In all honesty, I had a hard time motivating myself to tackle this week’s challenge. Give me squats, jumping jacks, something else, anything else -- because, when it comes to tummies, my preferred activities revolve a bit more around yummy snacks and beverages than around crunches.
Enough procrastinating, though -- let the week 20 challenge begin.
Daily 12-Minute Abs Routine with Kira Elste
I roped my roommate Libby into the challenge and, equipped with our yoga mats, iPad, and vitamin-D fueled energy -- we set out to strengthen our cores.
It’s hard not to adjust your perspective when cheery Kira comes on screen. She soon had us doing all sorts of creative exercises that could be adjusted for different skill levels. And, to my (pleasant!) surprise, she showed us several moves to that didn’t require us to “sit-up.”
Near the top of my list was the plank -- a great exercise for beginners and experienced exercisers, alike. Not only do planks work your obliques, they improve overall core strength and increase balance. A big plus: you don’t find yourself compromising technique (and hurting your back!) in order to feel the burn.
And, at the very top of my list, a cool down stretch and twist.
