5 MINUTE AB WORKOUT
Looking for a short, sharp workout that will strengthen, sculpt and define your abs from every angle? We’ve got you covered with an intense 5-minute session that provides the challenge that your mid-section demands in order to make the gains that you deserve.
Perform this workout 3 times per week on alternate days. Perform each exercise in a controlled, deliberate manner, emphasising a deliberate squeeze in the contracted position. You do not have to pause in the contracted position of the exercise, but you should feel an emphasis on the muscle.
Try to establish a connection between your mind and your body during the exercise. The more awareness you have while working out, the faster the results will arrive.
The Workout
Scissor Kicks
Lie on your back on the ground with your arms at your sides and your hands tucked into your glutes. Raise both legs so they are about 30 centimetres off the ground in the starting position. Now raise one leg up to about a 45-degree angle to the floor. Lower it back down as you simultaneously lift the opposite leg in the same manner. Continue back and forth in a nonstop fashion, never letting either leg rest on the ground. Count one lift and lowering of both legs as one rep.
Complete 2 sets of 30 reps each.
Alternating V Ups
Lie on the ground with your arms extended back behind your head and your legs straightened. Raise both legs a few inches off the ground in the starting position, and also raise your arms slightly. From this starting position, lift your right leg straight up while keeping your left leg down and straightened. At the same time, curl your spine forward and lift your upper torso. Bring both arms up and forward and reach for the shin of the raised leg. Upon completion, your upper body and single leg should be angled upward to form a ‘V’. Hold the contraction momentarily, l then return to the starting position slowly. Repeat, but this time lift the opposite leg. Continue back and forth in an alternating manner.
Perform 2 sets of 20 reps.
Bicycles
Lie on your back on the ground with your legs bent at the knees and your hips and feet flat on the floor. Keep your hands positioned beside your head. Now straighten your left leg so that your foot is raised, while pulling your right leg up so your thigh is perpendicular to the ground. Curl your body up and to the right as you move your legs in this manner. Your left elbow would approach your right knee. Upon completion, pull your left leg up while straightening your right leg and curling your body to the left. Continue to alternate, with each left/right combination counting as one rep.
Perform 1 set of 20 reps.
Twisting Crunches
Lie on your back on the ground with your knees bent at right angles and feet flat. Keep your hands by the side of your head. From this position, curl your spine forward and rotate to the left so that your right shoulder loses contact with the ground. Keep your head level throughout. Hold the up position momentarily before lowering slowly back down. Initiate movement for the next rep immediately once you touch down; do not rest between reps. Alternate reps between your left and ride sides, with each left/right pairing counting as one.
Perform 1 set of 30 reps.
Workout Summary
Scissor Kicks: 2 x 30
Alternating V Ups: 2 x 20
Bicycles: 1 x 20
Twisting Crunches: 1 x 20
Your goal is to complete all 6 sets in less than 5 minutes. That means virtually no rest between sets. And that means that you’ll more than likely be spending the next 5 minutes writhing on the ground in agony – but that’s a good thing, right?
