Planks are one of the best exercises out there for firing up your core—and boosting your overall athletic performance. But we know just as much as you do that they can be a bit, well, boring. It’s hard not to focus on how slowly the seconds tick by, if we’re being totally honest. But don’t worry—there are so many plank variations out there that will still give you a killer workout when you want to mix things up. You just need to find a way to put them all together.So we tapped Lindsey Clayton, instructor at Barry’s Bootcamp and cofounder of the Brave Body Project, to put together a fun, fast-paced circuit with plank variations you probably didn’t even know existed until now. The best part? It takes 10 minutes or less to complete. So tack this workout onto the end of a ride or cross-training workout, or simply fit it in alone if you’re crunched for time, but still want to break a sweat.[Looking to start cross training but don’t … [Read more...] about The Plank-Based Abs Workout That Is Done in 10 Minutes or Less
Killer abs workout
Lisa Rinna Just Posted A Bikini Photo On Instagram And Her Abs Look AMAZING
E! EntertainmentGetty Images Lisa Rinna just posted a photo wearing a leopard bikini. She captioned the Instagram, "55 and shameless." Lisa stays active in a number of ways, including yoga and SoulCycle.If anyone can make 55 look ageless, it's Lisa Rinna. The wellness-obsessed Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star took to Instagram to share a photo of herself wearing a leopard-print bikini, captioned "55 and Shameless." And her abs look amazing. In 2015, Lisa told OWN that though she was born with good genes (#blessed), she started working out and playing competitive tennis from a young age. "For me, working out is like brushing my teeth," she said. But the secret to those killer abs? Yoga.Though she's tried tons of different workouts over the years, she said she's found yoga to be the most fulfilling. "I have a really strong yoga practice. For my body type, that really works," she told OWN.And, on her website, she goes into more depth about her fitness schedule:"In a normal week … [Read more...] about Lisa Rinna Just Posted A Bikini Photo On Instagram And Her Abs Look AMAZING
Crush Your Core With This Killer Barbell Move
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Your ab circuits might be missing a major component. You can train your core with bodyweight moves like planks and holds all you like — but to really push your six-pack to the next level, you should add some weighted resistance. Men's Health Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., uses a barbell to make his core work even harder during this decline situp circuit. The situp has been derided by some fitness authorities of late, but Samuel insists that the move can still be super effective — especially with the added weight. "Situps and spinal flexion get a bad rap in the fitness world today," he says. "Newsflash: One of the functions of your abdominals is to — wait for it — flex your spine. If we train that smartly, it's still a great way to build a six-pack."To perform the series, you'll need a decline bench and a barbell. Don't just grab the nearest 45-pound bar handy, however; Samuel says that you'll need less … [Read more...] about Crush Your Core With This Killer Barbell Move
Twin Cities fitness class offers a full-body workout with surprising benefits
Need motivation to get going on a strength training workout? This should help: New research out of the University of Michigan indicates people with weak muscles don’t live as long as their stronger counterparts. The full report, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, looked at more than 8,000 men and women 65 and older, measuring their grip strength and risk for “premature mortality.” That term alone might be enough to make a person join the gym. Here’s one local option for supervised weightlifting, suitable for all levels. What it is: Barbell strength at Life Time, a group fitness class that gives a full-body workout. (Similar classes are available at the YMCA and other gyms.) What’s it like: I arrived early for the 8:15 a.m. class and set up a bench, added warmup weights to a barbell and stacked heavier weights nearby to use for lower-body exercises. There were about 25 people in the class, most regulars, ranging in age from 40- to … [Read more...] about Twin Cities fitness class offers a full-body workout with surprising benefits
This Deceptively Difficult Ab Workout Will Challenge Your Core
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below If you do the same old ab circuit to finish up every single day at the gym, your core workout could be way better. Instead of just crunching up through endless sets of situps and holding planks for longer than you should, challenge yourself to this deceptively difficult game for ab gains. WODFitters Stretch Resistance Band Set WODFitters amazon.com $79.99 Men's Health Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., uses the routine to mix up his own ab routine. "This core workout looks super-easy, but it’s not," says Samuel. "It’s a blending of the hollow body position and the Pallof press."The series doesn't force you to work your midsection mindlessly, valuing volume above all else. You'll work smart, but don't worry — you'll work hard, too. "It’ll challenge the symmetry of your core strength, and if you have a flawed hollow body position, it’ll expose that pretty quickly too," Samuel says.To take on the … [Read more...] about This Deceptively Difficult Ab Workout Will Challenge Your Core