Get on the ball with this workout (and scroll down for the elliptical workout).  I ran at the gym yesterday morning, but I lacked time for my ab workout.  I completed this routine after I got home from work, which I am doing 2 to 3 times per week.  This gave me time to bake my giant sweet potato.  Those things are always worth the wait!

First, warm up your core by walking, doing light pilates, or anything else to get the blood flowing.

1 – Stability Ball Pass – I did 3 sets of 5 reps.  Start lying on the floor with your arms reached above your head, and hold the ball between your ankles.  Crunch your abs to lift your legs and arms; grab the ball with your hands.  Lower your arms (holding the ball) and your legs at the same time.  Passing to hands and back to feet completes one rep.  I never do these until failure because they can stress my hip flexors.  

2 – Weighted Crunch on Ball – I did 3 sets of 10 reps.  I held my 8-lb dumbbell behind my head with my arms relatively straight.  You still feel these even if you do not use any weight.  Simply place your hands behind your head.

3 – Torso Twist on Ball – I did 3 sets of 8 reps.  Hold a weight or medicine ball perpendicular to your shoulders with your hips parallel to the floor and in-line with your shoulders.  Keep back and arms straight while you twist over onto one shoulder.  You feel this in your obliques, but it is also good for stabilizer muscles.  Do this to the left and the right to complete one rep.  (Sorry for the crappy pics!)

Starting Position

Twist at Torso

4 – Weighted Toe Reaches – I did 3 sets of 10.  Keep your feet up and crunch up toward them.  Come as close to touching your toes as possible.

Leia wants in on the action!

5 – Plank – 1 set of 60 seconds.  I should have done more of these, but the sweet potato was calling!

Today is a rainy day that started off with 42 minutes of elliptical at the gym.  I’ll outline that for you here too.  I’ll be working all day (bleh) then heading back to the gym for my first body pump class.  I’m pretty excited! 

I’m also excited Kev will be cooking dinner due to my workout class.  That reminds me – I’m supposed to email him the recipe.  It’s my very own Chinese Take-In, which does not need a recipe!  The meal is rice, frozen mixed veggies, and scrambled eggs – all topped with low-sodium soy sauce.  Quick, cheap, and easy- that’s my kind of meal and perfect for a rainy day!

42-minute Elliptical Workout  (I kept RPMs around 150-160, but generally 156)

• Time        Resistance     Incline
• 0-5              1-5                    10  (increase the resistance 1% per minute)
• 5-7              5                         8
• 7-8             10                       8  (whew!)
• 8-10           5                         8
• 10-11         10                       8
• 11-13          5                         8
• 13-15         10                       8
• 15-16          5                         4 (note the incline switch)
• 16-17          7                        4
• 17-18          9                        4
• 18-19          7                        4
• 19-20          5                        4
• 20-22          5                        4 (stay two minutes here)
• 22-23          7                        4
• 23-24          9                        4
• 24-25          7                        4
• 25-27          5                        4 (stay two minutes here)
• 27-28          7                        4
• 28-29          9                         4
• 29-30          7                        4
• 30-32          5                        4 (stay two minutes here)
• 32-33          7                        4
• 33-34          9                        4
• 34-35          7                        4
• 35-42          7                        4 (decrease resistance 1% per minute)

*Ignore the “Incline” part if your elliptical does not have a crossramp.  If at all possible, use the long, moving hand grips, not the t-rex grips – you burn less calories with those dinky things.

Don't Use Reptar-Like Grips

 As always, thanks for reading!