With school back in session and life becoming busier, finding time to work out can be difficult. Luckily, it is not impossible. If you are looking for a quick workout to squeeze into your busy schedule, a 10-minute abdominal circuit might be just what you need.
There are many “ab workouts” to pick from, but only 10 exercises are needed to complete the circuit. Each exercise will last one minute before moving onto a different exercise within the circuit. Listed below, you can find various ab workouts that you can use to create your own unique circuit.
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- Russian twists– in a seated position with feet flat on the floor and legs at a 90 degree angle, lean backwards slightly from the hips and with hands clasped together, twist from your left to right side.
- Crunches– start flat on your back with your legs bent, with your arms either extended in front or by your ears for neck support, guide with your hips first to meet in an upright position and slowly roll back down.
- Planks– with your arms either extended to the floor or on your forearms, extend your legs out behind you so that your hips are hovering above the ground.
- Bicycle crunches– from a lying position go into a crunch position except having your opposite elbow match your opposite knee with each crunch.
- V-sits– the same concept as applied to the crunch except with your legs and arms both outstretched to meet in a “V” formation.
- Superman’s– lying on your stomach with your arms outstretched in front of you and legs outstretched behind, lift both your arms and legs at the same time and hold.
- Butterfly kicks– lying on your back with either your hands by your sides pressing into the floor or underneath your tailbone, alternate lifting each outstretched leg at around 35 degrees.
- Alternating leg lifts– with the same concept of butterfly kicks, lift each leg slowly and lower to meet the other. Repeat with the other leg with a focus on breath.
- Renegade rows– in a plank position, with or without weights, lift one arm at a time to meet your chest.
- Reverse crunches- in the starting position of alternating leg lifts, life both legs at the same time to meet with your hips.
- Hollow-body hold- lying on your back lift up into an extended V-sit but hold the position.
While the gyms were closed, I performed these workouts in the comfort of my living room. I had to take a lot of breaks when first completing the circuit, but as time went on, it became easier for me to complete the workouts. Once it started becoming easier, I noticed I did not feel the workout as much, which meant it was time for me to find new ab exercises.
Make sure to follow social distancing guidelines
The CDC requires people to stay at least six feet apart from others, wear a mask, avoid touching your face with unwashed hands,and wash your hands frequently. They advise to limit contact with people, choose a safe location for activities, know the rules and guidelines before going to another setting and stay distant while being active. For more information on social distancing, click here.
Though exercising can be tedious, there are many benefits that your brain and body can gain. The most prominent benefit is weight loss and getting fit. Ab workouts play a significant role in posture, support of the spine, balance, stability and respiratory functions such as breathing.
Abdominal workouts target back muscles and the spine and make them more flexible and less rigid, which can decrease pain in the back.
Exercising can be a mental, physical and emotional gateway, especially given the circumstances society is currently facing. Though life can be busy and stressful, adding in a 10-minute ab circuit can make quite the difference for the day. Just remember, nothing is impossible as long as you put your mind to it!
Be sure to change the ab workouts so your body does not reach a plateau in performance and results. Adding variety to a workout not only creates positivity for your body, but also for your brain. So, grab a stopwatch and get ready, set, go.
