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Core strength is a great confidence booster allowing you to stand taller with better deportment and energy surging upwards. You can also get the not insignificant side effect of flat stomach and abs too.
The workout consists of 3 exercises repeated 3 times with a 10 second gap between each exercise and a 30 second gap between each set, unless you need more or less time. You’ll need a mat and a stopwatch/timer.
The workout:
Start with 10 walkouts as a warmup as explained in the last blog.
Set 1
Bicycle – 1 minute work /10 seconds before next exercise
Plank shoulder taps – 1 minute work/10 seconds before next exercise
Russian twist – 1 minute work/10 seconds before next exercise
30 second rest
Set 2
Bicycle – 45 seconds work/10 seconds before next exercise
Plank shoulder taps – 45 seconds work/10 seconds before next exercise
Russian twist – 45 seconds work/ 10 seconds before next exercise
30 second rest
Set 3
Bicycle – 30 seconds work/10 seconds before next exercise
Plank shoulder taps – 30 seconds work/10 seconds before next exercise
Russian twist - 30 seconds work
1. Bicycle
Lie on the floor face up with your back pressed into the ground and your belly button pulled in towards your back.
Put your hands behind your head, elbows pointing out and bring your knees up so your shins are at a 90⁰ degree angle to the floor.
Lift your head, neck and shoulders off the floor and twist so your right knee meets your left elbow extending the right leg at the same time (but don’t let it hit the floor). Return to the start position, alternate sides and then keep repeating until the timer goes off - don’t do it too fast. The turn / twist motion should be coming from the core.
2. Plank Shoulder Tap
Start in a plank position, hands on the floor, arms straight under the shoulders and feet hip width apart.
Keeping your body in that position, core engaged, tap the left shoulder with your right hand, return to start, tap right shoulder with left hand and keep repeating until timer goes off. Don’t go to fast and try to make sure your hips stay level throughout.
3. Russian twist
Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Then lean back so your upper body is at a 45⁰ degree angle to the floor. Keep your back straight at this angle throughout the workout.
Link your hands together in front of you, then keeping your core engaged twist your torso and arms over to the right, return to the start position and repeat to the left. Keep alternating until the timer goes off. This exercise should be done slowly and with control.
To make this exercise more challenging take your feet off the floor, keeping them raised a few inches off the floor throughout. And/or hold a weight in your hands.
Enjoy
Gaby Van Clarke
This Persian recipe is always brought out for their new year but can be enjoyed anytime by everyone as it’s vegan and gluten free. Using chickpea flour gives a delicate and crumbly melt-in-your-mouth biscuit with fragrant flavours of cardamom, pistachio and rose water carrying you eastward.
