Ab Workout: Lose the Pooch

You can crunch all day, but laying on the ground barely moving isnt going to do anything to melt the fat around your middle. High intensity workouts are the destroyer of fat, especially around your midsection. This workout designed to eliminate your belly pooch combines power moves, isolation work, and functional movements to hit your abs in all ways from all angles while raising your heart rate melt fat and let your abs shine through (when combined with proper diet, of course!)

Do 2 sets of the following:

Medicine ball slams- 15 reps

Hold a medicine ball with both hands overhead with your feet shoulder width apart. To begin, initiate the movement by bringing the ball back behind your head to get full extension through the body. Then, slam the ball into the ground directly in front of you as hard as you can. Depending on the ball, catch it on the rebound or bend down and pick it up to repeat. Contract hard through the abs and hollow your body as you slam, generating the power from your core, not your shoulders.  

Plank pops- 10 reps

Start in plank position. Once your hands are in position, dont lift them for the entire set. To begin, use your core to pop your feet in toward your hands so you are in a crouched position. Immediately pop your feet back out to plank position and repeat. If you have flexibility issues the crouch may be difficult, so feel free to widen the feet and bring them to the outsides of your hands so you are in more of a squat than a crouch. When youre done with the workout, go work on your ankle mobility. 

Jackknifes- 10 reps

Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs completely extended. This is your starting position. To begin, flex at the waist explosively to bring your arms and legs together in the jackknife position. Your arms and legs should be straight and parallel, your shoulders high off the mat. Reverse to return to starting position and repeat. If you cant do these right off the bat, bend your knees during the move to bring them into your chest, then extend them back out to starting position instead of keeping them straight throughout until your lower abs become stronger.

Mountain climbers- 30 seconds

Begin in a pushup position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. To begin, flex the right knee and hip to bring your right knees into your chest, right toes lifted off the ground so your left legs and hands are supporting your body weight. Then, explosively reverse the positions of your legs, extending the right leg and bringing in the left. Repeat, alternating legs. Be sure to keep your hips low and in line with your body; your butt should not be moving up in down and your upper body should stay as stationary as possible. 

Hanging leg raises- 8 reps

Hang from a pull up with either a medium or wide grip. Your legs should be extended toward the ground, knees together and your belly button pulled into your spine to roll your hips backward and engage the core. To begin, use your abs to raise your legs toward your hands, at least to 90 degrees. Hold for a beat, then slowly lower them back to the ground. This movement should be slow and controlled in both directions and you should not swing. If you do, slow them down even more and work on being deliberate with your movements instead of relying on momentum.