Steven Virtue, fitness content and programming manager at Total Fitness, has created an at-home fat-blasting workout that will help to sculpt and reveal your abs in as few as five minutes per day.
The below exercises collectively work all of the key muscle groups with a particular focus on the core and stomach area to shed fat and reveal those abs underneath. Carry out each exercise for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds before moving onto the next. Repeat the five-minute circuit as many times as you like.
High knees
A great way to warm up while targeting your lower abs is to give yourself a quick blast of cardio in the form of high-knees. To complete this simple cardio-intensive exercise, start from standing a position and run on the spot as fast as you can, raising each knee so it’s on a 90 degree angle to the floor. This exercise engages the core and works the leg muscles whilst getting your heart rate up. It’s the perfect warm-up to keep the pounds off.
The superman
Strengthen your lower back and abs with the superman pose. Start by lying on your front with arms and legs extended away from you. Raise your arms and legs off the floor simultaneously and engage your core to lift your chest off the floor a little. Hold for a few seconds before returning to your start position. For a more advanced exercise, whilst in the hold position, move your limbs in criss-cross motion as though making a snow angel.
Mountain climbers
Mountain climbers are a great full body workout that exercise almost every muscle group, whilst getting your heart rate up to burn belly fat. To perform a hill climber, get into plank position and raise one knee up to your chest at a time, ensuring your back remains straight at all times. Perform the action one leg after the other and as fast as you can.
Ball slams
The original ball slam is a great way to elevate the heart rate quickly whilst developing core strength, positioning itself as fantastic calorie burner. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, squat down keeping your back straight, drive the ball upwards with your arms fully extended and the ball overhead, then accelerate downwards back into the squat position slamming the ball into the ground on the way down. Try and catch the ball on the bounce and keep it fast paced for a great cardio/strength workout.
Plank dips
Plank dips are a fantastic workout for toning the obliques while also strengthening your core and upper body. Holding an elbow plank with your core tucked in, rotate your left hip so that it almost touches the mat then do the same on your right side. Continue this sequence of rotations with a strong plank posture to really target that muffin top and define your waistline.
