Welcome back to our 3rd mini-workout blog, all designed to keep you active, healthy and fit during this national lockdown and isolation period. We hope together with our online video training sessions every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday these 'mini-workouts' are helping to keep you sane.
So, to the workout - today is all about the Abs!
Instructions on how to do the warm up, all exercises and the cool down are at the bottom of this blog. For those of you who already know what you’re doing, here we go. Reps are always 10/15 (or 30/60 seconds in plank) depending on how strong you feel today 😀
Ex.1 - Sit-ups x 10/15 reps
Ex.2 - Plank for 30/60 seconds
Ex.3 - Oblique toe-taps x 10/15 reps
Ex.4 - Plank for 30/60 seconds
Ex.5 - Russian twists x 10/15 reps
Don't forget, once you have done all 5 exercises, that is ONE REP. Have a 2 minute rest, and then repeat all five exercises again. Have another 2 minute rest and then complete them all for the last time. Good luck! 😃
There you have it, another mini-workout completed, well done to you! Our next one will be published on Friday but in the meantime, Owen will be going live with two workout sessions in our Isolation Facebook group - don't miss these, the next one is tomorrow morning at 9.30am
Until next time, stay safe, stay fit and stay inside!
INSTRUCTIONS ON EXERCISE TECHNIQUES, WARM UP & COOL DOWN
Warm Up
Start by jogging gently on the spot or up and down your hall or garden. Start to swing your arms in circles forwards and backwards, small circles at first and slowly getting bigger and then stop jogging momentarily and do a half squat followed by a half lunge on both legs. Start jogging again and start gently punching your arms out to the front 10 times, and then up to the sky, then out to the sides and finally down to the floor. Then continue jogging on the spot but start lifting your knees higher an inch at a time and then lower them back down again. Then start lifting your heels up towards your bum, again, gently at first and not over stretching. Slowly lower your heels with every step back to normal jogging.
Stop jogging, go into a half squat and punch out to the front 20 times, do a full squat and then punch another 10 times then jog off for 10 seconds and repeat twice.
Finally, whilst your jogging, count ten steps and then sit down on your bum and stand back up. Another 10 steps and sit down/stand up again. Repeat x 3
Exercise 1
Sit-ups. Everyone's favourite. 😃
Start by lying down flat on your back, bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor.
Straighten your arms pointing up to the ceiling and then bring your palms to rest on the top of your thighs.
This is your start position.
Gently lift your back off the floor and slide your fingers forward until they reach your knees, hold for a split second and relax slowly to the floor. This is 1 rep - repeat until you have done 10 or 15 depending on your fitness ability
*To increase the difficulty of the sit-up, instead of placing your hands on your thighs, simply fold them across your chest and touch the opposite shoulder with your fingers. As you sit up, make sure that your elbows touch your thighs every time.
Exercise 2
Plank.
This is a great exercise and really helps to build up a strong core. The plank position is held when you have your elbows on the floor (forearms flat out in front) and your toes on the floor but nothing else. Your body should remain straight from your heels through your knees, hips and up to your shoulders so it's useful to have someone watch you in this position to point out if you are straight or not.
Once you have adopted this position, hold it for 30 seconds.
Exercise 3
Toe Taps. Start by laying flat on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor as in exercise 1. Place your arms down by your sides on the floor. Lift your back off of the floor about 2-3" and hold there. Then, tilt to your right and try to tap your right fingers to the side of your right trainer (or ankle, or calf, however far you can reach). Once you have tapped, come back to the centre and straight across so that your left fingers tap your left trainer. That is 1 rep. Continue until you have done 10 or 15 depending on your fitness level.
Exercise 4
Back to the Plank. Hold for 30 seconds as before.
Exercise 5
Russian twists.
These are a core body exercise that strengthens all parts of your abdominals, including your obliques, for a toned waistline and a stronger back. The twisting motion of the Russian twist is the key to this move. By rotating with your abs from side to side, you are firing up the muscle fibres around your waist as well as pulling in the lower abs for a strong, flat tummy
Start in the same position as exercise 3, with your back flat on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the floor as well. Arms can rest on your legs for now. Lift your back off the floor about 2-3" and then imagine your are holding a tennis ball with two hands, tap the imaginary ball on the floor to the left side of your body and then the right whilst keeping your back off the floor at all times. Once you have tapped both sides, this is 1 rep. Repeat until you have done 10 or 15 depending on your fitness ability.
***To increase difficulty, before you start the twisting action, lift your feet off of the floor as well so that you are balancing on your bum only
Cool Down
A few stretching exercises for you to finish off today's workout.
Lay face down on the floor or an exercise mat. This is your starting position. With your hips flat on the ground, push your upper body upward, while looking straight ahead. This will stretch the abdominal muscles. Hold the position for 20 seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat x 2
The Cat stretch helps with the mobility and flexibility in your abdominal muscles. It also helps stretch and strengthen your lower back.
Get on your hands and knees, and tuck your head downward as you arch your back, similar to how a cat does it.
Extend the neck all the way upwards, and drop your belly all the way downwards, stretching the abdominal muscles.
Hold for 20 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat x 2
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