Pumps & Iron

Today’s workout is a follow-up to the workout I posted a couple weeks ago. Same format, just different target muscle groups. While the title says “core,” your upper body will definitely feel the burn as well (brace yourself for some serious planking, people!). This 20-minute core workout will alternate between 2-minute slider sequences for the right then left obliques and 4-minute tabata intervals.

Before we get to it, I just want to thank you guys for all the feedback on YouTube, Instagram and here on the blog regarding last week’s workout! Hearing what you guys like and don’t like is so helpful in guiding my planning and formatting of future workouts. I like to switch things up so formats don’t get redundant, but hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So many of you loved last week’s workout that we’re keeping it the same, just switching up the target muscle groups today.

20-Minute Core Workout: Slow Sliding + Fast Tabatas

Equipment You’ll Need:

• Sliders (you can use a dish towel if on a hardwood floor or a paper plate on carpet)
• Medium weight (I’m using a 10-lb kettlebell) — this is totally optional

This workout will take you 20 minutes to complete. If you’re looking for a longer workout, do it twice (once was plenty for me lol). You’ll do 2 minutes of slider work on each side (inspired by the megaformer work I teach at Btone!) followed by a bodyweight tabata (with the option to use a dumbbell). Here’s the general breakdown (rest for 30 seconds in between each section):

Slider obliques series on RIGHT
Slider obliques series on LEFT
Tabata 1
Slider obliques series on RIGHT
Slider obliques series on LEFT
Tabata 2

As with all workouts, make sure to warm up beforehand. I have a 5-minute warm up on my YouTube channel you can follow along with or just do your own. Modify as needed with all the exercises—I’ll explain how to in the video. ?

20-Minute Core Workout: Exercise Breakdown

Slider Series 1

• Snake (60) | In a plank position, feet on sliders, hands stacked under shoulders on an exercise mat, cross your right foot in front of the left and drop your heels so that you are heel-to-toe with toes pointing towards the left. You’ll twist through the waist, slightly lowering your right hip to do so. This is your starting position. From here, start bending your knees in towards your left elbow, sliding your feet forward. When you’re in as far as you can go, slide the feet back out, straightening your knees back into your starting position. As you do these, try to keep your hips level with your shoulders (don’t sit your bum onto your heels as you slide the feet in; engage your right sidebody to keep them lifted).
• Low Teaser (30) | In a plank position, feet on sliders, hands stacked under shoulders on an exercise mat, cross your right foot in front of the left and drop your heels so that you’re heel-to-toe with toes pointing towards the left. You’ll twist through the waist, slightly lowering your right hip to do so. This is your starting position. Maintaining this leg position and keeping your knees straight, pike your hips slowly up into the air. When you’ve reached your peak, slowly lower back down to that twisted plank starting position. You are targeting your right oblique with these.
• Arm Sliders (30) | Start in a plank position, hands stacked under shoulders, left foot on a slider. Crunch your right knee in towards your right arm and hold it as close to touching that arm the whole time. From here, you’re going to slide the right knee up towards your armpit and then down to hover by the wrist. Continue sliding the knee up and down, slightly rounding through the spine as you zip it up your arm to activate the core in a crunching motion. There will be minimal sliding on this one (your left foot might slide forward and back slightly but it won’t be huge).

Tabata 1

• Side V-Ups | Start laying on your side, balancing on that bottom hip/side butt area with your bottom hand on the floor in front of you for support. Top arm is bent with hand behind your head and elbow out wide; legs should be extended and hovering off the ground. This is your starting position. From here, you’re going to crunch up and in, keeping your legs straight as you lift your torso up and in to meet them so that your sidebody forms a “v” shape. Use that bottom hand for support, but try to push off it minimally. Slowly lower back down and extend back out to a hover. Alternate side each interval.
• Full-Body Crunch (option to use a dumbbell) | Start laying on your back with legs outstretched and hovering a couple inches off the ground. Holding a weight in your hands, arms should be outstretched overhead and hovering as well. From this starting position, crunch up, bringing your knees in towards your chest as you lift your shoulder blades off the ground and bring the weight up and over towards your shins. Extend back out, lowering to starting position. The goal is to never bring the legs and/or weight to rest on the ground when you extend back out.

Slider Series 2

• Side Bear with Thread the Needle (60) | Start in a side forearm plank with your right forearm on the ground. I recommend staggering your feet on the sliders so that your top left foot is in front of the right. Keeping your hips at shoulder height, you’re going to bend your knees in towards your chest and slide the feet forward. As you do this, wrap your top arm around you, twisting your chest to the floor and threading the needle. As you straighten your legs back out to plank, untwist the chest and reach your left arm back up to the ceiling.
• Twisted Pike (30) | Start in a forearm plank (or high plank) with feet on the sliders and drop your heels over to the right so that the lower body is angled to the left. Keeping the twist of the lower half, pike your hips up to the ceiling and back down, keeping the legs straight.
• Single-Leg Crossbody Mountain Climbers (30) | Start in a high plank with your right foot on a slider and left leg hovering. Do a crossbody mountain climber, bringing the left knee to crunch into the right elbow and then the right knee to crunch into the left elbow.

Tabata 2

• Bicycle Crunch Sit-Ups | Start laying on your back with your hands lightly behind your head, elbows bent out to the sides and chest open. Engage your abs, pulling your bellybutton down to the floor as you lift your legs off the ground about six inches to a hover. This is your starting position. From here, bend your right knee in towards your chest as you crunch your left elbow across to meet it, lifting your back off the floor like a twisting sit-up. Your left leg should remain outstretched in a hover as you do this. Slowly return back to the starting position and continue, crunching in the same direction the entire time. The goal is to keep the legs off the ground the whole time, but if you need to modify, your left heel can quickly rest on the floor in between reps. Alternate side each interval.
• Walk-up-the-Wall Hollow Hold | Start laying on your back with your legs outstretched and hovering off the ground about 4 inches. For more support, place your hands under your bum; for a bigger challenge, have them outstretched overhead or elbows bent and fingertips by your ears. Crunch your shoulders off the ground and hold them there. From here, walk up an invisible wall, stacking one foot on top of the other until legs are pointing to the ceiling. From there, walk down in the same way.

WEARING | Free People leggings (old but these Chill By Will leggings are similar) // Lululemon tank (no longer available in stripes, but shop solids here)

Hope you all enjoy your 4th of July! I’m taking this week off from teaching and for the most part from blogging as well (I may pop in with a post on Thursday or Friday). I’m hoping to have a lot of fun but also to catch up on studying—I’m so behind on my aromatherapy course!!