Tabata Abs: Afterburn Shred

Format: Tabatas are formatted with 0:20 work, followed by 0:10 rest for a total of 4 minutes. Follow along with the video, or feel free to program your own workouts using this format! I use the Seconds Pro timer app to save my workouts!

Tabata A

Move 1: Jump Ins

• Come into a tall plank, hands stacked below your shoulders belly button in and up – no arched back.
• Legs should be straight and strong.
• Jump your feet in toward your hands, keeping your hips low and core engaged.
• Mod: Instead of jumping, walk or run your feet in as mountain climbers, which targets the same muscles with less intensity, or stand and take the pressure off your hands and run your knees up to your hands.

Move 2: Knee Ups

• Lay on your back with arms and legs extended.
• Make sure your lower back makes contact with the mat or floor.
• Using your lower abdominals, sweep your hands up and to the sides as you sit up, bringing your bent knees up toward your chest at the same time.
• Lower back down to the starting position with control and repeat.
• Mod: Lay on your back and keep your upper body on the mat as you lift and lower your knees. Keep your lower back engaged with the floor or mat. Add an upper body crunch to add a little more challenge.

Tabata B

Move 1: Jumping Cross Cross Squat

• Stand with feet slightly wider than hip distance apart.
• Engage your core and shoot your booty back behind you as though you were going to sit on a chair – keeping the weight in your heels and chest up.
• Drive your heels down to power up to jump, landing lightly on your feet.
• As you land, drive your right knee up and across your midline, rotating your torso as you bring your left elbow to meet your knee. Repeat on the other leg, then back to the squat.
• Mod: Take the jump out to lessen the impact, instead performing a body squat with good form. Only squat as deeply as you can comfortably go without bending forward at the waist.

Move 2: Side Plank Dip to Crunch

• Come into a side plank on your elbow, with your shoulder and elbow lined up.
• You can either drop the knee down or come into a full side plank up on your feet. I like to scissor my feet (one behind the other) for better balance.
• Keep your hips square to the wall in front of you and drop your hip down to the floor, then drive it back up to start, bringing the top knee up to a side crunch to meet your elbow.
• Mod: Keep the knee down and take out the crunch, working instead on the hip dip to lift.

Tabata C

Move 1: Elevated Spiderman Climber

• Get your feet up on your couch or ottoman or any elevated surface.
• Hold a plank, belly button in and up. Make sure your hands are stacked below your shoulders and your back is not arched.
• Bring your right knee to your right elbow then place it back down. Repeat on the left and continue, maintaining a strong plank alignment.
• Mod: Perform the same movement without the elevation, right on the floor beginning in a tall plank. This also works great from a kneeling position as demonstrated.

Move 2: Elevated Straight Leg Lifts

• Position your body on the couch, chair or ottoman with your hands behind you to assist your balance when you lean back.
• Let your legs come out straight, and be sure your core is engaged.
• Lower your legs and lean back. As you lift them, bring your torso up to meet them. You may also do this same movement with bent knees.
• Mod: Perform the move on the floor with either straight or bent legs.