Eileen's Abs Workout

Eileen posted this on the women's league forum a million years ago. It's quick and . . . well, quick. I don't know if this needs to be modified for men, so if you do it and it's too easy guys- increase the reps or something.

Also, for the push-ups, you can alternate in some tricep pushups (where your hands are closer together) or whatever sort of torture you prefer in the push-up family.

One quick note- from my limited pilates experience, I would say that it is probably a good idea to observe the following posture (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) when doing these:

a) When flat on your back, keep your neck long (out of the top of your head, as they say) and your shoulders on the ground. In other words, don't scrunch your shoulders up or sway from side to side.

b) When your abs are engaged (so, generally speaking, your head is off the ground), make sure that your lower back is pressing into the ground. Moreover, you want to "hollow out" so that you are holding your abs in, not pushing them out- so your shoulders are down, your rib cage is lifted, your tummy sucked in (I think my instructor always said to pull it "under your rib cage"), and again- long back and neck. You sort of want to be a C shape in your core.

c) Don't roll from one hip to the other when you're doing side to side exercises. This is really hard sometimes, too. I'm pretty sure it's ok and even necessary to shift weight a bit (especially on toe touches), but if you're rolling around, you're losing the benefit of the exercise. Thinking about keeping your lower back pressed down can help with this, though.

Ok, so this is the workout:


Lie on your back, knees bent. Raise your head off the floor until your trunk is at about a 45-degree angle. Twist from side to side rapidly 100 times. (KQ Note- arms crossed over chest is the way I've been doing these and seen them done)

Flip right over and do 5 push-ups.

Next, do 25 crunches.

6 push-ups.

Then do 30 toe-touches. Lift your legs in the air at a 90-degree angle to your body, raise your torso, and reach with one hand for the opposite leg. Do 15 each leg.

7 push-ups.

Do 50 “Rocky Balboas”, or twist crunches. One knee bent, other straight, hands behind your head. Reach one elbow towards the opposite knee. Alternate sides. (KQ Note- I prefer hands to ears so you don't pull on your neck. And really try to keep your shoulders down, away from your ears)

8 push-ups.

Next, do 50 high-speed bicycles. (KQ Note- on back, arms at side. Lift legs up at 90 degree angle, then lift pelvis up off the ground. Arms can help balance. Move legs in a bicycle-y way!)

9 push-ups.

50 crunches.

10 push-ups.

UPDATE: See some great additional notes on these exercises from Jim over on Lean and Hungry Fitness. Awesome!