Winter Shape Up 2013: Week 2 Plank Ab burner
The first time I heard of plank workouts, I thought they might be a waste of time. Planks over 10 seconds allow you to “cheat,” so you’re not only using your core- your shoulders, legs, biceps, booty, everything starts to kick in when the abs quit. Then I realized that instead of thinking of it as a “core only” exercise, I should remember that it can then be used as a total-body exercise, sculpting and strengthening all of the major muscle groups. Planks are by far, one of the most functional and effective exercises. They target your transverse abdominis, which is the muscle that will pull your waist in like a corset. They’re functional because- guess what?!- you’re in a plank position for much of the day.
So how about joining me for a 4-minute plank session?
I do the full workout in the video, along with some modifications for those who would like to modify.
Here’s a list so you know what to expect:
-Classic plank: 30 seconds
-Saw: 30 seconds
-Right side: leg lift and kick 1 minute
-Plank with hip drops: 30 seconds
-Up and downs: 30 seconds
-Left side: leg lift and kick 1 minute
There’s some music (the lovely iMovie variety) so you don’t have to listen to random stories or huffing and puffing, but feel free to mute and listen to your own music with the workouts!
As always, take a break or modify when you need to, and check with a doc before making any fitness changes <3
Let’s do it!
How’d it go?
Winter Shape Up: leave a comment to check in for today’s workout and enter today’s giveaway, courtesy of Physique 57. My lovely friends at P57 offered the winner of today’s giveaway a code to access all of their online classes for FREE. It’s an incredible resource to try out one of my favorite workouts, especially if you don’t have a studio nearby. I’ve done a few of the online workouts and they make my thighs and core cry for mercy. Bonus: they have prenatal workouts, too.
(You can find the workout for today and the hill portion on the intro page; the Stairmaster workout has been added, too! )
Bonus entry: subscribe to my channel on YouTube and leave a comment to let me know you subscribe.
Hope you love the ab burner! <3
xoxo
Gina
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Looks intense! might have to give it a whirl this weekend
Since I switched up the schedule to fit in with my race training schedule/weekend partying schedule, I did the Speed Surge today on the office treadmill. It went by pretty quickly!
I love those hip drops! The up and downs killed me. I definitely need to work on my upper arm strength to last the full time. Thanks for the video!
Love following your YouTube channel!
Today’s hill workout had me huffin’ and puffin’ on the treadmill this morning. Those 13 minutes were intense! I ordered some protein powder for amazeballz only to realize my food processor broke 🙁 Looks like I’ll be treating myself to a new one when my powder arrives 🙂
Great Ab workout! I just finished while the baby was napping.
Definitely feeling it today! Thanks for the video – always easier to follow along.
I’m triathlon training right now so I did a rendition of the stair master workout on the bike. Believe me, it was a sweaty spin!! I’ll be slamming out that plankathon when I get home from work this evening! Thanks for all the WSU info Gina!
Not even sure I will do this workout, but putting it as an option in my WO “notebook” (aka iPhone) motivated me to go to the gym tonight as planned. Thanks for giving this lazy-prone prego lady the boost she needed today! 🙂
Ok, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I mean it was hard, but I made it through! Success! Thanks! Plus got in my 1 hour workout too. 🙂
I get frustrated with the plank because most of the burn and me wanting to give up comes from the arm/shoulder area instead of the core area. Bah, humbug. Power through, anyway, though 🙂
I LOVE this 5 minute work out! It’s so quick and a great way to squeeze in some extra abs workout before I leave each morning! Thank you so much!
Great workout again! Lovin the WSU!
Just subscribed to your youtube channel, love it!
Just finished the plank ab burner! It’s amazing how much of a burn you can get from such a simple move!
Lovin WSU week 2!!
Subscribed! Hope to get through it on Saturday!
Just finished WSU workout #2, hills and the 4 minute plank. That made me one sweaty (girly) beast ;)!!! I just subscribed to your YouTube channel! Love all the quick effective workouts! You’re awesome Gina!
I killed the workout today. I was soooo sweaty by the end and then I did the booty burner which was amazing!! I am loving the winter shape up, thanks so much!!
I did Workout #2 today during my lunch hour — it was definitely a sweaty one! I did workout #1’s warm up and ended it with a treadmill cardio sesh!! No ab workouts for this prego girl though!! Thanks Gina, loving the WSU, my first time participating!!
Thans for another great workout to add ro my arsenal!
So, I needed a little extra all-over strength training tonight and did workout 1 in lieu of the ab burner… Holy cow!!! It kicked my butt – I am still dripping sweat!
I switched it up and did my steady state cardio today, plus this ab burner! 🙂
Also, I subscribed to your YouTube channel!
Workout 2 kicked my butt today! Especially the plank combo! I was able to do all 10 on each side though! Only did 5 on Monday. I went through the ciruict twice. Can’t wait to do it again Saturday with this ab burner! I’m going to aim to get through it 3x!
LOVED this plank video! i rarely do ab only workouts since i like to do total body but this felt awesome and will definitely be used again sometime this week thanks!
I subscribed to your channel! <3
I did Workout #2 and the hill workout and ran a mile! Definitely the most exercise I’ve done in a day in awhile!
I had to switch my workouts around a little, so I did Workout 2 today and 10 min of HIIT on the treadmill. I had planned to do HIIT for 15 min but I couldn’t believe how tired I was after 3 sets of workout 2! It was another awesome workout – thanks, Gina!
Just finished up workout #2 for the day! Did 2 rounds and I’m sweaty! And I’m very excited to have just subscribed to your YouTube channel!!
For Thursdays workout I don’t have a stairmaster or a treadmill to use. Is it okay to do a workout on my Wii? I have Active by EA Sports. Or what would you recommend to do as an alternative to the Hills workout?
I did Workout #2 for the first time today – loved it! I could not get through the plank combo (10/side), so that’s officially my goal because it felt soooo good. Instead of 15 mins HIIT after, I made it through my first spin class in awhile. Walking could be a problem tomorrow 🙂
I have to switch around the workout schedule to make it fit with mine, so today was my Rest Day, but I’m excited to try out your Ab Burner. Also, I just subscribed to your You Tube channel. Thanks for all you do Gina!
I am redoing week 1 because I got sick half-way through, so I’m on Wednesday’s workout from last week. It took 45 minutes at the gym and while I was doing the one-legged rows, the trainer next to me told me that it was such a great move…and then told the girl he was working with that she would do them next! 🙂
DId 40 minutes on the elliptical this morning because it was too cold and foggy to run outside. Followed it with some heavy arms. Then at noon, it warmed up and was beautiful! So when I decided to go for a walk, it felt so amazing that it turned into a 4 mile run! Scarfed down a Quest bar in carpool, then made a ginormous salad beast when we got home. Cannot wait to do the ab burner tomorrow! Thanks for the video!
The ab burner looks awesome! Can’t wait to try it! And I already subscribe to your youtube channel, the videos are awesome especially the tabata workouts! I had to mix up my workout schedule a little to fit within my work schedule and my dogs exercise needs. So in the am I ran a little over 2 miles in a hilly areas with my dog and in the afternoon I walked hilly roads with my dog again, and then completed workout 2. It stilled kicked my butt, but I finished a 1 minute 15 seconds faster than Monday -L 🙂
Stair master workouts are the best!
Joining your you tube channel. DId a Zuzka workout today but I think your ab burner might be just the ticket for tomorrow morning. Thanks.
Dance cardio today, strength tomorrow!
Did the plank Ab burner & workout while catching up on the bachelor!
Ate like a PRO for dinner tonight: salad beast with romaine, spring mix, tomatoes, gorgonzola, a couple candied pecans, and a sliced hard boiled egg. Yum!
Oh, and lots of raw mushrooms and red onion!
Since I am switching up my workouts this week, I went to a zumba class today. Planning on doing workout #2 plus hills tomorrow!
And I am subscribed to your YouTube channel
I did the an burner tonight while watching a movie. It was great!
Love it! I did workout #2 and hills today! thank you!!
Workout #2 + Hills was great! LOVE walking on an incline. Best part of these workouts: zero boredom! Already subscribed to your YouTube channel…go there for HIIT and Tabata inspiration 🙂 Thanks!
That plank combo in Workout 2 is crazy! I swear I saw a little ab muscle poking out at me after 3 sets of the circuit today though! I guess I’ll have to try your Ab burner now…
I went to my bootcamp class this morning and it was awesome. A great start to my day. I plan on attending bootcamp again tomorrow and then workout #2 in Friday morning. I just ate a bunch of sushi :-/ but might throw in the 4 min plank- sounds fun. You’re inspirational Gina! 🙂
I did three rounds of the WO2 circuit and two rounds of TIU’s Love Your Booty routine, 15 minutes HIIT and the new plank ab burner! WOW! Loved the ab burner! It was great for the core but also total body. I felt a little tired today but still somehow stronger than I did on monday when I did the circuit for the first time. Saturday I think I will add some fine toning and extra abs, just for funsies!
Already subscribed to your youtube channel! You’re workout videos are a regular in my gym rotation!
The Hills were a killer today! I can really feel it on my backside
I did Workout #2 today and a 15 minute HIIT workout on the spin bike and a 1 mile run on the treadmill!
Shifting the schedule a little for my classes…taught the ab burner at the end of my cardio class and the members LOVED it! Can wait to do the week 2 workout tomorrow 🙂