Abs Workout - First Try

Ok I promised to share my workouts for my abs as I work them out so here is the first one!  I'll try and get decent pictures for each exercise but I make no promises since I'll have to use the timer feature on my camera.  These are mostly from the Quick Fix workouts I was talking about in my previous entry, but with other ones in there, too.  Each one should take 10-15 minutes to do MAX.  I suppose after I do it all the way through I will share how long they took me!  I'm actually writing this out to plan out which exercises I am going to try first, and then adding in the pictures and descriptions. (edit, I am posting this without pictures, for the time being, but will add them later in the weekend!)

Ok so here is #1- if you can think of a good name for it, let me know!  For each exercise do 16 (some is each side, some total, I'll specify).  Why 16?  Because then you can do this to music more easily, most music is in 8 counts and 8 seemed too few, so 16 it is.  Not everyone notices if they are with the music, but being a swing dancer, it would throw me off!

1- Rolling Back Crunch
Sitting with your knees bent and feet on the floor, sit with your back straight up with elbows bent and hands by your sides.  Round your back lowering it halfway to the ground and sweep around straight out to your side and then in front.  Arms should reach straight in front of you as your back is at its most rounded.  Straighten your back while sitting up and take arms straight back to being bent by your sides.  This is one rep.  Continue in a fluid motion.

2- 4 Beat Reverse Crunch
Lie on your back with your knees up and feet on the floor.  Keeping your knees at a 90 degree angle raise feet until hips are also at a 90 degree angle.  Pause, this is the first beat.  Roll hips in towards abdomen, raising butt off the floor and keeping knees at a 90 degree angle.  This is the second beat.  Reverse this, again in 2 beats, until feet are just off the floor.  This is one rep.

3- Straight Leg/Wide Leg Crunch
Laying flat on your back with your legs straight out or in a V, hold your arms straight just over your hips.  Raise shoulders off the group while reaching your fingers towards your knees.  Lower back down. This is one rep.

4- Side Hip Raises - 16 each side
Lay on your side propping yourself upon your forearm with your hips on the floor and knees bent (alternately, keep your legs straight for a more difficult move) Lift your hips up in the air so your torso and thighs make a straight line, then lower back down.

5- Around the World Crunch - 8 clockwise, 8 counter clockwise
On Quick Fix they joke that this is like an "Groove Ab Funk" LOL.  Lay on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor.  With your hands behind your head lift your shoulders off the ground by moving your chest in a circle, lowering your shoulders back down at the end of the circle.  You can alternate clockwise and counter clockwise or do all 8 one direction before switching.  One circle is one rep.

6- Clocks - 8 to each side (alternating sides, 16 total)
For some reason this move reminds me of the hands on a clock.  Lay on your back with your feet up and knees bent and your arms straight out to your sides.  Roll your hips to one side then extend legs out to the side until they are straight while reaching towards your toes with the opposite arm.  Lower arms and bend legs, then twist legs back to the center.  This is one rep, alternate sides with each rep.

7- Clam Shell Crunch
Start laying on the ground with your foot on the floor and knees up.  Simultaneously lift your shoulders off the ground crunching your shoulders towards your legs while rolling your knees towards your abdomen.  Return to starting position.  This is one set.

8- In and Outs
Lay on your back propped up on your elbows with your legs extended.  Lift heels off of the floor then bend legs in towards abdomen.  Extend legs back straight without heels touching the floor.  This is one rep.

9- Bicycles  16 total, alternating sides (or challenge yourself and do 24 or 32!)
Your typical bicycle ab exercise, and one of my favorites!  Lay on your back with your feet off the floor and your hips and knees at 90 degree angles.  With your hands behind you ears or neck left your shoulders off the ground.  Extend one leg and twist that shoulder to the opposite sides bent knee.  This is one rep, alternate sides switching which leg is extended for each rep.

10- Hollow Rocks
Lay on your back stretched out with your arms by your side.  Hollow out your body (lift feet and shoulders off the ground slightly keeping your core TIGHT) and lift arms off the floor.  Use your abs to rock while maintaining this position.  Rock forward and back.  This counts as one rep.  Alternately, you can hold your arms straight up over your head off the floor while rocking.

Finish off with a good stretch!  Always end with a good ab stretch.

When I tried this workout it took under 10 minutes (about 8), and I was feeling every exercise before the 16 were done.  As I am editing and saving a day after initially writing, I can say that my abs were a little sore but not uncomfortably so.  I also have to admit to backing down to 8 reps for a couple of the later moves, but next time I hope to do all 16!  So while in the end it took me about 8 minutes, it of course will take a minute or two longer with all the reps.

Let me know if you try this how it goes for you, or if you have any questions about the moves!  Also if anyone is interested in logging it on fitocracy I can let you know how I logged it, it was worth 200 points with the 8 reps of a couple of them so it's worth over 200 when done all the way.

~Katy