Complete Core Workout – 30 minutes of abs, lower back & oblique exercises

Hello friends!  Happy Workout Wednesday!  I’m still on cloud 9 and in a bit of whirlwind as we continue holding classes during our grand opening week of my new studio, Dallas GRIT Fitness.  AHHHH it’s so exciting.  We packed the house again last night for our “Eat Clean Train Dirty” event in partnership with Megan Lyons, creator of the The Lyons’ Share Wellness .  Our classes were FIERCE and sweat puddles were everywhere (just how we like it).

Me and my class doing some serious core work on Monday, 1/19/15 during my very first PiYo class taught at my new studio, Dallas GRIT Fitness! Photo by Fagin007 Photography

We got great feedback on the core exercise sequences in the workouts so far, so I wanted to aggregate them into 1 complete core workout just for GRIT by Brit readers.  Here is goes…

GRIT by Brit Complete Core Workout

Duration: 30 minutes

Equipment: Mat or soft floor surface + one medium dumbbell or medicine ball (6-8 pounds)

Instructions: Complete each of the following exercise for 60 seconds continuously.  Once complete, rest for 2 minutes, then repeat.

In plank position

  • Straight arm plank alternating knee pulls, pull opposite knee up to opposite elbow
  • Straight arm plank knee taps to the floor, keeping the spine neutral and core engages, continuously drop the knees to tap the floor and return to starting position,
  • Straight arm plank mountain climbers, pull knees up to chest alternating as fast as possible
  • Straight arm plank jacks, keeping the core engaged jump feet apart and back together
  • Forearm plank hip raises, lower to your forearms and raise hips up to dolphin pose them back down to plank
  • Forearm side plank alternating sides, open up to a forearm side plank, come back to center, then open up to the other side

Lying on back w/ knees bent and heels on the ground

  • Bicycle crunches, hands behind your head, alternate reaching you opposite knee towards opposite elbow
  • Alternating heel touches, reach for each heel alternating sides, work the obliques
  • Row the boat, sit up at a 45 degree angle, holding the weight with both hands, Russian twist side to side
  • Crunches pulses, holding your weight straight up towards the ceiling, crunch up and pulse for 3 reps, lower, repeat

Lying on back w/ legs straight up in 90 degree angle

  • Climb the rope, reach each hand up towards your opposite foot alternating continuously
  • Toe touches, holding your weight or medicine balls, reach up try tap your toes
  • Leg raises and lowers, place hands under your booty and lower your legs 6 inches above the ground then raise back up to 90 degrees
  • Scissor kicks, keep hands under booty and keep legs super straight, alternating lowering one leg 6 inches above the ground while keeping the other at 90 degrees, switching back and forth
  • Knee tucks with leg extensions, keep hands under booty and pull knees into chest then extend forward so that legs are 6 inches above the ground, repeat

Let me know how it goes!  Post a comment if you have questions about any of the moves.  Lots of luv, Brit

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  1. Wow, I never thought you can do so much for a 30-minute workout and you only need a few things to do it. Helps me save the time and hassle, especially that I really want to work on my core. I want to fit but I don’t have all the time in the world. Cool article! Plus the name of your event: Eat Clean, Train dirty, this will be my new motto in working out. Thanks!