your belly button into your spine.
- Inhale to slowly lift your shoulders, arms, and legs off the floor. Keep your hands and heels as low to the ground as possible, while still pressing your lower back into the floor. Maintain tight abs and glutes.
- Use your core to propel yourself into a forward rock so your arms and chest are positioned higher than your legs and feet; then, rock back down, keeping your belly button pulled into your spine and your arms extended.
- You should be maintaining the hollow position [6] through the entire rock. You can modify these by keeping your arms at your thighs [7].
- One complete back-and-forth motion equals one rep.
- Carey recommends doing 25 to 30 reps.
V-Up
- Lie face up with your arms overhead and your legs extended, resting on the floor.
- Keep your abs engaged by pulling your belly button into your spine and pressing your lower back into the floor.
- With control, lift your legs straight up. Be sure to keep your back flat on the mat. From here, lift your upper body off of the mat as you simultaneously reach your arms toward your feet.
- Lower your arms and legs toward the floor to complete one rep. The more you bring your upper back off of the ground during the "V" part of the exercise and the lower you bring your arms and legs with each rep, the harder the move will be.
- Carey recommends doing 25 to 30 reps.
Single-Leg V-Up
- Lie face up with your arms overhead and your legs extended, resting on the floor.
- Keep your abs engaged by pulling your belly button into your spine and pressing your lower back into the floor.
- Lift your hands and feet a few inches off of the floor into a hollow position.
- Reach your arms to your right leg. Lower your arms and legs toward the floor to return to that starting hollow position (don't lower back down to the ground completely). Then, reach your arms to your left leg before returning to your hollow position.
- Carey recommends doing 25 to 30 reps.
Straddle V-Up
- Lie face up with your arms overhead and your legs extended, resting on the floor.
- Keep your abs engaged by pulling your belly button into your spine and pressing your lower back into the floor.
- Lift your hands and feet a few inches off of the floor into a hollow position.
- Like with the V-up, reach your arms forward toward your legs as you simultaneously split your legs into a straddle position. Reach through your legs.
- Lower your arms and legs toward the floor with control back into a hollow position to complete one rep.
- Carey recommends doing 25 to 30 reps.
Arch Up
The arch up, also known as the Superman [8], works your posterior core muscles [9].
- Lie face down on your stomach with your arms and your legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated "U" shape with your body: back arched and arms and legs lifted several inches off the floor.
- Hold for two seconds, and lower back down to complete one rep.
- Carey recommends doing 25 to 30 reps.