Celeb Trainer Megan Roup Shares Her Easy, Do-Anywhere Abs Routine
Courtesy/Getty Images
If your workouts feel like a major effort at the moment, Megan Roup gets it. The trainer created The Sculpt Society after struggling to find a workout class that was effective and fun — aka one that would actually happen.
Clearly she was onto something. Roup's signature dance cardio class was an instant hit, and she gained a loyal following of celeb clients, including Victoria's Secret models Elsa Hosk and fashion influencer Arielle Charnas. She's since taken her New York City-based class digital with her own app. (Choose from a library of routines based on time or body part, or follow along with weekly live-streamed workouts.)
RELATED: The 15 Best Workout Apps to Download Now
And fear not, you don't need a professional dance background, like Roup's, to get into her program; it uses simplified choreography that doesn't require a ton of coordination or grace. In addition to dance, her classes (which you can take live on The Sculpt Society app) focus on full-body sculpting using light weights, resistance bands, and, most famously, sliders — which are incorporated into the below abs workout.
″Sliders are a great way to challenge your core strength because they create instability in the exercise to turn things up a notch and make your abdominals work a little harder to stabilize," Roup tells InStyle. "I love adding in the sliders whenever I can. It's definitely one of my favorite pieces of equipment."
As for the abs-on-back sequence, ″it may look simple, but these exercises are a great way to fire up your core, especially your lower abs," Roup says.
Here, six super-effective and easy abs exercises (including three plank exercises and three abs exercises on your back) that you can do anywhere.
6 Easy Abs Exercises from Celebrity Trainer Megan Roup
The founder of The Sculpt Society shares her easy at-home abs workout.
Planks
Begin on your yoga mat, in a plank position, with your hands under your shoulders. Pull your belly button in towards your spine, keep your elbows soft, and imagine pressing out of your shoulders. If you have any wrist issues, elevate the palms or go down to your forearms.
1. Knee-Pull
Pull your right knee into your left elbow, then to your right elbow. Return to starting plank position. Perform 4-8 reps.
2. Windshield Wiper
Keeping your right leg straight, sweep it up to the right corner of your yoga mat. Return to starting plank position. Perform 4-8 reps.
3. Spider
Repeat the windshield wiper motion, this time pulling your right knee towards your right bicep. Return to starting plank position. Perform 4-8 reps.
Repeat circuit 1-2 times on the right and then repeat on the left.
Abs on Back:
Begin on your back, with no arch in your low back. (Your low back should be making contact with the mat.)
1. Heel Taps
Begin with your legs bent and the weight of your head in your palms, chest lifted to the ceiling. Tap heels out, then back in, bringing your knees together. Perform 8-12 reps.
2. Table Top with Palm Press
With your legs in a table top position, create resistance as you press your palms into your knees and knees back into palms. Hold for 15-30 seconds.
3. Diamond Lifts
Bring your toes together and knees apart, creating a diamond shape with your legs. Lift and lower your legs while keeping hands behind your head. (You can also reach your hands between your legs for an extra burn.) Perform 8-12 reps.
Repeat circuit 1-3 times.
