The brace: anyone heard of it? Not like for your teeth or a broken limb, for your abs silly! It’s this position that you should be aware of no matter what type of exercise you do. It strengthens your core, supports your back, AND helps give you that awesome 8-pack you’ve been dreaming of.
Brace: tighten your lower abs. Tighten so you feel like your attaching your abs to your lower back. Now keep your abs there and breathe. This is how you should be exercising. There are exercises where the brace is more important but if you can learn to do this throughout your exercise routine you’ll start to see huge differences. This applies to weight lifting, riding bikes, running, swimming, EVERYTHING!
Finally for today’s workout:
Beginner through intermediate (12 minutes)
– 20 seconds on/ 20 seconds off
– each exercise 3 times in a row
Advanced (16 minutes)
– 30 seconds on/ 10 seconds off
– each exercise 4 times in a row
Exercises:
1. Tricep Dip
2. Speed Lunges (hold your feet in place. quickly straight then bend legs into lunge. switch sides half-way through each set)
3. Russian Twist
4. Swimmers
5. Fire Hydrant (switch sides half-way through each set)
6. High Knees
Now I have a question for all of you: How many times a week do you workout? Once, Twice, 6 times? And for how long each time?
Hope you’re all having wonderful Wednesdays! 🙂
A Happy Lass 
When I do Russian Twist (or, attempt to anyway) I always find my lower back really rounding. Is this normal, or should I be fighting that tendency? When I make a really concerted effort to sit up straighter, then I can only do a couple of twists. Do I just need to work at this more or is there something I’m missing? Thanks!
Nelle, great question.
You want your back to round as little as possible. One way to do this is to put your feet on the ground (the same way you would for sit ups). It makes the exercise a little easier. Also, Look up at a point about 2 feet above your knees and then focus on pushing your chest towards the ceiling.
If your still getting excessive roundage (new word?) then let yourself sit up a little higher.
Does that help? I hope you enjoyed this workout!
Just hopped off my chair and tried it now: MUCH easier, thanks! Putting my toes on the floor is allowing me to focus on the movement, instead of being so stressed out about my balance. Can’t believe I didn’t think of it before. :$
(And yes, roundage is an perfectly acceptable new word.)
Was up at 6 am (due to jet lag not any for any massive excitement to greet the day earlier than usual!) and had every intention of joining my bootcamp class at the beach at 9. Still sitting at my desk at 10 getting more frustrated by the minute that I had missed my class and didn’t have time to fit in a workout I turned to your archives- and did this one. Ash, I work out for 90 minutes 5 times a week and this had me huffing, puffing and sweating but moreover totally done in 20 minutes. Thankyou lovely lass.
That makes me so happy Aunty Nik! I converted to doing these and yoga each two times a week and one longer, lower intensity bike ride a week. I am in the best shape of my life. It really works. Thank you so much for trying it. This is what I like to hear!
Love you so much.
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