30 Day Challenge Optional Abs

This is an optional extra workout. There are 8 exercise, perform each exercise for 12-15 reps for 2-4 rounds depending on your fitness level. To get the most out of an ab workout focus on slow, controlled movements, breathing correctly and really squeezing the muscle you want to work. This will benefit you much more then performing the exercise at speed. Check out this instagram video for common ab workout mistakes.

• Level 1: Lie down knees bent on the ground, put your hands behind your head, keep your eyes down, come up to about mid back and back down.
• Level 2: Lie down knees bent in the air, put your hands behind your head, keep your eyes down, come up to about mid back and back down.
• Description: Breath in while your on the floor, breath out as you lift up and put your belly button in, use slow movements rather then quick short movements.

• Level 1: Lying flat, bend your knees up to 90 degree and lift you feet off the ground. Tap one heel off the ground close to you and bring your leg back up. The slower you do this movement the better. You should feel this in your lower abs only.
• Level 2: Lying flat, bend your knees up to 90 degree and lift you feet off the ground. Tap one heel off the ground further away from you and bring your leg back up. The slower you do this movement the better. You should feel this in your lower abs only. Make sure your back stays flat.
• Description: Remember the position from the introduction video makes sure your lower back in pressed into the ground, do not arch. Don’t hold your breath, revisit the introduction video if needed. Breath out as you reach your leg out and pull you’re belly button in, this will help protect your back. Breath in as you bring your leg back in.

• Description: Lying down bring one knee to your chest and let the other leg out straight about an inch off the ground, keep your head up, chin tucked and eyes down. Take a deep breath in and breathe out as you swap legs, breathe in hold the position and swop as you breathe out. Slow controlled movements.

• Description: Lying down bring one leg to your chest and straight it up, hold the back of your hamstring. Let the other leg out straight about an inch off the ground, keep your head up, chin tucked and eyes down. Take a deep breath in and breathe out as you swap legs, breathe in hold the position and swop as you breathe out. Slow controlled movements.

• Description: Lying down place your hands behind your head, elbows out. Bring one knee to your chest and let the other leg out straight about an inch off the ground, chin tucked and eyes down. Bring your elbow towards your opposite knee. Take a deep breath in and breathe out as you swap sides, breathe in hold the position and swop as you breathe out. Slow controlled movements.

• Description: Lying on your back lift your legs straight up, breathe in on the ground as you breathe out open your legs out wide, return your head back to the ground as you breathe in, and cross your legs. This exercise is difficult so make sure your back is protected and you are breathing through the movements.

• Description: In a side plank on your knee, keeping your mid-section strong dip your hip towards the ground and lift back up. You can do this on your elbow or with a straight arm. If you want to make this more difficult straighten both legs. For convenience, perform 12 reps of the side plank dips and then 12 reps of the side plank crunches (next exercise) on the same side before changing side.

• Description: In a side plank on your knee, straighten out your top arm and leg and crunch them together by bringing your elbow to your knee. Try to keep you hip off the ground as you crunch, you want to squeeze your abs together rather then drop to the floor.