Serious Ab Workouts That Only Require 5 Minutes and YouTube
Don't you wish there were a shortcut to rock-hard six-pack abs? Sorry, painting them on doesn't count, and is weird. Despite all the fitness magazine headlines you read, and the infomercial gadgets promising otherwise, you unfortunately have to do actual ab workouts if you want abs. Makes sense.
The good news is that you don't have to dedicate every waking hour to fulfill your dream of walking shirtless down a Jersey Shore boardwalk. If you're looking to mix up your ab game, or just want an achievable routine that doesn't seem like torture, these videos feature totally doable moves that will leave you sore (in the best way possible). All they ask is less than five minutes of your time.
Five-minute ab workout from Natalie Jill
If you hate crunches (they're a little overhyped anyway), then this video from YouTube fitness star Natalie Jill is right up your alley. The moves use all your own body weight, and can be completed in less than five minutes. Don't be fooled by how easy it looks; with all the plank movements, this video will keep your ab muscles burning throughout.
Five exercises in five minutes from XHIT Daily
Five exercises in five minutes seems simple enough, but this video from XHIT Daily featuring fitness model Rebecca-Louise mixes it up enough to add plenty of variety. Expect bicycles, mountain climbers, and active planks. Her Australian accent somehow makes it a little less painful.
Beginner ab burn from Kayla Itsines
Kayla has made a name for herself as an Instagram fitness superstar with her bikini-body guides (#BBG) and her Summer Sweat Series. This ab workout is part of week one of this fitness plan, and includes lots of reps of the core-strengthening basics. There’s a reason she has such a cult following; expect plenty of leg raises and straight-leg sit-ups to feel the burn. Once you think you've mastered this, move on to weeks two, three, and four.
A killer interval workout from Jordan Yeoh Fitness
Get into #BeastMode with this video from Jordan Yeoh Fitness, complete with an interval timer and announcements on when to start and rest. It feels like having your own personal trainer counting you down, without the expensive bill at the end.
Work your abs & obliques with a routine from FitnessBlender
Listen, the guy narrating this video isn't the most exciting person in the world, but sometimes the basics are the best. With 10 exercises at 25-second intervals and no rest in between, this video from FitnessBlender feels like a mini-Pilates class right at home. Just be sure to crank up your favorite music throughout -- you'll only have time for about a song and a half anyway.
An ab annihilator from Athlean-XX for Women
Lying on the ground and keeping your legs elevated at a 45-degree angle off the floor is a bitch, but it's really effective. This five-minute workout from Athlean-XX for Women keeps you in that ab-burning position the whole time, mixing up various leg and arm movements to target different ab muscles. If you're the kind of crazy person who loves V-ups, this video is for you, regardless of gender.
The 300 workout for abs from Athlean-X
This insane video from Athlean-X not only pays homage to the movie 300 -- remember Gerard Butler's abs in that Spartan costume? Probably, since it's the only memorable thing about him. -- it also involves a total of 300 reps for a fast, but effective workout. The workout includes a beginner and advanced version; the advanced version makes use of a barbell, so this one might be best to do at the gym when you have a little bit of space to move around.
Three-minute intense core workout from Autumn Fitness
Is five minutes too long for you? This three-minute core video from Autumn Calabrese covers five different moves at three reps each. The time flies by, but not without feeling the burn first.
Three-minute core-strengthening routine from Carly Rowena
This three-minute video from Carly Rowena is another one that packs a lot of efficient moves in a short span of time. Lots of plank positions means an extra emphasis on core strength. For a tougher workout, add in some extra reps... if you're not too sore afterwards.
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