Fit Tip: 3 Killer Moves To Shred Your Abs

Ready for that last trip to the beach before Labor Day and the reality of back-to-school and wool sweaters overtakes us all? Here are my three main abdominal exercises I use to get my clients ready to stand on stage and rock their bikinis (even in their 50s!).

Here’s a quick workout you can do anywhere and it only takes about 15 minutes.

Weighted Plank

• Lie on your stomach and put a 10 pound plate on your back.
• Rise in a pushup position, but bend at your elbows and rest on your forearms instead of your hands.
• Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. (Don’t lift your butt up higher!)
• Suck in your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
• Hold this position for 30-60 seconds while continuing to breathe.
• Modification—If one minute is too hard when you are starting, hold for five seconds and then rest for five seconds, repeating this process until you reach one minute. Each time you practice this exercise try to hold the position a little longer between rest breaks.

Reverse Crunch

• Lie on your back on the floor with your arms at your sides, palms on the ground.
• Suck in your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
• Raise your legs up in the air, knees slightly bent, keeping your back on the floor.
• Raise your hips and lower back off the ground as you crunch inward.
• Pause at the top, then slowly return to the starting position.

Russian Twist

• Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Hold your arms straight out in front of your chest holding the sides of a 10 pound plate.
• Lean back your torso to a 45-degree angle.
• Suck in your stomach and twist to the right, tapping the dumbbell to the ground.
• Pause, then twist all the way to the left, tapping the dumbbell to the ground.

Remember to listen to your body. If 10 pounds is too heavy, lower to 5 pounds or just use your own bodyweight. It’s better to go lighter with proper form than to try to lift something too heavy.

Photo Credit: Taylor Prinsen Photography