ChickSpeak

Congratulations, you’ve made it through over half of your year. Time flies when you don’t seem to have any. Your exercise plan takes a back seat with finals less than a second around the corner and Christmas break swiftly rising over the horizon.

You promise yourself that you will work out tomorrow then the day following, but one assignment after the other piles on to the next and the only exercise you get is from bringing your hand to your mouth then chewing those skittles you have sitting on your desk. Not to mention all of the yummy goodies you will be partaking of over the holidays.

Time management is a puzzle with many pieces, a project always under construction. Think of exercising like an assignment from one your classes. You must schedule time to work out and get a head start on beating the holiday flab. Below is an abdominal work out that takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

Strengthening your abs benefits your posture by aligning your spine into proper arrangement and allowing it maintain that position. This is especially useful for those long nights spent sitting at a desk when all the muscles in your back seem to be screaming all at once. Try these moves, and see improvement.

Equipment needed: 5 to 8 lb. Medicine ball, work out ball and mat .

Ball Taps

You will need both the medicine and work out ball. Sit on the work out ball and place the medicine ball in front of you on the floor about 18” away from the medicine ball. Sit on the ball and draw your abs inward. Be sure to keep your spine straight with hands behind the head.  Contract your abs by drawing your rib cage towards your hip bones on an exhale and lift your right foot, tapping it on a medicine ball in front of you.  Lower your foot and return to straight posture. Repeat with the other foot, alternating sides 10 times with each foot.  Use your abs to keep your balance.

Seated Torso Twist

You will need your mat and medicine ball. Sit on your mat holding a medicine ball in your hands. Keep your elbows tucked into your sides, with knees bent and lean back slightly keeping your torso straight.  Rotate to the right, squeezing the abs and touch the medicine ball to the floor.  Come back to center and rotate to the left.  Repeat, alternating sides for 2 sets of 10 reps (one rep is to the right and left).  For a challenge, try this lifting your feet a couple of inches off the ground.

Ball Roll

You will need your mat and work out ball. Kneel in front of the ball and place your hands on the ball parallel to one another. You can also clasp your hands together and cross your feet for extra control. Roll the ball outwards away from your thighs keeping the hips and back straight.  Roll out until you feel the abs engage (don’t arch or strain the back) and push into the ball to roll back in. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps. 

Reverse Crunch

You will need your mat. To do the reverse crunch, lie flat on your mat. Cross your feet. Keeping your knees bent, raise your legs until your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. You will form a right angle with your thighs and knees. Keep your arms flat by your sides. From here, press your lower back to the floor and contract your abs. This should cause your knees to come towards your chest. Lower your legs back into the starting position with thighs perpendicular to the floor and feet crossed. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps.

Hip Thrust

You will need your mat. Lie on your mat and cross your feet at the ankles. Keeping your legs straight, lift them so that they are pointed toward the ceiling and in line with your hips. Be sure to either point or flex your feet throughout the entire movement. Place your arms flat and by your sides. With your legs pointed toward the ceiling, raise your hips off the floor several inches by contracting your abs and pressing your lower back to the floor. Return to starting position and repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps.

Doing this work out is not a race to get finished, so remember that all ab exercises should be done slow and deliberately with controlled movements. As with any exercise program, be sure to consult your physician before trying. If you experience any severe or sharp pains while doing so, discontinue the work out until you are well enough to resume.

If you just can’t seem to find any time to work out, you can always spare 10 minutes. In just that small amount of time, exercising can give you enough energy to focus on the tasks and deadlines you must meet.

Fatima Meadows is a student at Appalachian State University. Since the tender age of five when she watched her 1^st episode of mousercise on the Disney channel, Fatima has had a serious fascination with all things fitness oriented, and she holds various fitness credentials including an AACCA safety certification.

Photo from here.