Ab-solutely F-AB-ulous, YOGADOCMD

Hello Team SkinnyMinnie!

My name is Patricia, I am the face behind YogaDocMD.com and I am elated to be a guest blogger for Katie while she is out on the West Coast enjoying some Bloggin adventures and Pacific sun! I am a 4th year medical student, an avid Bikram yogini, and a rookie blogger! When Katie asked me to write for her knew exactly what I would write about….Abs! Everyone’s favorite!

For whatever reason I have been blessed with what I like to think of as nicely defined abs. And while I do put in the dedicated work, I also think I am about 90% genetically gifted. So, since there are many folks want to get “dem abs” I thought I would breakdown what my typical ab workout looks like.

I am pretty consistent with my abs and I do my work out between 4-5 days a week. I do this whole routine first thing in the morning after getting my coffee. It takes me about 30 minutes if I do everything back-to-back, otherwise it will take around 45. I do three sets of each of the routines….1,2,3,4 repeat. The order in which you do them doesn’t matter, but I do suggest doing all of them to see the best results.

Forewarned, I wake up at about 5 or 5:30AM to get my day started so this leaves me plenty of time to get it all done. I also don’t have children which could possibly be a hiccup for some, but definitely not a total deterrent. This workout can be done at any time of the day and does not have to be done all at once. You can do one set in the AM, one at lunch and one before bed. I like to get mine all out of the way because frankly I get lazy at the end of the day. And if I get it all done first thing in the morning I can burn some extra Kcals during the day!

So let’s get started!

Crunches

I don’t care what others say about crunches…they work! And if they are done properly they are great for all parts of the abdomen and do not strain the neck. I do 100 total per set.

• 25 legs bent…
• 25 legs bent mid-air
• 25 legs straight, crossed, toes pointed…I re-cross my legs after the first 12-13
• 25legs bent mid-air

Bicycle

• 50 bicycle crunches—NO CHEATING—per each set.

Leg Lifts

I find it most comfortable if I lie on my back and hold onto a bed frame or the underneath of the couch over my head. DO NOT CHEAT by using your arms for leverage. Use your abs!

• Start with your legs flat on the ground.
• Legs up and to the left. Legs down. Legs up and to the center. Legs down. Legs up and to the right. Legs down.
• Repeat until you hit 15.

Twisted Crunches

These are my favorite, but they are also the hardest. This requires a dumbbell or a gallon of water.

• Sit on your backside, legs bent midway and back slightly reclined.
• Holding on to the dumbbell alternate twisting left and right.
• Do this 50 times per set.

Trust me, these burn like a motha’ but they also produce some of the best definition in abs. You will want to throw the dumbbell after about 20, but stick with it!

After 3 rounds of these, you will definitely be feeling the burn. The whole routine may seem overwhelming, but once you get into it and start seeing results you’ll learn to love it!

In addition to this ab routine, I also do Bikram yoga. This is “hot” yoga, 105 degree room with 40+ percent humidity. The routine itself consists of 14 sit-ups and many postures that are designed to work the core muscles. Many people are turned off by the heat in the room, and while there can be a short adjustment period I do find that the postures, when done correctly, really do isolate and strengthen the core….read: great abs!

Having a strong core is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functionally beneficial. Strong abdominal muscles help to keep good posture, reduce back pain, increase balance and stability, and can make every day acts such as gardening and picking up small children that much easier.

I hope each of you find the time to try this routine and find your way to rockin’ abs!

Should you have any questions or want more information, you can contact Katie, or contact me directly at YogaDocMD@gmail.com.

Namaste!