A
HIIT Abs Workout That’ll Double as Your Cardio
Looking to spice
up your cardio workout? This HIIT abs routine will do just the trick. High-intensity interval
training, or HIIT, is a quick—but intense—way to ramp up your regular
workouts and squeeze in some dedicated core work.
Setting aside
some time for core
exercises is important, since core strength is
vital to your daily life. Your body creates tension through your core, which
allows you to perform everyday tasks like getting out of the bed in the morning
or carrying heavy grocery bags.
“The core is the
cornerstone of a strong and functional body,” ACE-certified personal
trainer Sivan Fagan, CPT, owner of Strong
With Sivan, tells SELF. “Your ability to contract your
core muscles creates stability within the spine, which is needed to prevent
injuries and lower back pain.” Your core also plays a role in compound lifts
during your workout—you need a strong core to deadlift heavy
weight from the ground or push dumbbells over your head.
Remember,
though, your core doesn’t include only your
rectus abdominis, or the muscles you may think of as your abs—those which run
vertically along the front of your abdomen. Rather, your core wraps around your
entire midsection. Your core also includes your diaphragm, obliques (muscles
along the side of your abdomen), transverse
abdominis (your deepest core muscles), erector
spinae, and more. There are a bunch of internal and external core muscles, and
dedicated core routines help you work all those muscles together.
You can work
these core muscles through anti-movement (say when you are holding a position
that resists bending, like a plank) and more dynamic movements (like a flutter kick, which
involves a wide range of motion). Training your core to resist movement is a
great way to improve stability, while bringing in movement helps you crank up
your heart rate, making these kinds of exercises work well with HIIT
programming. That way, you can get in your core work and a dose of cardio, too.
This HIIT abs
workout that Fagan created for SELF below checks both boxes: It targets the
muscles of your core while giving you a cardio boost as well, thanks to its
dynamic nature and shorter rest periods.
“Because of the
work-to-rest ratio, it makes it a lot more intense and effective,” says Fagan.
A quick note
before you get started: Make sure you’re breathing during this routine, Fagan
adds.
“When working
your core, it’s important not to
hold your breath, but to focus on inhaling through the nose, and exhaling
through the mouth,” says Fagan. When you exhale, you’re using your transverse
abdominis. And this extra abdominal pressure from exhalations stabilizes your
body so you’re able to move the joints you intend to move.
There are just
four exercises in this quick, 8-minute abs workout that Fagan created, but they
are challenging. If you’re a beginner, you may want to try the modifications
written below each exercise.
Ready to give
this HIIT abs routine a try? Your core—yep, the entirety of it—will thank you.
The Workout
What you
need: Just your bodyweight. You may also want
to use an exercise mat for comfort.
Exercises
- Flutter kick
- Single-leg inchworm
- Thread the needle
- Alternating jackknife
Directions
- Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, resting
for 20 seconds after going on to the next move. Repeat for 2 rounds
total—giving you an 8-minute workout.
1
- Start lying face up and place your hands
right along the sides of your butt to give your lower back some support.
- Engage your abs and lift both legs about 6
inches off the floor.
- Kick your feet (like you're swimming
freestyle). Make sure to keep your core tight and lower back on the floor
as you move your legs.
- Continue for 40 seconds.
This move uses dynamic
motion—your feet are always kicking—which works your lower rectus abdominal
muscles and hip flexors. You can make the flutter kick easier by bending your
legs and raising them higher off the floor.
2
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart
and arms at your sides. Keep your left leg planted and raise your right
foot off the ground.
- Bend at your waist and place your hands on
the floor.
- Walk your hands forward to come into a
high plank with your hands flat, wrists stacked under your shoulders, and
your core, quads, and butt engaged. Pause for a second.
- Walk your hands back to your foot and
stand to return to start. That’s 1 rep.
- Continue for 40 seconds. For your second
round, complete the move on your other side.
If the single-leg
inchworm is too difficult, you can put both feet on the floor to make the move
easier, since it takes out a lot of the balance component. This move challenges
your core through both anti-movement and dynamic work. The process of walking
your hands forward and back on the floor is what makes this exercise dynamic,
and when you hold the plank part of the move, it counts as anti-movement.
3
- Start in a forearm side plank with your
right shoulder over right elbow, left hand extended to the ceiling, and
your left foot stacked on top of your right.
- Engage your abs, and reach your left hand
down toward your right obliques. Follow your arm movement with your eyes
and head. Try to keep your hips from lowering or twisting.
- Lift your left hand back up to the ceiling
for one rep.
- Continue for 40 seconds. For your second
round, complete the move on your other side.
To make this
move easier, you can drop to your knees and scrap the reach-through.
4
- Lie faceup with your legs extended and
arms by your sides. Contract your abs to press your low back into the
ground. This is starting position.
- Squeeze your thighs together, squeeze your
glutes, and simultaneously lift your right leg and upper back off the
ground, reaching your left hand forward to meet your right foot. Your
torso and your right leg should form a V.
- Keep your core engaged as you slowly lower
to return to starting position; repeat on the other side. Continue
alternating for 40 seconds.
To make the
single-leg jackknife less intense, you can keep both feet on the ground,
reaching your opposite hand towards your opposite foot.
Recommended:
Muscle
& Strength's 12 Week Women's Workout Program
0 Comments