Shape Studio: 25-Minute Abs Workout with Gliders
Between back-to-back work meetings, a growing pile of dishes, and needy pets demanding affection, it can often feel as if you somehow have less free time these days — despite many people still foregoing the office commute. Plus, mustering the motivation to head to the gym to exercise can feel like a Herculean effort after staying in WFH-approved loungewear all day.
But if you've got a 30-minute break between Zoom calls, you have time to dive into this fast, but challenging all-core class from Lucy Sexton and Tracy Carlinksy, instructors at and founders of Bonded by the Burn.
The routine is part of Bonded by the Burn's signature classes: a mix of quick-transition cardio moves and sculpting exercises that work your large and small muscles from every angle. (Related: The Best Lower Ab Exercises for a Tight Core)
And Sexton, a Road Runners Club of America certified run coach, is no stranger to hybrid workouts that incorporate both endurance and strength training. She's also taught classes at Flywheel cycling studio and Mile High Run Club, which specializes in HIIT-based treadmill running. Carlinsky, meanwhile, has a background in ballet and has taught at SLT, a reformer-based Pilates studio.
25-Minute Abs Workout to Totally Roast Your Core
For the Shape Studio workout video shown here, all you need is a few feet of space to move, a little less than a half-hour blocked off your office calendar, and a pair of gliders, aka those slippery discs that slide against hard surfaces. (See: Elite Core Sliders, Buy It, $9, amazon.com) If you don't have gliders, slippery socks on a smooth surface, or even paper plates or towels under your feet can work. (Related: Shape Studio: Total-Body Living Room Boot Camp)
Expect to move through five lightning-fast circuits, each containing three to five moves each, designed to boost your heart rate while zeroing in on every inch of your core.
Some exercises you can "brace" yourself (and your core) for, include several plank variations — forearm plank bear tucks, twisted spider crawls, criss-cross pikes, and mountain climbers to name a few. FTR, simply holding a plank as an isometric exercise, not only builds core strength and stamina but this kind of static-hold exercise has also have been shown to reduce blood pressure and alleviate some types of chronic muscle pain.
This core blast routine also includes plenty of side plank variations, too — an exercise that's been shown to ward off spinal curvature and improve posture, according to a study published in the Global Advances in Health and Medicine.
Benefits of individual exercises aside, another key benefit of this workout lies in the speed. "Moving from fast- to slow-paced exercises with no breaks increases the time under tension," explains Carlinsky. "And by doing timed sets that vary in intensity and pace, you combine toning and cardio in one complete workout," adds Sexton. (Related: These Abs Exercises Double As Cardio for a Double-Duty Workout)
Ready to burn out your core? Click play on the video above and follow along as the duo walks you through every brutal (but totally worth it) minute.
