Looking for a fantastic core sculpting workout?
Join Coach Neesha from Team Betty Rocker for this fun strength and plyometrics sequence!
Coach Neesha is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and a Team Betty Rocker Coach.
Plyometrics exercises (also referred to as high intensity, often incorporated into HIIT workouts) are explosive movements that use speed and force to build muscle power.
We’ve incorporated plyo moves into this workout to help strengthen your body and stimulate fat loss. Often people think that ab workouts alone are what “shows the abs” but actually more of a focus on combined strength training and “systemic” or overall fat loss is what does the trick.
Rather than focusing on fat loss as the primary goal, I like to focus on muscular strength as muscle is more compact than fat, and developing it creates a more “toned” appearance. The more muscle you carry the more energy you’ll burn – so the more efficiently you can burn fat on autopilot. To strengthen the muscle tissue (and to lose body fat) we need to create an ideal environment in the body using:
- nutrition which includes eating enough protein and carbohydrates to support lean muscle production, and enough food in general to meet our energy needs,
- sleep which helps elevate growth hormone, and enables us to recover from our workouts,
- stress management to keep cortisol from becoming elevated, triggering fat storage and breaking down muscle (not to mention how important it is for our mental health!) and of course…
- exercise like the Betty Rocker workouts, which can impact fat loss systemically when other conditions in the body are met, particularly those mentioned above.
This sequence will both work your core and get your heart rate up, so join Coach Neesha and let’s get after it!
Love having workouts like this that you can do ANYWHERE, ANYTIME – and a well-designed plan to follow so you get the BEST RESULTS? Take a 30-day Challenge in Rock Your Life and have workouts like this formatted into a plan to follow!
Cardio Core Burn
Click to expand and see all workout move descriptionsCircuit
Move 1: Side Kick Cross Body Crunch (8-12 each side)
- Begin by standing with your feet hip width distance, core braced, chest upright, and hands behind your head with elbows out wide.
- Lean slightly to the left, feeling stable and strong through the left leg, and powerfully kick your right leg straight out to the right side by first lifting the knee up and then driving through the heel, as if you were kicking a door shut.
- Plant your right foot back down into a hip width stance and, without pulling on your head, twist your torso to the left as you use your core to draw your left knee up and over to touch your right elbow.
- Be mindful that you keep your chest upright, bringing your knee up to your elbow instead of your elbow down to your knee.
Repeat this sequence for allotted reps and switch sides.
Move 2: Reverse Plank Hold (0:45-1:00)
- Begin by sitting on the mat with legs outstretched and place your hands a bit behind and outside of your hips. Fingers can be facing forward or angled out.
- Keeping your shoulders back and down (not allowing them to roll forward or collapse towards your ears) press away through your hands and feet, squeezing the glutes and bracing the core to lift your hips and bring your body into a straight line.
- Hold for the allotted time.
- MOD: Perform this with your hands or elbows on an elevated surface.
- MOD for more of a challenge: Once in a strong reverse plank position, press your left heel into the mat with a micro bend in the leg (to prevent hyperextension) and lift your right leg off of the mat for a few seconds, maintaining the straight line of your body. Alternate lifting both legs.
Coach Neesha is wearing the #Flawsome Snap Back Trucker Hat in this video.
Display your FLAWSOME with pride – great for working out, hanging out, or anytime you’re looking to shade your face in style.
Check out the entire line of Betty Rocker apparel RIGHT HERE!
Move 3: Tuck Jumps (0:30-0:45)
- Begin standing with feet hip distance apart, core braced, and chest upright.
- Drop down a little into a quarter squat, engaging through the glutes to explosively jump.
- Maintaining an upright torso, tuck your knees up towards your chest as much as possible through the jump, before landing as lightly and quietly as you can.
- Use your arms to assist with momentum or hold your hands at about ribcage level as a guide for your knees’ height.
Repeat move for allotted time. - MOD: Make this low impact by taking out the jump and alternating between a body squat and high knees:
- Begin standing with feet hip distance apart, core braced, and chest upright.
- Send your hips back as you come into a squat, bracing your core and keeping your chest up, allowing your knees to track in line with your toes.
- Drive back up using the strength of your glutes to stand.
- Draw your left knee up as high as you can, then plant it back on the mat and repeat with right side.
- Repeat this sequence for allotted time.
Move 4: Bicycle Crunches (0:30-0:45)
- Begin lying on your back with your legs bent, knees over your hips, and hands behind your head without pulling your head forward.
- Contract your abdominals by bringing your chest forward and rotating at the torso to bring your right elbow to your left knee, simultaneously extending your right leg.
- Slowly and gently lower yourself back toward the ground and repeat with your left elbow to right knee and extended left leg.
- Be sure your lower back stays in gentle contact with the mat throughout this movement.
- MOD: Instead of extending the opposite leg, keep both legs bent and tap your toes to the mat.
Move 5: Side Plank Hip Drops (0:45-1:00)
- Begin on the mat with your left hand or elbow planted directly under your left shoulder, core braced, hips stacked, and both legs extended so that your body is in a straight line.
- With your right arm reaching towards the ceiling, press away through the left arm and leg to lift your hips off of the mat, feeling the engagement in your left obliques.
- Lower your hips back towards the mat with control, being mindful of not collapsing through your left shoulder and keeping your shoulders and hips stacked.
- Repeat for allotted time and switch sides.
- MOD: Bend and place the bottom knee on the mat for the duration of this move.
Great job Rockstar! Don’t let anything stop you from taking care of your body in whatever way is right for you today! Check in with Coach Neesha and me and let us know how you’re doing.
We’d love to see YOU inside Rock Your Life…
…so we can support you in ROCKING your body AND your life! Get stronger and healthier with a community of rockstars to support you, home workout challenges for a fit body, and fresh new workout classes each week to keep you motivated!
Look at the amazing results Ellen had following my meal plans and the challenges in Rock Your Life.