11 Minute Abs Version 5.0
Welcome to version 5 of the 11 minute abs series. As usual we’re running with 2 rounds, 8 exercises, 30 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest. The 11 minute ab (as well as glutes and hips) programs are designed to not give you enough time to think about any particular exercise. When you’re doing 3 rounds of 12 reps of a particular exercise your mind can start to play games with you. With 30 seconds of work its over before you know it and you’re on to the next exercise. 30 seconds is a long time with an exercise your body isn’t used to, but hey, its over before you know it. So let’s get to it.
1 Legged Plank
This will be a static hold 1 legged plank. We’ll start left side first round then switch to right side second round. This can be done on either the hands or the elbows. I’m a fan of the elbow planks myself due to too much time spent typing and a bit of pain in my wrists from the straight armed planks. Lift your left leg off the ground, balancing yourself on both elbows and one leg. Try not to rotate the body and keep yourself in a straight plank position as though both your legs were still on the ground.
Video demonstration link for the email list – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di7rjPcJ690
Top Leg Elevated Side Plank – Exercises 2 and 3
Start on your weaker side for exercise two, then do your stronger side for exercise three. Not to be confused with an elevated side plank (where you either make your body level by placing your feet on something to bring the torso level), we want to get into a side plank position then hold the top leg up so you’re only balancing on the bottom leg and the elbow on the ground. 11 Minute Abs Part Deux featured the side plank with leg raise, but we’d drop it and bring it back up. This time we’re static holding.
Video demo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-s4bVuuXu0
Air Bike Crunches
This is like a bicycle crunch but without the arm piece. You’re only doing the leg piece, which out of context looks like a flailing of the legs. Place your hands at your side as though you were going to do a glute bridge. Kick one leg out while the other leg is bent and pointed toward your head, then kick your bent leg out while bringing your previously extended leg back in bending at the knee. Rinse and repeat for 30 seconds.
Video demo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKT7-9L935g
Raised Leg Circles
Very similar to windshield wipers, only this is a fluid movement. Arms remain at your side from the air bike crunches, lift your legs up into the air and swing from right to center to left to down to right to center to left to down. Try to keep this one fluid movement for 30 seconds as you keep your legs straight and out.
Video demo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vwfd-Q8MDs
Thai Sit Ups
I can’t find a video of this thing under the term “thai sit up” but swore that’s what it was called when it was shown to me in Costa Rica. Its your standard sit up, only instead of holding your hands behind your head you place your hands on your forehead. With your hands behind your head its common to force your neck up first before the rest of your body comes up (which is bad.) In theory, this change in hand position corrects that bad habit from the sit up.
Kick Thru Plank
I was first introduced to this movement during Jiu Jitsu warm ups where we would do this marching across the room. It’s an opposite arm opposite leg exercise so it’ll take a few tries to get used to if you struggle with left right relationships. From a plank position rotate your body (lets say your left side is facing the sky and your right side is facing the ground on your twist) now leave your right hand (or bottom hand) on the ground while kicking your bottom leg through. Your left hand will also come off the ground (in the video touching your right foot) coming into your body with a bend of the elbow. Twist back through and do the other side.
Video demo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PROyXVOOog
Inch Worms
These can be done either on a yoga mat or just across the room. I posted a Howcast video of how to do an inchworm in my Spartan workout series, so we’ll go with a walkout version for this video. Starting from standing, hinge and walk your arms out as far as you can putting you in an extended plank position. Hold for a moment then walk your legs back out to your hands. Once your feet are back at your hands walk your hands away from the body again to your extended plank. Walk your legs again and repeat.
Video demo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr-HHgxXTqg
