Wake up your regular abdominals routine and assault your middle from all sides with these potent abs-centric exercises from celebrity trainer Kira Stokes. “The core is the powerhouse of your body—it’s where all of your strength is derived,” says Stokes, creator of the popular Stoked Series Classes at BFX Studio in New York. “So it’s important to challenge it with the same intensity that you do other muscle groups.” Stokes often reminds her clients of the importance of cross-training the core. “You have to hit it from varying angles, incorporating stabilization and strength exercises as well as dynamic exercises.” This workout offers just that: a chance to target all the core muscles while keeping your body guessing about what will come next. Do this workout up to three times a week, increasing the number of reps and weight as it gets easier.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Twisted Knee Tuck
• Start in a full plank position, toes on gliders (or use a towel if you’re on a wood or tile floor, or paper plates if on carpet) with legs together and hands on the floor under your shoulders. Rotate hips to the left, keeping legs together.• Pressing into balls of feet, pull both knees toward left elbow. Hold for 2 counts, then twist knees toward right elbow. Extend legs back to plank with hips turned to the right.• Repeat, this time with hips turned to the right and pulling both knees toward right elbow as you hold for 2 counts, then twist left, then back to start. Do 3 sets of 10 reps, alternating sides. (One tuck on each side equals one rep.)
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
One-leg Mountain Climber
• Begin in a full plank position with toes of right foot on a glider. Bring left knee toward chest, keeping hands on the floor under shoulders. • Keeping left knee in, use abdominals to pull right leg toward chest.• Extend right leg back to starting position and repeat. Do 15 reps; switch sides and repeat; do 3 sets total. Tip: Focus on keeping your upper body still and as stable as possible as your working leg moves toward and away from your chest.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Oblique Press
• Kneel on a mat with right foot forward, right knee bent 90° with knee above ankle and left leg behind you with left knee bent 90°. Hold a light- or medium-weight dumbbell in right hand, elbow bent 90° at shoulder-height with palm facing forward. • Keeping your tailbone slightly tucked under, slowly hinge to the left, reaching fingertips of left hand to floor; at the same time, press weight up and to the left.• Hold here for 2 counts, then slowly return to the start position. Do 15 reps; switch sides and repeat; 3 sets total.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Boat-Pose Snow Angel
Do 3 sets of 10 reps
• Lie face-up on floor with a ball between upper thighs, arms at sides. Lift upper back, arms, and legs off the floor, contracting glutes and inner thighs.• Sweep hands toward ears, as if making a snow angel. Keep legs lifted and upper back off floor. Sweep hands back toward hips. • Squeeze ball and pull knees into chest while lifting torso off floor, balancing on tailbone. Hold 2 counts. Lower to start. Tip: Squeezing the ball between your upper thighs will help fully engage your core and glutes and keeps you balanced.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Low-Abs Knee Lift
• Sit tall on a bench or step with risers, hands about shoulder-distance apart and knees bent. Round your spine, creating a C-curve; draw navel toward spine. • Press down on bench, lifting body a few inches. • Perform small knee tucks, lifting feet; keep the movement controlled without swinging legs. Do 15–20 reps; 3 sets total.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Lower-Ab Tornado
• Lie face-up on the floor, arms at sides with palms on floor and legs extended, holding a small ball between inner thighs. Lift legs above hips. • Tip hips to the left, lowering legs slightly. Slowly circle hips clockwise, moving legs forward, right, and back to center.• Continue for 8–10 circles, or about 45 seconds, then switch directions and repeat. Tip: Be careful not to arch your back as you circle your legs around; keep the movement slow and even in all directions.
Wake up your regular abdominals routine and assault your middle from all sides with these potent abs-centric exercises from celebrity trainer Kira Stokes. “The core is the powerhouse of your body—it’s where all of your strength is derived,” says Stokes, creator of the popular Stoked Series Classes at BFX Studio in New York. “So it’s important to challenge it with the same intensity that you do other muscle groups.” Stokes often reminds her clients of the importance of cross-training the core. “You have to hit it from varying angles, incorporating stabilization and strength exercises as well as dynamic exercises.” This workout offers just that: a chance to target all the core muscles while keeping your body guessing about what will come next. Do this workout up to three times a week, increasing the number of reps and weight as it gets easier.
Twisted Knee Tuck
• Start in a full plank position, toes on gliders (or use a towel if you’re on a wood or tile floor, or paper plates if on carpet) with legs together and hands on the floor under your shoulders. Rotate hips to the left, keeping legs together.
• Pressing into balls of feet, pull both knees toward left elbow. Hold for 2 counts, then twist knees toward right elbow. Extend legs back to plank with hips turned to the right.
• Repeat, this time with hips turned to the right and pulling both knees toward right elbow as you hold for 2 counts, then twist left, then back to start. Do 3 sets of 10 reps, alternating sides. (One tuck on each side equals one rep.)
One-leg Mountain Climber
• Begin in a full plank position with toes of right foot on a glider. Bring left knee toward chest, keeping hands on the floor under shoulders.
• Keeping left knee in, use abdominals to pull right leg toward chest.
• Extend right leg back to starting position and repeat. Do 15 reps; switch sides and repeat; do 3 sets total.
Tip: Focus on keeping your upper body still and as stable as possible as your working leg moves toward and away from your chest.
Oblique Press
• Kneel on a mat with right foot forward, right knee bent 90° with knee above ankle and left leg behind you with left knee bent 90°. Hold a light- or medium-weight dumbbell in right hand, elbow bent 90° at shoulder-height with palm facing forward.
• Keeping your tailbone slightly tucked under, slowly hinge to the left, reaching fingertips of left hand to floor; at the same time, press weight up and to the left.
• Hold here for 2 counts, then slowly return to the start position. Do 15 reps; switch sides and repeat; 3 sets total.
Boat-Pose Snow Angel
Do 3 sets of 10 reps
• Lie face-up on floor with a ball between upper thighs, arms at sides. Lift upper back, arms, and legs off the floor, contracting glutes and inner thighs.
• Sweep hands toward ears, as if making a snow angel. Keep legs lifted and upper back off floor. Sweep hands back toward hips.
• Squeeze ball and pull knees into chest while lifting torso off floor, balancing on tailbone. Hold 2 counts. Lower to start.
Tip: Squeezing the ball between your upper thighs will help fully engage your core and glutes and keeps you balanced.
Low-Abs Knee Lift
• Sit tall on a bench or step with risers, hands about shoulder-distance apart and knees bent. Round your spine, creating a C-curve; draw navel toward spine.
• Press down on bench, lifting body a few inches.
• Perform small knee tucks, lifting feet; keep the movement controlled without swinging legs. Do 15–20 reps; 3 sets total.
Lower-Ab Tornado
• Lie face-up on the floor, arms at sides with palms on floor and legs extended, holding a small ball between inner thighs. Lift legs above hips.
• Tip hips to the left, lowering legs slightly. Slowly circle hips clockwise, moving legs forward, right, and back to center.
• Continue for 8–10 circles, or about 45 seconds, then switch directions and repeat.
Tip: Be careful not to arch your back as you circle your legs around; keep the movement slow and even in all directions.
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