This Challenging Core Flow Hits Every Part of Your Abs
You've done crunches and situps and V-Ups for your abs before. But how often do you twist with them, and how often do you use them to stabilize your entire torso? For many, that's the forgotten part of ab training, even though both these ideas are vital to how you move and use your abs in your day-to-day.
That's where the 3-way Windmill Flow from Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., comes in. It's a new and challenging move that reimagines core training, and it dares to get you moving in different ways than traditional core moves. "Your abs are meant to twist your torso, and to help your torso resist twist when you so choose," says Samuel. "They also don't work alone. They work with your glutes and lower back muscles. This flow hits them all."
Your abs get challenged in multiple ways. On each windmill, they must both twist you down into position and stabilize your torso at an odd angle. When you press up, your abs and obliques must contract and work with your glutes to keep you balanced. Additionally, your entire core must brace, as you hold your kettlebell overhead while shifting from a single-knee kneel to a tall kneeling position with both knees on the ground. "There's a lot of underrated hip work here," says Samuel.
You also get a solid challenge of shoulder stability and some hip mobility work as you shift stances and continually hold a kettlebell overhead. The end result is a well-rounded ab move that builds core strength in a unique way. Do it anywhere you have a single dumbbell or kettlebell (although it's better with kettlebells). Here's the game plan:
Start in half-kneeing stance, kneeling on your right knee, then snatch a kettlebell up into your right hand.
Lower into a windmill on your left elbow, twisting your torso toward your left knee and pushing your butt back while keeping your abs tight. Pause, then power back to half-kneeling with the kettlebell held overhead. (Struggling with the elbow windmill? Lower to your hand instead.)
Shift your left knee onto the ground so you're in tall kneeling stance.
Push your butt back and lower into another left elbow windmill. Press back to tall kneeling.
Shift your right knee forward so you're kneeling only on your left knee. Lower the kettlebell to your shoulder, then place it on the ground and snatch it up with your right arm (or try the cross-snatch in the video). Repeat the entire sequence of windmills.
Do reps for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. Do 3 sets.
The 3-Way Windmill Flow is a perfect workout all its own if you just need a fun total-body burn. It's also a challenging way to end a total-body workout or an upper body session, and it pushes you to move in multiple planes. That makes it a perfect ending to a push-pull workout or even a leg workout, because very often, such workouts leave out twisting movements and lateral movements. It's also a challenge, period, says Samuel. "This isn't an exercise that you can do easily," says Samuel. "It'll take some thinking and focus. And that's half the fun of it."
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb's All Out Arms program.
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