Tip #2: Build strength! Now that you’ve got your cardio going and your burning fat, its time to build some strength! Muscles are way more efficient than flab. Having a strong core not only looks lovely in a bathing suit, but it protects you from getting injured! So, put in a little burn time!
When I’m feeling sassy, I switch up my workout and throw this one into the mix. Since this is Fab Abs February and I want some seriously Fabulous Abs, I’m going to do this every few days, increasing by one set each time. Here’s how it goes…
- Choose two core exercises (I typically go with pushups and situps)
- Choose a number of reps that is appropriate for you to start at. This will probably be somewhere between 5 and 2o. I started at 15 this week.
- Do a set at your starting number (15 pushups, 15 situps or whatever you are doing)
- Do a set of 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, all the way down to one.
- In three days, do the workout again but start one higher (I’ll start at 16).
- Continue this every three days, adding a set each time!
This is a great way to increase strength. I rarely feel sore after core workouts but this one gets me every time (which I love). I call it “20 down to 1″ or “15 down to one”… wherever you’re at is great!
Here’s how many reps you’ll end up doing it you start at:
10–55 reps
15– 120 reps
20– 210
Sometimes, if I’m feeling EXTRA sassy, and I have muscle strength left on my last set, I’ll just keep going until failure (until I can literally not do another pushup). You might surprise yourself!
Boom! Brendan Braizer, vegan pro-triathlete, have a pretty good core going on, eh?
