No boring crunches here. Not a one.
If you're not a fan of your midsection, "you have to find new ways to use your abs to make them change," says Katia Pryce, CosmoBody certified fitness instructor.
That means swapping standard crunches for moves you've never tried before. Do eight to 10 reps of each exercise below to work your core in different ways. Repeat the entire sequence two or three more times to build up superhero strength and the kind of burn that you'll feel tomorrow.
1. Elbow to Knee Standing Crunch: Stand with your feet about hips-width apart and extend your right arm straight up. Engage your core as you simultaneously lift your right knee straight up and bring it to meet your right elbow directly in front of your body. Release to complete the rep. Do up to 10 reps and complete the same number on the opposite side.
2. Standing Rows: Stand with your feet about hips-width apart and both arms fully extended overhead. Bring both arms down across your chest to your left side as you raise your left knee straight up. Place your leg back on the floor and extend both arms straight up, then repeat on the opposite side. That's one rep.
3. Side Pull Down With Hip Pop: Take a wide stance with both feet facing forward. Tilt your hips so your left hip is higher than your right hip. Raise your right arm straight up into the air. Engage your abs and squeeze your obliques as you lower your left hip, raise your right hip, and drive your right elbow down to waist-height. Return to the starting position to complete one rep. Do up to 10 reps and complete the same number on the opposite side.
4. Knee Ins: Take a wide stance with your toes pointed slightly outward and your knees slightly bent. Twist your upper body to the left and hold your hands up over your left shoulder. Twist your torso to the right as you bring your right knee straight up between your elbows. Return to starting position with your right foot on the ground and your torso twisted left to complete one rep. Complete up to 10 reps and repeat on the opposite side.
5. Upper Body Side-to-Sides: Take a wide stance. Keeping your lower body completely still, raise your right forearm shoulder-height with your elbow out to the side, and lead with the right elbow as you shift your upper body to bring your left shoulder over your right hip. Drop your right arm, raise your left forearm to shoulder-height with your elbow out to the side, and lead with the left elbow as you shift your right shoulder over your left hip. That's one rep.
6. Hip Twists: Stand with your feet side-by-side, your elbows slightly bent, and your arms out to the sides. Keeping your shoulders facing forward, bring your right hip forward as you lift your right heel and cross your right knee in front of your left knee. Straighten your right leg and place your heel back on the ground. Then bring your left hip forward as you lift your left heel and cross your left knee in front of your right knee. That's one rep.
7. Full Hip Rotation: Start with your feet together and knees soft. Raise both arms overhead and keep your elbows soft as you rotate your hips and hands in a clockwise circle and return to start. Complete up to 10 full rotations, then reverse directions and repeat the same number of reps.
8. Butt Pop and Drop: Start in a wide stance and pull your shoulders back as you press your chest forward and stick your butt out behind you. Engage your core as you tuck your tailbone, bring your shoulders forward, and pull your bellybutton in toward your spine. Bend your knees about 45 degrees as you stick your butt out behind you, bring your shoulders back, and bring your chest forward. Then, engage your core again as you tuck your tailbone, bring your shoulders forward, and pull your bellybutton toward your spine, and come back up to stand. That's one rep.
9. Reverse Bridge Leg Swing With Heel Touch : Sit on your butt with the soles of your feet on the ground about a foot in front of your butt, and your palms on the ground behind your hips with your fingers facing outward. Press into your palms and lift your hips a few inches up off the ground. Then extend your left leg straight out, flex your foot, and lift it a few inches up off the ground. Swing the elevated leg straight out to the left, then bring it back to center. Brace your core as you lift your right arm up off the ground, and bring your left heel in to meet your right hand. Place your right hand back on the ground and extend your left leg straight out without touching it to the ground to complete one rep. Do up to 10 and then repeat the same number on the opposite side.
10. Forearm Plank Dip and Twist: Get into a plank position with your forearms on the ground, your shoulders stacked over your elbows, and your body in a straight line between your head and your heels. Brace your core as you drop your hips to touch the floor. Lift them back up to a plank, then stack your right hip over your left hip as you point your toes to the right, and lift your right hand off the ground and place it on your hip. Return to plank position to repeat one rep. Complete up to 10 reps, and repeat the same number on the opposite side.
11. Side Knee Plank With Toe Touch: Kneel on your right knee and place your right palm on the floor about two feet out to your right. Extend your left leg out to the left side and point your left toes. Reach your left hand up and overhead to maximize the distance between the tips of your left fingers and your left toes. Engage your core as you kick your left foot straight out in front of you, and bring your left hand to touch your left toes. Return to start to complete one rep. Complete up to 10 reps, and repeat the same number on the opposite side.
12. Side Knee Plank Elbow to Knee: Kneel on your right knee, and place the sole of your left foot on the ground directly in front of you. Place your right palm on the floor about two feet out to your right, and extend your left hand straight up to maximize the distance between the fingertips of opposite hands. Engage your core as you drive your left elbow down and lift your left knee to meet your elbow in front of your body. Return to starting position to complete one rep. Do up to 10 reps, and repeat the same number on the opposite side.
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