The exercise below hits the abdominals while testing your reactions. To perform it, hold the ball above your head and get into a crunch position facing a solid surface. From here sit up explosively and throw the ball against the wall as hard as you can and catch it on the rebound. The more power you put into the throw the quicker the ball will come back at you resulting in a greater test of your reactions. Also the great thing about this soft ball is that it is very unpredictable which means it won’t always bounce back in a straight line causing you to twist and reach to catch it giving your oblique’s a good workout as well.  

Below is a sample workout that uses the ball and a wall.

Sit up with throw x10

Russian twist throws x20 (Sit with your legs in the air in the Russian twist position and throw the ball against the wall from off your chest).

Ball rolls x20 (Get into a press up position with hands shoulder width apart. Roll the ball against the wall alternating which hand you use as it bounces back. Aim to keep your back flat and your body as still as possible).

If you drop the ball on any of the throwing exercises then don’t count that rep.

For each of the resistance exercises the aim is to start with a comfy weight and then increase the weight slightly on each set so that the last couple of reps become tough. If you can complete the target repetitions easily then look at increasing the weight on your next training session.  Between sets, rest for between 45-60 seconds.

Bench press (Vary between flat and incline bench presses) Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Press up and plank superset: Aim to complete 12 reps on each set of press ups and hold the plank for 30 seconds. Have no rest in between the 2 exercises and then rest for 45-60 seconds and repeat for 3 sets. If the press ups become comfy then look at a harder version such as placing your feet on a low step. Aim to increase the plank up to a 60 second hold.

Lat pulldown: Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Medicine ball crunch: 3 sets of 12 (Start on your back with your legs in the air and knees bent at 90 degrees. Crunch up lifting your shoulder blades off the floor and take the ball over the top of your knees.

Shoulder press (Vary between the shoulder press machine, barbell and seated dumbbell versions) Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Medicine ball Russian twists: 3 sets of 12

Bicep curl and tricep dip superset: Pick a barbell that you can complete 10-12 reps of the bicep curl with. For your dips the aim is to complete 20 reps per set. Have no rest between the 2 exercises and then rest for 45-60 seconds and repeat for 3 sets.

Side plank: Aim to hold the position for 30 seconds per side and complete 3 sets.

Warm up:

For this session I used a mixture of bodyweight exercises such as squats and lunges alongside different shuttle run drills such as high knees, lateral jogging, heels to bottom etc.

For each round I performed the circuit twice through with no rest. At the end of the round I rested for around 1 minute.

Round 1:

Recline rows x20 reps

Box jumps x10 reps

Lateral jogs x30 seconds: I placed 2 step boxes about 4-5 metres apart. I jogged sideways between the boxes bending down to touch them each time.

Medicine ball crunch with legs up x12 reps: 3kg ball

Alternating squat thrusts on punch bag x30 seconds: I placed my hands on a punch bag on the ground. From here I performed squat thrusts aiming to bring my knees up to touch the bag with each rep.

Round 1 was fairly tough going. After the second lot of rows I could really start to feel my back and arms working. My abdominals also were starting to feel it especially on the squat thrusts as I used them to maintain good posture throughout the exercise.

Round 2:

Press ups with feet on low step x20 reps

Alternating front lunge with medicine ball press x12 reps: I used a handled medicine ball that weighed 6 kg. As I lunged forward I pressed the ball overhead.

Lateral jogs with burpee x30 seconds: Same as above but each time I reached the step box I performed 1 burpee.

Medicine ball Russian twists x12: 3 kg ball

Knee switches on punch bag x30 seconds: I placed one knee on the bag and the other leg was off it. From here I switched which knee was on the bag as quickly as possible.

On round 2 I really started to feel my upper body working. After the press ups I could really feel my shoulders and upper chest on the lunges with press. The knee switches were tougher than I expected and my legs felt like lead by the end of the round!

Round 3:

Powerbag clean and press x10: 25kg bag

Lateral lunge with medicine ball chest press x12 reps: Again I used the 6kg ball. As I lunged I pressed the ball away from my chest.

Squat to step jumps x30 seconds: I stood with my feet hip width apart and with the 2 low steps either side of me. I squatted down and then jumped up bringing my feet out to land on the steps, as I landed I squatted again before jumping off and repeating.

Crunch with med ball between knees x12: I placed the ball between my knees and kept my feet apart. With my legs up I crunched my shoulder blades off the floor while squeezing my thighs together to keep the ball in place.

Lie down to side jumps x30 seconds: I started lying down on my front next to the punch bag. From here I scrambled to my feet and jumped over the bag. As I landed I dropped back down on to my front and repeated.

This was a tough round, the powerbag felt heavy and the clean and presses got me blowing a little. The squat jumps helped to carry on where the knee switches had left off meaning I was certainly on shaky legs by now!

Round 4:

Tricep dips x20 reps

Medicine ball stand up to kneel down x10 reps: Holding the 6kg ball at chest height I placed one knee down followed by the other. From the kneeling position I stood back up and repeated.

Lateral jumps x30 seconds: I placed the step boxes around 1 metre apart. I stood in front of one of the boxes and then jumped sideways aiming to land in front of the other step before repeating. The aim is to land soft with knees slightly bent and with your feet hip width apart

Medicine ball get ups x6 reps: From a crunch position holding the 3kg ball at chest height I threw my legs back over my shoulders. From here I brought my legs back onto the floor and immediately powered up to a standing position. Return to the floor and repeat.

Burpees on punch bag x30 seconds. I placed my hands on the bag and performed a burpee. As I kicked my legs back I brought my chest down to the bag.

By the end of this round I was well and truly worked which didn’t look good for doing the challenge at the end! The side jumps were tough since my legs were by now very heavy. By the last couple of get ups I was struggling to find the speed and momentum to stand up.

Round 5:

Check out the bodyweight challenge. http://www.resultsconditioning.com/archives/1123

I was trying to get my time down to 1 minute 40 (100 seconds) but didn’t feel confident by the end of the 4^th round. I set off at a good pace but ran out of stream by the squat thrusts and they seemed to take an age to complete! I finished it in 1 minute 48! Still 8 seconds off but faster than my first attempt so getting there!

Verdict:

This is a tough circuit workout, after the 4 rounds I was pretty tired but the challenge finished me off and there was nothing left in the tank by the end of it. It left me lying on the studio floor for a few seconds to catch my breath after I finished it! If you want an effective circuit workout that will hit the whole body and burn plenty of calories then give this a try. Even without the challenge this is an effective workout that can be done in around 30-35 minutes. Add the challenge and push yourself to the limit to really see the results!

Sprinters sit up: Start lying on your back with legs straight and the hands resting by the side of your head. As you sit up bring one knee towards you and bring the opposite elbow across your body towards you. Repeat to the opposite side.

V-ups single leg: Start lying on your back with legs straight and hands outstretched. Crunch up and lift one leg while keeping it straight and reach your hands towards the foot. Repeat lifting the opposite leg.

V-ups double leg: Same as above but lift both legs off the ground as you crunch up.

Crunch with leg switch: Start on your back with legs in the air in an alternating scissor position. Crunch up while keeping your legs still. When you return back to the ground switch your legs over and repeat.

Scissors with crunch hold: Keep your shoulder blades off the ground so you’re in the top position of a crunch. From here scissor your legs taking them as low to the floor as your can.

V-sits with ankle taps: Start in a v-sit position, extend your legs out while lying back and reaching your hands up. As you sit back up reach over your knees and touch your ankles.

Pommel horse:  Begin on one side resting on your hip with both feet held off the ground. Use your hands for balance, move your feet completely around to the opposite side without your feet touching the floor. Return to the original position and repeat.

TIPS:

: Aim to train your abdominals 2-3 x per week with at least one days rest in between sessions.

: Pick 2-3 exercises per session and aim to complete 3 sets of 12-20 reps of each one.

: Use a mixture of exercises rather than always doing the same ones, this will stop your body from adapting quickly and hitting a plateau.

: To achieve a flat stomach and the much sought after six-pack requires very low body fat. Alongside your abdominal exercises make sure to include aerobic training and an effective resistance programme that uses large compound exercises to target the whole body. As well as this, make sure you follow a healthy well balanced diet. All members of this site can contact me for help and advice on both an eating plan and training programme to help you achieve your goals whatever they may be.

Warm up:

We began by warming up with a light medicine ball using exercises such as swings, rotations, squats and lunges.

Lower-body workout:

We performed a 3-exercise circuit that focused on movements that not only hit the legs but also heavily involved the core.

TRX single leg lunge

Reverse balance lunge

Side lunge

Core workout:

After the lower-body we moved onto the core doing a superset of 2 exercises.

Resistance band woodchops

Medicine ball crunch with alternating leg lifts 

Once we had completed this we finished off the workout with 20 minutes of focus pad work to help burn plenty of calories. We performed 2-minute rounds with a minutes rest in between. Once this was done we cooled down and stretched.

Complete all these exercises back to back with little rest in between. At the end of the circuit rest for 1-2 minutes and then repeat. Complete 3-4 circuits.

Warm up: Spend 5-10 minutes warming up before starting the workout.

Stability ball press-ups: By performing a press-up with your feet on stability ball this will force your core muscles to work harder compared to a basic press-up as they work to keep you balanced. The less of your body that is in contact with the ball the harder the exercise becomes. Aim to complete 12 reps.

Stability ball jack-knifes: This is a great exercise that will target your abdominal and hip muscles and requires a lot of core stability to perform. Get into a press-up position with your feet on the ball. From here bend your knees and draw the ball towards your chest. Extend your legs back out to the start position and repeat for 12 reps. Check out the technique for this exercise at http://www.resultsconditioning.com/archives/512

Burpee: This exercise will get the heart and lungs working and burn plenty of calories. From a standing position bend your knees and place your hands on the floor. Drive your legs back until they are fully extended and you are in a press up position. From here jump your feet forward bringing your knees up to your chest and then stand back up and repeat for 40-60 seconds. This exercise can also be performed with a press up and a vertical jump as you stand up.

Single leg squat: As well as targeting the lower body this exercise will hit the core muscles as well. Stand on one leg and slowly squat down keeping your floating leg slightly in front of your body. Squat down until your thigh is parallel to the floor or as low as you can without losing balance or it compromising your posture. Stand back up by pushing through your heels and glutes.

Single leg one arm row: By taking your basic single arm row and performing it on one leg will help to activate your core muscles as they work to stabilise and help to balance the body. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and balance on the opposite leg. Tip forward at the hips so your chest is around a 45 degree angle to the floor whilst maintaining a flat back. Row the dumbbell into your side by contracting your back muscles and pulling your elbow up. Complete 12 reps per arm. Members can check out this exercise in action by going to the dumbbell and step workout post.

Double leg squat thrust: Keep that heart rate up with this tough cardio exercise that is also very taxing for the lower body. From a press up position jump both feet forward bringing your knees up to your chest. Return to the start position and repeat for 40-60 seconds.

Medicine ball woodchop: This is a great rotational exercise for hitting the abdominals and obliques. Stand with your feet slighlty wider than your hips and hold a ball in both hands by your right hip. Twist the ball across your torso keeping your arms extended. Rotate the ball until are arms are extended slightly above your left shoulder. Return the ball back to the start position and repeat for 12 reps and then repeat on the opposite side.

Medicine ball Russian twists: Another great exercise for targeting the abdominals and obliques. Balance on your bottom with legs in the air and maintaining a straight back. Hold a medicine ball in both hands and then twist the ball side to side by rotating the torso and keeping your lower body still. Complete 12 reps per side.

Medicine ball jump squats: Finish the circuit with this taxing lower body exercise that will keep the heart rate elevated and keep your body burning fat. Hold a medicine ball across your chest with both hands. Perform a basic squat and as you stand up jump into the air. Land softly and then repeat for 40-60 seconds.

Once you have completed all 3 circuits then spend 5 minutes cooling down and stretching.

Squat to press: Hold the plate at chest height. Perform a normal squat and as you stand up press the plate above your head.

Burpee: From a standing position place your hands on the floor and kick your legs back to full extension before jumping your legs back in and standing back up to your start position.

Press up: Perform a normal press up with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. If you cannot do full press-ups then complete your reps on your knees.

Alternating lunges: Hold the weight at chest height and perform alternating leg front lunges. Each lunge counts as 1 rep.

Alternating leg squat thrusts: From a press up position bring one knee up towards your chest and then switch legs. Complete the reps as fast as you can. Each time your knee comes into your body this counts as 1 rep.

Weighted crunch: Lie on your mat with your legs up in the air and knees bent. Hold the weight plate above your head and crunch up. Reach the plate above your knees before returning to the start position.

Once you have completed the 12-minute challenge count your reps up to give you your challenge score.

For the resistance exercises aim to complete 3 sets of 12 reps using a weight that will challenge you. You should be struggling to complete the last couple of reps by the 3^rd set. Rest for 45 seconds between sets.

Warm up: Spend 5-10 minutes warming up at the start of the workout.

Dumbbell chest press

Dumbbell squat

Barbell bent over row

Alternating leg lunges with dumbbell lateral raise

Arm superset: Barbell bicep curl and tricep pushdown (Perform these 2 exercises back to back with no rest and then rest for 45 seconds at the end of the pushdowns)

Core superset: Stability ball crunch and stability ball lower back extension

Cycle: Perform 2 minutes on an exercise bike at a moderately comfortable resistance whilst keeping your RPM (speed) around 70-80. Then for 30 seconds work at the highest resistance you can without letting your RPM drop below 70. Repeat for 12 minutes.

Rowing machine: Complete 1000 metres in your quickest time.

Spend 5-10 minutes cooling down and stretching at the end of the workout.

Spend 5-10 minutes warming up before starting the challenge and cool down and stretch at the end.

Regressions: If you find the circuit tough to start with then try some of these regressions.

: Instead of the v-up perform a basic crunch.

: Do basic press ups instead of walk over.

: Keep your heels on the floor for the Russian twists.

: Keep your legs in the air when you do the kettlebell double crunch.

: Perform burpees without the press up and jump.