The Ultimate Ab Workout Plan: Week 3 Exercise Instructions

Hover Rotation

• Start by lying faceup, leaning on your elbows with your legs extended and your knees slightly bent. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, forming a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Hold this position for 8 counts.
• Roll to your side, hips lifted with your right elbow and forearm on the floor to support your weight and help you balance. Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels and hold this position for 8 counts.
• Now roll into a plank position with your forearms on the floor and your elbows by your sides. Hold this position for 8 counts.
• Lastly, roll to your left side. Support your body with your left forearm and elbow. Keep your hips in a straight line between your head and heels and hold this position for 8 counts. Repeat this entire sequence 8 times.

The Hundred

• Sit tall on the mat with your knees bent by your chest and your hands by your side. Lie down.
• With your knees bent and your palms facing down, exhale and raise your head and shoulders off the mat. Vigorously pump your arms 6 inches up and down while reaching with your fingertips.
• Inhale for 5 pumps and then exhale for 5 pumps. Be sure to curl your chin toward your chest.
• Do 100 pumps or 10 full breaths. Try to keep your lower back pressed into the floor and keep your abs in toward your spine.

Single-Leg Instability Pump

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Interlace your fingers and press them into your belly.
• Shift your weight to your left leg and lift your right knee up to hip height, flexing your foot. Keep your chin level and your eyes forward.
• Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your knee bent and your foot flexed. Come back up and repeat. Press down through the right heel and squeeze your glute to bring your knee back. Repeat for 15 reps.
• The second time you do this exercise, do running arms instead of pressing your hands to your belly. Stand on your left leg and bring your arm forward with your elbow bent and your other arm extended behind you. As you stand up, swing your arms in time with your legs as if you're running. You'll still do 15 reps on the exercise on each leg.
• The third time you do this exercise, do the running arms again, but this time do it with a light dumbbell in each hand and do a biceps curl with the front arm and a triceps extension with the rear arm, pressing the weight behind you. You'll still do 15 reps on each side.

Plank Twist with Dog Split

• Get into a full plank position: wrists under shoulders, abs engaged, legs extended behind you.
• Now bring your right knee across your chest. Hold there for 2 counts, then swing your right leg back and up to the ceiling, raising your hips while lowering your shoulders down toward the floor in downward dog split. Repeat for 8 to 12 counts.
• Then, switch sides bringing your left knee across your chest. Hold for 2 counts and then send your left leg toward the ceiling, raising your hips while lowering your shoulders down toward the floor in a downward dog split. Repeat for 8 to 12 counts.

Originally published on FitnessMagazine.com, June 2008.