YouTube Ab Workout

 As you may know, I have decided to do a complete ab overhaul in the next few months. This means that I will be working my abs into washboard shape every workout day of the week. The first day it was the Intense Ab Workout that I completely recommend everyone doing. It is intense and 100% worth it... Plus, that three workout cocktail will also tone your upper legs, inner thighs, and bum. Dreamy.

The next day I decided to forgo the usual yoga flow and go with some good ole' Pilates instead. Pilates, in general, is a major ab workout, so trading one for the other just made sense. For this Pilates class, I went with Cassey Ho's Abs on Fire workout. This is an intense 15-minute ab workout that is meant to kill us. Yea, my abs are feeling it.  

The Abs on Fire workout does some really fun exercises that I have never seen before. This was great since the same old workout gets boring and does not work your muscles quite as much as it did the first time around.  

If you really want to intensify your workout, double up with the Legs on Fire after the abs. This is another intense Cassey Ho workout. The workout is great and torches fat everywhere from the lower calf to the bum. Like the Abs on Fire, this workout has some newer exercises mixed in with the more known ones. Both of these workouts combined took me about 30-minutes and left me in a puddle of sweat on the floor.

To cap it all off, I did the Cassey Ho Corset Workout before bed that night. I know, it was an intense, Cassey Ho kinda day. The Corset Workout is about 8-minutes long and will target all the muscles around your waistline. I loved this workout. It is not quite as intense as the other two, so perfect as a before-bed routine, or added on to your usual daily workout. If you are really feeling insane, try doing all three as your day's workout. Those muscles will not know what hit them!

The Most Insane Ab Workout Ever

Oh goodness is that ab routine intense. I completed this insane workout this morning after deciding to give my abs a major facelift over the next month. There have been plenty (and I mean plenty) of ab workouts on P+K already, so I took my three favorites and created an ab workout that could leave grown men crying.  

The workout is comprised of two of P+K originals and one from Pumps and Iron. I love all three of these workouts and doing them together makes it all the better. The entire workout takes 33-35 minutes, depending on your warm-up time. Complete each workout once, without any breaks. Then, break for 1-minute between workouts 1 and 2, and 2 and 3.

This workout is intense, but not terrible. The cardio training will help burn fat and increase your daily metabolic rate while the strength and resistance training will work all areas of your abs. This multi-workout will increase back, leg, and upper arm strength as well!

I suggest completing this workout at least 2-3 times per week for a total ab makeover!  

Workout 1: Crunch Free Core Workout

This workout is intense. To make it play a little better with the two others, I did some minor tweaking. Only warm-up for 1-2 minutes as needed, then complete two circuits with a one minute break between each.  Since we will be doing more Superman/Bananas in other workouts, swap out Superman/Banana with 1-minute Plank Toe Rolls.

Once both circuits are complete, rest for one minute, then go on to workout 2.  

Workout 2: Ten Minute Abs

This workout is great on it's own, but add it to our insane ab cocktail and you have a powerhouse. Complete the entire workout as directed, then rest for 1-minute and go on to workout 3.  

Workout 3: 8-Minute Abs 2.0

Nicole over at Pumps and Iron created an incredible 8-Minute Ab routine that is great on it's own, but goes perfectly as the finale of this Insane Ab Workout. Complete each exercise as Nicole directs, then cool down and stretch.

Women's Health Next Fitness Star Workout Review

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Women's Health Magazine is holding a Next Fitness Star competition with female personal trainers from around the US. The July issue of Women's Health Magazine has a quick bio along with a favorite workout for each contestant. So far, all of the ladies seem equally matched in skill and likeability, with a few having much more interesting back stories and all having different ideas of fitness.

I am quite excited to try out each contestant's favorite workout move, but have already been forced to dwindle my options. Since we are in Michigan for the time being, I do not have any weights here with me. This takes Stacie out of the running for me since she uses a weight. Too bad since she seems to be the most built of the five. But, not having weights is a pretty good representation of the average home-gymer, so her being out first in my book could be a pretty good representation of America as a whole... We will see...

For that reason, we are not even going to talk about her. Next time, contestants, don't use weights.  

Tarrah

Tarrah's favorite move could easily be mine as well. It will work the glutes, legs, and core since it is a combination of a squat and a lunge. Yes, the two most hated leg moves have been combined (insert evil laugh). Tarrah started her fitness life after her father passed away. She realized that her health needed a turn around and is now 92 pounds lighter. 

I love these stories. The fact that she has been able to loose and keep 92 pounds off makes her an inspiration already. She can be my trainer any day of the week.  

MC

MC looks like a giant ball of energy who could also kill me. She is super fit and, most likely, has abs of steel. Her favorite workout is Modified V-Ups that will have you unable to laugh for a week and give your inner thighs reason to cry. Get ready. Although MC is the second-oldest of the five, you would never guess it. She started her career as a fitness model and could definitely be one today.  

If you are the type that needs tough love (cough, cough, me) then this could be your girl. Just to give an idea, her best tip is to "toughen up". Yea, flash-forward five years and she is the new host of The Biggest Looser. 

Jam

First off, do you think Jam is her real name? I am not sure. "Jam" was raised in a family of pro athletes, so her career choice is no great surprise. She seems like one of the nicest trainers and her favorite workout move could be the most fun. I am honestly not sure how much you will get from it in the results departments, but at least you will have some fun while you work! This High Kick Punch will definitely get your heart rate going if nothing else.

Kit

Kit owns a Pilates studio in LA and is one of the youngest contestants, being four years older than Jam. So far, she seems to be the most peaceful out of the five. Her workout move uses a band and will do a massive number to your oblique abdominals. Mix this Plie Squat with Side Bend with MC's Modified V-Ups and you are sure to be a pile of sweat on the floor.

Kit may not be my favorite on an introductory surface level, but her workout move and her workout ideals may match up with mine the most. She is all about working out for more than the scale and warns against pushing one's body too far for the sake of results. Yep, I like her. 

Ok, fine, let's talk about Stacie... 

Stacie

She seems super cool and ridiculously built. She also looks quite happy and a bit like a Kardashian on steroids- only in the best way. Promise. If Stacie had not used weights, she may have been my favorite. But she did, so she is not...

I tried doing her workout with a resistance band instead of the weight. Although the resistance band worked, a weight would have been so much better. This Sumo Squat with Rotation works the legs, arms, back, and core. It is a full range of motion move that will work your entire body.  

Oh, I should probably also mention that she is 40. Yes, 40. This is crazy, this girl could pull off 30 without a second thought. Stacie looks crazy strong and super lean. If you want to be She-Ra, this trainer is your girl.  

Drum Roll Please, 

I did each move ten to fifteen times, depending on the trainer's direction. Each move was done directly after the other without a break between. This was sweat inducing! If you really want to get a workout, try doing all these workouts without a break between, then resting for one minute and doing it all again 2-3 times. Phew!

Although they were all great workouts, I did have two favorites. Kit and Stacie's moves worked my entire body with a bit of extra focus on the legs. The Plie Squat with Side Bend and the Sumo Squat with Rotation are the two that I could easily see incorporating into my weekly workout routine. My vote is that Kit and Stacie will continue on!

Try these moves and let me know which trainer you would bet on as the Next Fitness Star!  

Workout Round-Up

We are currently staying in Michigan for a few more weeks this summer. So far, it has been true Michigan weather this summer with spurts of super warm and super cold weather... This week is one of those warm ones. 

One of my favorite parts about summers in Michigan is the night yoga we get to do. Yoga outside under the massive starry sky is incredible. If you have a chance to do some stargazing yoga, I highly recommend it! For last night's yoga we did a Casey Ho warm-up followed by a newer Yogamazing yoga flow. This total workout was great. Each workout was about ten to fifteen minutes long and beginner level. Whether you are a beginner or not, you will get something out of these.

The Casey Ho workout is about six months old and ten minutes long. This Bubble Butt workout obviously focuses on the butt. Casey says that these exercises will help lift and tone the bum. The moves are super simple, but you will be feeling it. I recommend doing this first as your pre-yoga warm-up.  

Next, we did one of the newer Yogamazing yoga flows. This EZ flow is simple and beginner oriented, but also has a lot of moves the focus on the legs and lower back. Again, beginners to advanced fitness gurus can enjoy this workout. The flow is simple and relaxing but will do a number to those muscles. Try to have a star gazing Savasana at the end. It is so relaxing to look up at those infinite little lights... Enjoy!