Fitness
Get cardio and strength in just one session.
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If you want a core-strengthening exercise that gets straight to the point, look no further than a HIIT ab workout. It's fast-paced, it's super hard, and it's a great way to target all the muscles in your core.
HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training method that involves explosive movements followed by brief periods of rest, he saysAlayna Curry, an AFAA-certified personal trainer and licensed Zumba instructor. The point of the work/rest cycle is to get your heart rate up and down, she tells Bustle, which is greatCardio Training. It's also an excellent way to target specific muscle groups like your core.
If only you havefive minutes, This is completely right. “HIIT works well fortrain the corebecause you can fit a lot of work into a little time,” says Curry, who finds that five minutes is really all it takes. She recommends adding core exercises to the end of your workout about three times a week.
HIIT ab workoutare also a nice change of pace, especially if you're tired of doing endless crunches or other traditional core-strengthening exercises. These sharp workouts get the job done quickly while keeping you busy so you can reap all the benefits of a stronger core – likebetter posture, stability and mobility- without boredom.
Ready to try something? Keep scrolling to see nine different HIIT ab routines from fitness instructors. Prepare to sweat.
1
Pilates style HIIT circuit
Curry recommends this low-impact circuit to target all of your core muscles.
- Start in a seated position with your knees bent and your toes touching the floor.
- Roll onto your back and then up into onehigh boat attitudewith hands at sides, knees bent and feet pointing forward.
- Hold the top for a second and then roll back.
- Roll back and forth for 20 seconds.
- Next, hold your high boat pose and alternately touch each toe down and briefly tap the ground.
- Repeat for 20 seconds.
- Put your hands on the floor near your hips and do squats.
- Straighten your legs and lean back with your torso, then pull your knees to your chest.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
- Do the whole circuit 3 times.
2
Lower Ab Sesh
Emily Nichols, a NASM-certified personal trainer and Orangetheory coach, is a fan of this routine, whichworks the lower absandslants.
-Flattertritte: Lean back, lift your feet off the floor, and quickly move your legs up and down.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
-russian twins: Sit down, lift your legs off the floor and rotate your torso and arms from side to side.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
-V-situations: Lie on your back, stretch your arms behind your head. Place one foot on the floor, lift the other leg straight out, and do a sit-up.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- climbers.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Incline crunches.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Repeat for 5 rounds.
3
Kettlebell-Tabata
Pierre-Armand, a trainer withMatching room,suggests this quick routine using thoseTabataStyle for a quick core burn.
- Lie on your back.
- Extend your arms behind you and lift your legs off the floor for a minutehold hollow.
- Hold a kettlebell in your hands for a challenge.
- Add a flutter kick by quickly kicking your feet up and down.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Get into a sitting position.
- Hold a kettlebell in one hand.
- As you stand up, push the kettlebell straight up with one arm.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Alternate between these moves for 4 turns.
4
3-train circuit
Whitney Berger, CPT, certified personal trainer and founder ofWhitFitNYC, says this routine gets your heart rate up while you work your abs and obliques.
- Bike Crunches: Keep your lower back on the mat, elbows wide, and legs bent at a 45-degree angle. Twist your core to bring one shoulder to the opposite knee.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, rest for 10.
- Mountain Climber: Hold a high plank with your shoulders over your wrists. Quickly squeeze your knees into your chest.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, rest for 10.
- Plank Jacks: Hold a high plank. Jump your feet wide out and back in.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, rest for 10.
5
standing stomach
Nichols also recommends this HIIT styleCrunch-less routine.
- High Knees: Stand tall and quickly alternate between raising each knee to hip level.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Burpees: Jump up, put your hands on the floor and jump your feet back into a high plank.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Plank Jacks: Hold a high plank. Jump your feet wide out and back in.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Squat Twists: Squat down, stand up, bring an elbow to the opposite knee. Switch.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Sumo Squat with Punch: Kick your feet wide out. Keep the squat down and start striking diagonally across your body.
- Repeat for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds.
- Repeat 5 rounds.
6
5-movement routine
Next, try this core personal trainer routineBrooke Cavalla.
- Bike crunches.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Plank lifter.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
-frog jumps: Start at the back of your mat and leap forward, landing in a low squat. Put your hands on the ground and jump your feet back into a plank. Use your core to bring your hands back to a standing position and repeat.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Cross-Body Climber: In a high plank, bring your knee to your opposite elbow and alternate back and forth.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Shelf Hüftdips:Hold a forearm plank. Slowly rotate your hips to drop one hip to the floor. Use your core to bring yourself back to center, then drop to the opposite side.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Complete 3 to 4 rounds.
7
Sprint-Routine
You can incorporate running into a HIIT workout for an even greater challenge. “This routine usesthe sprintin one of the intervals because the core is extremely busy during the exercise,” says Cavalla.
- Sprint as hard as you can for 20 seconds.
- Plank Switch Jump Lunges: Start in a high plank with one foot planted forward and outside of your hand. The other foot is directly behind you. Jump forward with your back foot to the outside of your hand and jump back with the other foot. Alternately further.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Sprint as hard as you can for 20 seconds.
-Up-down Planks: Start in a high plank. Slowly lower yourself onto your forearms. Press into one hand to push yourself back into a high plank. Switch arms and repeat.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Sprint as hard as you can for 20 seconds.
-Skater bounces: Side hop and get one foot behind you like a speed skater. Hop to the other side and keep switching.
- Repeat for 20 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Complete 3 to 4 rounds.
8
Cardio heavy abs
Cavalla also suggests this combo to target your entire core.
-Plank tuck jumps: Start in a high plank. Jump your feet forward to your hands and then back again.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Burpee with 4 climbers: Perform a burpee. Once in the plank position, add 4 fast climbers, then finish the burpee sequence.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Jump Squats: Jump up and land in a crouch.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Side plank with left leg raises.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Side plank with leg raises on the right side.
- Repeat for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds.
- Repeat for 3 to 4 rounds.
9
HIIT-Challenge
Grace Albin, an ACE-certified fitness trainer, says you should fit as many reps into each round as possible.
- Repeat all movements for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds. Shave 10 seconds off every round.
-Teaser-Impulse: From a seated position, lift both legs off the floor. Floating them in the air, align your toes and stretch them straight up so your body forms the letter V. Exhale quickly while moving your legs up and down about 3 inches.
-cable climbing: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Extend both arms towards the ceiling and rotate your torso from right to left as if climbing an imaginary rope.
-ceiling kicks: Lie on your back with your head and shoulders relaxed. Place your palms on the floor next to your hips. Tuck your knees into your core, and then straighten your legs straight up toward the ceiling. Exhale as you lift your butt off the floor. Lower your back and repeat.
-leg scissors: Sit on the floor with your legs raised in a V. Alternately lift one leg while lowering the other.
- Floor tapping sit-ups: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet hip-width apart. Raise your head, then your shoulders, then your back in a sit-up. Extend your fingers up to the ceiling, then reach forward to tap your fingers between your feet. Lower your back and repeat.
- Oblique twists: Lie on your back with your right knee crossed over your left. Lift and rotate your left shoulder toward your right knee. Repeat on the other side.
- Aim for 3 turns.
Sources:
Alayna Curry, AFAA Certified Fitness Instructor, Licensed Zumba Instructor
Pierre-Armand, coach withMatching room
Whitney Berger, CPT, certified personal trainer, founder ofWhitFitNYC
Emily Nichols, NASM-certified personal trainer, Orangetheory coach
Brooke Cavalla, Personal trainer
Grace Albin, ACE-certified fitness trainer