Tighten Your Lower Abs in 5 Minutes With This Lightning-Fast Workout
A little calorie-burning cardio and fat-burning bodyweight resistance training make this lower-ab-targeting workout a dream come true. In just five minutes, you'll tone, strengthen, and burn up that hard-to-get lower-abdominal region, and you'll even give a little love to your backside in the process.
Do these at-home moves wherever you are — the only "equipment" you need will be slider discs or a substitute, like paper plates or small hand towels, depending on your floor's surface. Let's get ready to rock and roll (those abs)!
Good Morning: 60 Seconds
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands on your hips (or at the back of your head) with your elbows opened wide.
- Pull your abs to your spine and keep your back neutral while pressing your butt backward, hinging at the hips, until your back is almost parallel to the floor.
- Keep a slight bend in your knees as you hinge forward.
- Return to standing, squeezing your glutes when you are upright to reset. This completes one rep.
- Repeat as many times as you can for 60 seconds.
Knees and Toes: 60 Seconds
- Start with two high knees, bringing your right knee to your left hand, then your left knee to your right hand.
- Now rotate your right knee slightly outward to bring your right ankle to your left hand, then your left ankle to your right hand.
- Continue in this alternating pattern for 60 seconds.
Mountain Climber Sliders: 60 Seconds
Use slider discs, paper plates, or two small hand towels for this move!
- With the towels under your feet (if you are on a hard floor; use paper plates if you are on carpet), start in a basic, straight-arm plank position.
- Then, as if you were actually running, pull one knee toward your chest, dragging your foot on your "slider" along the floor. As you push that leg back, pull the other knee forward.
- Quickly continue running or "climbing" in place for one minute.
Single-Leg Bridge: 60 Seconds
- Lie on your back, and place your hands on the floor for stability as you bend one leg and lift the other leg off the ground.
- Pressing your heel into the floor, lift your pelvis up, keeping your body in a stiff bridge position.
- Slowly lower your body to the floor and repeat for 60 seconds.
Quick Skips: 60 Seconds
- Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
- Make a fist with both hands and bend the elbows to where your hands are about level with your chin.
- Drive the right knee up, twist your torso to the right, and bring the knee to meet your left elbow.
- Immediately repeat with the left knee meeting your right elbow, and do this in a hopping motion while staying on the balls of your feet.
- Keep your abdominal muscles engaged as your knees come up, and squeeze the side oblique muscles as you twist.
- Continue for 60 seconds.