30 Min Core Strength Workout is Day 28 in Heather Robertson‘s HR12Week 5.0 program.
This workout was NO FUN. I am not a fan of long mat based core workouts and, not counting the warm up and stretch, this is 30 solid minutes of mat based core. It is a solid core workout but I did not enjoy anything about it except the warm up and the stretch! But if you do enjoy long core workouts then this is for you. Literally everything except some of the stretch at the end is mat based. The first circuit you are on your back, the second circuit you are mostly in plank with one exercise on your back and for the finisher you are back on your back.
The exercises are done interval style: 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of recovery. The finisher has different interval times and those are noted below. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews the next exercise. At the bottom of the screen during the preview, there is a small graphic with a weight recommendation–light, medium or heavy.
30 Min Core Strength Workout is 39:19 minutes; 25 second intro, 4:50 minute warm up and 3:20 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and fitness mat. Heather recommends medium weights (10 to 20 pounds). The weights listed below are what I used.
Circuit 1:
- Loaded crunch (basic crunch holding a DB at chest) (one 20# DB)
- Loaded toe touch (lay on back, legs are extended straight to ceiling, hold one DB in both hands, crunch upper body reaching DB toward toes) (one 15# DB)
- Loaded reverse crunch (lay on back, hold one DB in both hands, arms are extended to ceiling and held there isometrically entire interval, lower straight legs until they are a few inches off the mat then raise legs and push them overhead while also lifting hips into a reverse crunch) (one 15# DB)
- Hip lift & leg drop (still laying on back, do one reverse crunch pushing both legs overhead, then lower one leg until it is a few inches off the floor, alternate one reverse crunch with one leg drop, alternate legs when doing the leg drop)
- Flutter kick (still on back on mat, hands are behind head and head/shoulders are elevated, legs are extended straight and elevated a few inches off mat, flutter kick legs)
- Seated twist (sit on mat, legs are extended and partially bent, hold one DB in both hands, twist DB hip to hip) (one 15# DB)
- Repeat #1-6
30 second rest
Circuit 2:
- Full sit up (lay on back on mat, legs are partially bent, feet on floor, arms extended overhead, do a full sit up reaching hands to mat between legs)
- Side bridge & twist (in side elbow plank with top arm raised to ceiling, raise hips then push top arm underneath body, reach arm back to ceiling then lower and raise hips)
- Repeat #2 on other side of body
- Plank pass thru (in straight arm plank with one DB on floor outside of one hand, reach under body with other hand, grab DB and pull it under body to other side, set DB on floor, alternate sides) (one 20# DB)
- Plank reach & tap (hold elbow plank with one DB on floor in front of you, tap one hand to top of DB, alternate arms)
- Hold elbow plank
- Repeat #1-6
30 second rest
Finisher: (each exercise is done for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest)
- Bicycle crunch (traditional bicycle manuever)
- Full body crunch (lay on back on mat, arms are extended overhead and legs are extended straight at 45 degrees, bring knees into chest, lifting head/shoulders and tap hands to ankles)
- Repeat #1 & 2
