Guess what guys - today's my birthday! And while I will be diving into a wonderful vegan cake and probably be drinking a glass of wine or two, there is still time to think about how to create a healthier lifestyle! So good news for you! For my birthday, I am going to share with you one of my favorite workouts - the "yoga belly seven" workout - my treat to you!
Do you only have seven minutes a day for a workout? Wishing you had the abs of a yoga and fitness fanatic? Well, good news! We got the guide for you! If you are looking for a quick workout to target your abs and build your core, doing a seven minute ab workout can be just what you need. Working on high-intensity, fast-paced exercises, you are pushing yourself to build those muscles and get that yoga belly you desire. The idea behind this workout is that you want to do as many reps of the exercises as possible, for 50 seconds each. You get a 10 second rest between each exercise. Here is what you can do:
Knee-In Crunch
To start the exercise routine, we will begin with knee-in crunches. Start by lying face-up with fingertips behind ears and legs extended. Lift your legs until feet are about 6 inches off the floor. Engage your core and lift the shoulder blades off the floor. Come up like you’re doing a regular crunch while also pulling knees in toward chest. Be careful not to pull on your neck! It is crucial that you use your abs to lift. Reverse the movement to return to starting position.
Glute Bridge
Next in your workout, move into a glute bridge. Lie once again face-up with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your arms on the floor by your sides, palms facing down. Keeping your head and the shoulders firmly planted on the floor., you inhale, press through your feet. As you exhale, squeeze the glutes to lift your hips off the floor.
BONUS TIP : What is also really great about this workout besides building your core is that this exercise is great for hip stabilization and for boosting ab strength — plus, it works for your butt too!
Bicycle Crunch
Queue some Freddie Mercury because for the next exercise we are going to "wanna ride our bicycles!" For bicycle crunches, start with lying face-up with your fingertips behind the ears, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, both feet off the floor. Lift head and shoulders off the floor. Bring right elbow to left knee as you extend right leg straight, then begin to quickly reverse the movement to repeat on the other side, bringing left elbow to right knee. Continue to alternate.
Reverse Crunches
For this next exercise, begin by lying face-up with arms at your sides, palms facing the floor. Bend knees so hips and knees form 90-degree angles. Engage core. Activate your lower abs to lift the hips off the floor, bringing knees toward chest. Lower back down to starting position as slowly as possible to keep your lower abs engaged.
Mountain Climbers
Start in a high plank position with your core tight and your hands directly under the shoulders. Keep core engaged to stabilize hips as you drive right knee toward chest. Return right leg to starting position, then repeat with left leg. Continue alternating legs to pump knees as fast as possible.
Windshield Wipers
Continuing on your back, keep your arms straight out to sides (so your body forms a T) while keeping your legs extended. Raise both legs toward the ceiling until they’re perpendicular to the floor. Without lifting head or shoulders off the floor, lower both legs to the right, as close to the floor as you can get without losing form. Reverse the movement to lower both legs to the left. Continue to both sides, moving your legs like a windshield wiper!
X-Ups
While on your back, continue with keeping your arms at your sides. Engage your core and begin to sit up. Raise your right hand and left leg simultaneously, then touch your right fingertips to your left toes. Return to starting position and repeat with the opposite hand and leg.
When it comes to an ab workout, stick with something that is quick and easy! Then share with us how you can implement these tips into your exercise routine by tagging us on Instagram @itouchwearables and Facebook @itouchwearables. Also, be sure to check out our new articles published daily!
- Patrick
