This No-Equipment Ab Routine Works Your Core In 20 Minutes Or Less

Mountain Climbers

1. Get into position. Your hands should be directly below your shoulders, your elbows should be extended, and your feet should be slightly wider than hip-width apart. This is the high plank (pushup) position. Your hips and shoulders should be in proportion.
2. To create full-body tension, tighten your glutes, core, and shoulders. Keeping your head in neutral, look down at the ground.
3. As if running, drive one leg up high to your chest. Return that back to its initial position. Drive the other leg to your chest, and back again. Then repeat.
4. Keep your torso in alignment with your shoulders higher than your hips as you perform alternate reps. To maintain balance, brace your core. To maintain form, make sure your butt stays down and your arms are resting on your shoulders.

Russian Twist

1. Bring your legs straight out as you sit down on the ground.
2. Brace your abdominal wall to activate your core while you lean back a little so that your torso and legs form a V-shape.
3. While maintaining your balance, rotate your torso from side to side while keeping your legs still. Breathe and move slowly, always. Keep your core active the entire time you are exercising.

Plank

1. Start out face down in a plank position with your forearms and toes on the ground. Your forearms are facing forward, and your elbows are directly under your shoulders. You should be gazing at the ground with your head relaxed.
2. Draw your navel toward your spine by contracting your abdominal muscles. Your body should remain firm and straight from your ears to your toes, without sagging or bowing. The neutral spine posture is shown here. Check that your shoulders are relaxed and not rising toward your ears.
3. For 30 seconds, maintain this posture. Then, drop to the ground.

Alternating Heel Touch

1. Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent, your arms by your sides, and your feet flat on the mat.
2. Squeeze your left heel with your left hand while bending forward and to the left.
3. Slowly retrace your steps to the beginning, then carry out the movement on the right side.
4. Continue performing this side-to-side motion until the set is finished.

30-sec work/60-sec rest or preferred rest-to-week ratio

Alternating Toe Tap, Sit- Up

1. Place your upper back on the mat to begin each exercise. As you exhale, bend at the waist and raise both your leg and your body. Lay on your back with your arms at your sides and your legs completely extended.
2. Raise your left hand toward your right foot while simultaneously raising your right leg at a 45-degree angle and your chest.
3. Take a deep breath in as you return your leg and torso to the beginning position. Repeat on the other side, then go back to your starting position.

30-sec work/60-sec rest or preferred rest-to-week ratio

Bicycle Crunch

1. To start, have your knees bowed and your lower back pressed to the floor. Your hands should be behind your head, and your feet should be flat on the ground. To support your spine, tighten the abdominal muscles in your core.
2. Pull your shoulder blades back while holding your head gently in your hands. Next, carefully elevate your feet off the floor by bending your knees to about a 90-degree angle.
3. Exhale and begin slowly pedaling your legs like a bicycle, keeping both legs elevated higher than your hips and bringing one knee up to your armpit while straightening the other.
4. Turn your body such that your elbow touches the rising knee on the opposite side. Twist to the opposite side alternately, bringing the opposite knee to your armpit and extending the other leg until your elbow touches the opposite knee.

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