Man, it is a bit crazy to be talking about the September issue of Shape magazine- can 2014 be that close to ending already?! Apparently so.
This issue of Shape magazine has uber caught my interest. Not just because of the usual great workouts, or the fact that they have a workout by a celebrity and trainer, but also because of the recipes. I am so happy that my first look at this month's (or should I say next month's) issue was after a hearty lunch. There are some incredible recipes in this issue, like the seafood paella, that I am simply dying to try! There are also some fantastic articles that will probably go against those preconceived notions of the breakfast pastry.
But, what we are really here to talk about is Brooke Burke-Charvet's abs. Most of us ladies, and a few men, would kill for Brooke's incredible abs of steal. At 43, her super toned physique is not minor accomplishment and one that I admire her for. Brooke is a mother of four, TV host, and fitness instructor twice a week. In her interview she talks about being let go from DWTS, family, and how her workout has changed over the years. It is a very humble, very informative article that I was happy to read- especially since I really knew very little about her before reading it.
In the interview, Brooke said that she focuses a lot of her attention on abs. This made me super excited since the whole workout is some of her favorite (and most grueling) ab exercises. Whether you love ab workouts or could drop them like a sack of potatoes, we all know how important they are and how tough, long, and unsuccessful they can be. This ab workout is only about 4-minutes and includes one set of each exercise geared to work the upper, lower, and oblique abdominal muscles.
The Workout
This workout is pretty straight forward with 6 moves, two of which uses a weight. I completed mine in the morning just after waking up and before having my breakfast. It was a great way to start the day and ended up taking me 4 1/2 minutes to complete! I am not sure how this would be as a workout on it's own, but together with another workout or as something you do as a quick heart rate raiser during the day, it is pretty great!
Since the whole thing took 4-minutes and was mainly floor work, I decided not to wear my HRM. Not sure about how your HRM works, but mine never seems to get it right when I am horizontal... Because of this, I do not know the calories burned, but I can say that it definitely raised my heart rate in the first 30-seconds!
The workout did not leave my abs quaking or my muscles sore, but it is something I would love to do with another workout or as part of my wake-up regimen :)