Training can be pretty dull and tedious. It seems like no matter how many crunches or how long you plank for you it gets boring and feels like it never really works. This can be down to loads of things but we know to get abs your diet has to be on point and you have to challenge yourself when training abs.
Finding a good ab workout can be a hard task but you’re in luck. Marino Katsouris has developed an ab workout that definitely won’t bore you. Marino is the king of training abs effectively so you are in safe hands.
One of the great things about this workout is can be tailored to you however you want it’s a great blueprint to follow for ab training. You can do this a challenging circuit or if you fancy being more traditional you can do it in sets. It’s completely up to your personal preference.
Marino’s Workout
Side to side crunches
How to:
- Lie flat on your back and lift your legs about 6 inches of the floor.
- Lift your shoulders off the floor and place your arms out behind your head
- Move your body to the side and bend at your hip.
- Squeeze your obliques and hold for a second.
- Repeat for the other side and that’s 1 rep.
Recommended sets and reps: 5 sets of 12 reps.
Bicycle crunches
How to:
- Start in the crunch position, with your hands at your forehead so that your elbows are bent. Bend both your knees slightly and keep your feet elevated.
- Contract your abs as you bring your left elbow and right knee in so that they nearly touch.
- Repeat for the other side whilst simultaneously returning your right knee to the start position.
Recommended sets and reps: 5 sets of 10 reps on each side.
Crab Toe Touches
How to:
- To get in the crab position sit at the top of a sit and place your arms behind. Then lift so your glutes aren’t on the floor.
- Brace your core.
- Take one arm and try to reach for the alternative leg whilst keeping your glutes off the floor.
Recommended sets and reps: 5 sets of 12 reps.
Saw Planks
How to:
- Assume a plank position by placing your forearms on the floor and extend your legs out so you're on your toes.
- Brace your core.
- Rock your body back and forth using your arms to keep yourself parallel to the floor.
Recommended sets and reps: 5 sets of 12 reps.
Drag crunches
How to:
- Lie flat on the floor and place your arms out in front of you.
- Brace your core.
- Lift your body as if you were doing a sit up and reach as far down your legs as you can with your hands
- Slowly lower your body back down to the floor.
Recommended sets and reps: 5 sets of 12 reps
Scissor leg raises
How to:
- Lay flat on your back with your legs outstretched and toes pointed. You may place your hands under your glutes for extra support.
- Slowly raise your feet to a foot off the ground and cross your legs over each other until you can’t go higher. Then slowly lower them back down.
- Do not touch your feet to the ground again until you finish the exercise.
Recommended sets and reps: 5 sets of 12 reps
Take-home message
Ab workouts can be boring but they don’t have to be. This workout is full of fun innovative exercise that requires absolutely no equipment and just enough floor space. There is no excuse anymore. Abs aren’t just made by working out hard it all starts in the kitchen and you need to make sure you are eating a well-balanced diet. Need healthy recipe ideas? Check out the myprotein kitchen there is loads of healthy recipes for everyone to try.
Isaac is a brand communications apprentice with a passion for all things fitness. He has always had a passion for football, playing at a high youth level and enjoying 4 years of competitive kickboxing. Over recent years Isaac has dedicated himself to continually improving in the gym, enjoying both functional fitness and bodybuilding styles of workouts.
He strongly believes that you should always have balance and likes to spend his time at the weekends socialising with his friends.
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