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The 20-minute body makeover
Not ready to slip into that sexy summer dress yet? Follow these steps and you'll be toned in no time!
By Natalie Bahadur
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Forget the treadmill, check out these hot ways to get in shape!
20-minute ab circuit
NOTE: The key to great abs is to do them slowly, not letting your contraction go between reps and exhale when exerting (crunching).
1. Bicycle with oblique twist
• Start with hands behind your head, feet off the floor, knees bent.
• Extend left leg straight, slightly above the floor. At the same time, bring left elbow toward the bent right knee, keeping the right arm on the floor.
• Resist pulling with your arms and focus on your oblique to do all the work.
• Back down to start position without losing contraction and repeat, alternating sides.
2. Prone plank
• Lying face down, start the plank by tightening your abs to support the lower back.
• Making sure your elbows are in a position where when you go up on to your elbows, your elbows are beneath the shoulder, supporting your weight.
• Your elbows should be at 90 degrees.
• Do not let your hips drop down, nor should they be sticking up.
• Do not let your head hang down, nor should you look up.
• Do not allow your body to sink into your shoulders. You want to support your weight as much as possible.
• Hold this position.
3. Crunch with reverse crunch
• Lie with knees bent, arms behind your head, supporting your neck.
• Crunch up with your upper body bending across the chest area. Resist pulling with your arms and focus on pulling with your abs.
• At the same time, bring knees in to your chest.
• Do not pelvic tilt. Back should be in neutral position.
• Bring your feet and upper body back down to the floor without releasing the contraction and repeat movement.
4. Side plank
• Put your feet on top of each other, right elbow should be right under the shoulder to support the weight as you do this move.
• Keep your head in neutral position and do not let your body sink into your shoulder.
• Your shoulders, hips, knees and ankle should be lined up in a straight line.
• Hips should not be sinking.
• Hold, then repeat on your left side.
5. Seated knee tucks
• Sit with both knees tucked into your chest, hands behind your body on the floor for counterbalance.
• Extend right leg straight and bring back to chest as you crunch your abs.
• Repeat, alternating legs.
Side oblique crunch
• Lie on the left side of your body. Right arm should be bent behind your head, left arm on the floor for balance, and feet straight on top of each other. Keeping feet together, crunch your body up without twisting and bring both legs up off the floor.
• Bring your body and legs back down. Repeat, then switch sides.
• NOTE: Shoulders, hips, knees and ankles should be in a straight line. Body does not twist.
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