Focus & Benefits: Although quick, this core workout will help you improve core strength and endurance with pairs of dynamic movement and isometric exercises. The pairing of these differing muscle contractions increases your working muscles’ abilities to withstand increasing loads (strength) over extended periods of time (endurance) by improving muscle activation throughout greater ranges of motion.
Equipment: A mat is all you need for this workout!
Tips & Helpful Information: The warm-up and cool-down are very short (2 minutes each!). If you need additional preparation time, feel free to repeat the warm-up/activation exercises before starting the workout. You can also treat this workout as an add-on to another workout with a different training focus (strength, HIIT, cardio, etc.) but still complete the activation exercises before jumping into the workout.
Repeat the cool-down if you need some more stretching time or visit the FitnessBlender.com website for additional stretching options.
Difficulty & Modifications Explained: This workout is rated as a level 3 due to the accessibility and ease of exercise modification (there are options for both regressions and progressions!). To decrease the overall difficulty, opt for bent-limb positions when applicable (keep the knees bent during single-leg v-ups), decrease your range of motion, and/or decrease your reps per working interval. Conversely, you can opt for long-limb positions (straight legs/arms), increase the range of motion, and/or fill each working interval with movement to increase the difficulty of the routine.
Closing Notes: This workout contains mostly straightforward exercises with a few little “twists” to create a bit of a challenge for you! As mentioned, you can easily regress or progress the movement patterns so meet yourself where you are for the day and pick the most appropriate path of difficulty for you!
Workout
Warm-Up/Core Activation: 30 sec per exercise, no rest (2:00)
-Dead Bug Hold + Iso Leg Press - R (L had presses)
-Dead Bug Hold + Iso Leg Press - L (R hand presses)
-Alt. Bird-Dog + Crunch
-Full Plank (on knees): Extended Plank Walkouts
***20 sec off***
Core Circuit #1: 20 sec on / 10 sec off / 2 rounds (4:00)
-Alt. SL V-Ups
-SL hollow Hold - R/L (R = round 1 / L = round 2)
-Forearm Plank: Alt. Knee Taps
-Forearm Plank
***Water Break***
Core Circuit #2: 20 sec on / 10 sec off / 2 rounds (4:00)
-Bear Crawl Position: 2 Palm Taps + 2 Back Kick Taps
-Bear Crawl Hold
-Back Extensions
-Superhuman Hold
***20 sec off***
Finisher: 30 sec on / 10 sec off / 1 round (2:30)
-Alt. SL V-Ups
-Forearm Plank: Alt. Knee Taps
-Bear Crawl Position: 2 Palm Taps + 2 Back Kick Taps
-Back Extensions
Cool-Down: approx. 30 sec per stretch (approx. 2:00)
-Sphinx Stretch
-Child’s Pose
-Seated Bent-Knee Spinal Twist - R
-Seated Bent-Knee Spinal Twist - L