Every time you stand up, bend over, or grab something from the floor you are actually using your core muscles…so really, your core strength is CRUCIAL for everyday tasks! I hope you realize by now that your core, is referred to as your CORE for that reason. It is the CORE of all movements (front and back) and without strength there we would be a hunched over mess. Although we do use our core muscles everyday, all the time, it is still necessary that we train them! And adding resistance makes it all the more fun. So here is an at home resistance band ab workout!
Todays workout is a ladder. What that means is that you will start at the top with 10 reps of each exercise, then you will do 9 reps of each exercise, then 8 reps of each exercise and so on all the way down to doing 1 rep of each exercise! If you are REALLY feeling extra you can then make your way back up!
Table of Contents
◊ Plank with banded kickback
◊ Side bend
◊ Seated row boat
◊ Rotations
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Form: Place the band under your feet, hold the handles and get into a pushup position. Keeping your core tight, back flat, shoulders over your wrists you are going to (1 at a time) kick your leg back and alternate. Make sure you do not shift from side to side and you are staying as balanced a possible.
Modification: Drop down to your knees and kickback from there (keeping knees bent). You can also stay in a pushup position and just perform without the band.
Form: Hold the handles and step on the band with your feet. You want to make sure you step on it enough that there is enough resistance on the band for you to feel a good pull during the exercise. Keeping your core tight, bend sideways towards your right side, engage your obliques and stand back up. During this movement it is your left side doing the work to pull your body back up to center. Then you bend sideways to the left and use your right side to pull you back to center. Again, keep your core engaged and act as though you are slightly tucking your tailbone to ensure that you have proper core engagement!
Modification: No modification, just make resistance on the band suitable for you.
Form: Sit on the floor and place the band under your feet and hold them straight out in the air. Hold onto the handles and lean back and sit back up. This is almost as though you are sitting in a “V” position, leaning back towards the floor away from the band and then coming back together.
Modification: Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in-front of you and lean back and sit back up. This will take some resistance off because you will not be holding your legs in the air!
Form: Stand on the band with 1 foot and hold both handles with the two hands on the opposite side than you are standing on. Squat down and then rotate away from the anchor foot, keeping your elbows straight and raising hands overhead, almost like a reverse wood chop! When you squat down rotate your hands towards the anchored foot and then explode up and rotate away. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other. Make sure you are keeping your core tight and thinking about rotating through the trunk!
Modification: Resistance of the band will determine difficulty. You can always perform without the band.
Not only do resistance bands add a great addition to a workout, they are also great for warming up and cooling down! Grab your band and try these out:
Warm Up:
◊ 15 Band pull aparts (explained in this blog)
◊ 15 Good mornings (explained in this blog)
◊ 15 Upright Rows (explained in this blog)
◊ 10 Walk Outs
Cool Down:
◊ Hamstring stretch (lay on back, place band around 1 foot and straighten that leg in the air, slowly press against the band to lower leg to the floor and back up. An active hamstring stretch)
◊ Up and over (hold the band wide and circle it from in front of you up over your head and behind you. This should be a big shoulder circle. If you cannot do it without bending your elbows then hold the band wider)
◊ Side bend (hold the band wide overhead and bend towards the left and right keeping hands over your head, get a good pull in the obliques)
Love a workout that you can get done in a short period of time! Makes you sweat, releases endorphins and makes you feel amazing. Check out this post about types of exercise for burning body fat if you want to learn a little more about the bodies response to exercise!
