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There’s so much to love about a strong midsection � most importantly, it’s essential for a healthy body. 

Fact: strengthening the core helps improve posture, prevent everyday injury, and combat chronic back pain, which is all too common if you sit at a desk all day. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t a beginner workout. “If you feel your back or hip flexors too much while doing these exercises, it’s an indication that your abs aren’t strong enough to perform them,” he said. In that scenario, you can always reduce the amount of reps, modify the moves, or opt for a more beginner-friendly workout.

The workout: Run through the five-move circuit for a total of three times. Do your best to minimise breaks between each move.

Double Leg Lifts

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  • Lay flat on the ground with your legs extended straight up toward the ceiling. Place your hands underneath the back of your head. For added stability, Austin recommends laying your arms out to your side, allowing the palms to grip the floor much like you would in a push-up position.
  • Pressing your lower back into the ground, slowly lower both legs down toward the floor, then slowly raise them back up. If this is too difficult, lower them as much as you can, or lower one leg at a time.
  • Complete 10 to 15 reps.

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Hip Dips

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  • Begin in a side elbow plank on your right side with straight legs and your feet stacked.
  • Inhale and lower your pelvis to the floor, so your right hip hovers just off the floor. Exhale and press up through your right waist to lift your pelvis and return to side plank. Pull your right shoulder blade down your back to stabilize your shoulder.
  • Repeat for a total of 10 to 15 reps to complete a set, then switch sides.

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V Crunch

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  • Lying on your back, lift your legs and arms up so they are extended toward the ceiling. Lift your upper back off the floor, reaching your hands toward your feet.
  • Lower your legs toward the floor while reaching your arms overhead, keeping your shoulders off the mat and your lower back pressed into the ground.
  • Repeat the crunch motion to complete one rep.
  • Complete 15 reps.

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Alternating Two-Point Plank

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  • Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet in line with your hips. Lift your left leg off the ground so your heel is even with your pelvis.
  • Keeping your torso steady, reach your right arm forward. Really brace through your abs by pulling your navel to your spine. Hold this position for about three seconds.
  • Return to plank, then switch sides, lifting your right leg off the ground and reaching your left arm forward. Hold for three seconds and return to plank. This is one rep.
  • Complete 8 to 10 reps.

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Bicycle Crunches

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  • Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground (pull your abs down to also target your deep abs).
  • Put your hands behind your head.
  • Bring your knees in toward your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the ground, but be sure not to pull on your neck.
  • Straighten your right leg out to about a 45-degree angle to the ground while turning your upper body to the left, bringing your right elbow toward the left knee. Make sure your rib cage is moving and not just your elbows.
  • Switch sides and do the same motion on the other side to complete one rep (and to create the “peddling” motion).
  • Do 15 to 25 reps at a quick pace.

Repeat the circuit for a total of three times.

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Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "This No-Equipment Workout Will Ignite Parts of Your Body You Didn't Know Existed" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

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We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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