Soccer Star Mal Pugh Told Us Her 10-Minute Ab Workout — and Damn, It's Intense

Updated on 3/10/2019 at 2:44 PM

Mark our words: Mallory, aka Mal, Pugh is about to become a household name. By the age of 18, she had already played in three world championship games, one being the 2016 Rio Olympics. With a few years of experience playing for the US women's national team under her belt, Mal and the rest of the women's national team are getting ready for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

During a press trip with Secret Deodorant, official sponsors of the USWNT, POPSUGAR spoke to Mal about how she prepares for games. "I'm honestly not superstitious," Mal told POPSUGAR. Instead, she has a pregame routine she likes to stick to in order to feel and perform her best. The first is eating oatmeal with peanut butter or almond butter and half a banana. "I always have to have that," she said.

"I also hate having chapped lips so before we go out to warm up, I always put Vaseline on. And before the game, too." The last part of her pregame ritual is abs. "Every night before a game, I always do core." Her reasoning: "It gets me feeling good."

Mal starts with a six-minute plank circuit followed by a four-minute round of more ab-strengthening exercises. Her one rule for the 10-minute workout is: "You can't break." If you're feeling up for the challenge, try her 10-minute ab routine ahead.

Mal Pugh's 10-Minute Ab Routine

Front plank: hold for one minute
Left side plank: hold for 30 seconds
Right side plank: hold for 30 seconds

Repeat for a total of three rounds.

Double-leg raise: repeat for one minute
Boat pose: hold for one minute
Crunch: repeat for one minute
Seated knee tuck (or an ab exercise of your choice): repeat for one minute

Travel and expenses for the author were provided by Secret for the purpose of writing this story.

Elbow Plank

Start on the floor, resting on your forearms and knees.
Step your feet out one at a time, coming back into plank position.
Contract your abs to prevent your booty from sticking up or sinking. Your spine should be parallel to the floor, with your abs pulling toward the ceiling.
Hold for one minute.

Elbow Side Plank

Come into an elbow plank position and roll to your right side, allowing your feet to roll too, so you're balancing on the outside of your right foot, stacking your left foot on your right.
Place your left hand gently behind your head. Press your left inner thigh up into your right inner thigh; this helps stabilize you even more.
Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

Repeat the front plank, right side plank, and left side plank for a total of three rounds or six minutes. Then advance to the rest of the exercises.

Double Leg Lift

Lay flat on the ground with your legs extended straight up toward the ceiling. Place your hands underneath the back of your head. For added stability, Austin recommends laying your arms out to your side, allowing the palms to grip the floor much like you would in a push-up position.
Pressing your lower back into the ground, slowly lower both legs down toward the floor, then slowly raise them back up. If this is too difficult, lower them as much as you can, or lower one leg at a time.
Repeat for one minute.

Boat Pose

From Butterfly, inhale to lift the legs into the air, and bring your feet to touch. Balance on your tush with the knees bent, or if you can, straighten the legs. Keep the spine long without rounding the back.
Hold for one minute.

Crunch

Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet about a foot from your glutes.
Place your hands on the back of your head so that your thumbs are behind your ears. Drop your chin down toward your chest but not touching it.
Pull with your core muscles while simultaneously lifting your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor. Pause for a one count.
Slowly lower back down to complete one repetition.
Repeat for one minute.

Seated Knee Tuck

Start seated on the ground or on a weight bench. Place your hands about an inch behind your back with your fingers facing forward. Your feet should be on the ground.
Lift both feet up off of the ground and extend both legs as you simultaneously lower your upper body. Be sure to get full extension at your hips and legs.
With control, bring your legs back to your chest without touching the ground with your feet and return to the starting position.
Repeat for one minute.