Name: Playbook - Alina Astilean - Core Work
Uploaded: 2021-07-23T01:45:31.659Z
Duration: 15 min
Description: Core Work

I would suggest adding core work in 3 times a week, either before or after a workout session, or on your rest days.  

Pick one or two of the circuits below and try to get through the full amount of reps and sets.  Work on increasing endurance week over week.

Exercise 1, 2, and 3 can be done back to back, but complete the full 8 sets 30 sec on/ 15 sec off for exercise 1,before moving on to exercise 2.

-lie on your back with hands by your sides and both legs extended straight out
-start by driving one knee in towards your chest and simultaneously sitting up, trying to touch your ankle with both hands 
-fully reset on the ground, and then come up with the opposite knee driving in towards the chest 
-note that your hands should always reset by your sides and never behind your head

Floor Runners

-lay flat on your back, keeping hips tucked 
-start with legs straight out, keeping heels and toes glued together 
-start lifting your legs up until you get to a point where your legs are about perpendicular to the ground 
-start descending, making sure your lower back does not arch and come off the ground 
-you can bend your knees to make the movement easier

Leg Raises

-start with both legs extended straight out, keeping heels glued together and toes pointed 
-place your hands directly behind you, with fingertips pointed forward (the further back the hands, the easier the movement will be)
-start raising the legs up as high as you can, while slightly leaning forward 
-as you come down, lean back until you return to your starting position

Seated V Ups

For the circuit below, you will be alternating between hollow rocks and seesaw planks every 60 sec, trying to get as many reps as possible of each.  There is no set rest between exercises, so you are continuously going back and forth between hollow rocks and planks for 3 rounds total (rest as needed)

-lie faceup on the floor, feet together, and bring them four to six inches off the ground
-bring the arms overhead 
-press your lower back into the floor, contract your core, and raise your arms and legs off the ground
-start rocking back and forth, while not allowing your arms to come forward

Hollow Rocks

-set up in a plank position
-place elbows firmly on the ground keeping the shoulders in line with the elbows
-maintain tension through the glutes and core and begin shifting your bodyweight forward and backward

Seesaw Planks

Circuit 1

-tie a resistance band to a beam or other sturdy object 
-start laying on your back, with knees slightly bent
-grab the resistance band with both hands, and as you come up into a full sit-up position, pull the band behind you and over the top of your head

Resistance Band Sit Ups

-lay flat on your back, keeping hips tucked 
-with hands by your sides, pull both knees into your chest, slightly lifting your butt off the ground to get more depth 
-extend back out to a straight leg position before repeating the movement 
-you can make the exercise easier by tucking hands underneath your glutes, or not extending your legs fully out 
-try not to let your lower back arch

Reverse Crunches

-start on the ground, with palms and knees down
-palms should be directly under your shoulders, and knees should be directly under your hips
-tuck your hips and retract your shoulders
-flex your toes, and come off the ground an inch, keeping knees as low as you can without touching
-you should feel most muscle groups engaging here, so distribute weight as needed to stay up for the prescribed amount of time

Beast Hold

Circuit 2

-start with feet on the ground, either stacked on top of each other, or staggered top over bottom 
-keep elbow on the bench, with the opposite palm down supporting the movement 
-drop your hip down towards the ground, getting as deep as possible 
-as you come up, squeeze through your oblique, and rotate slightly at the top
-shrug shoulder down and away from your ears

Elbow Elevated Plank Oblique Dips

-start with your feet slightly wider then shoulder width, holding on to the cable handle with both hands intertwined 
-handle should be chest height 
-start to rotate from your torso, pivoting the back foot to help with the movement 
-keep shoulder completely neutral and do not let them move up or down
-the movement should be coming from your core, not your shoulders

Cable Wood-choppers

-lay on one side, with the same arm extending out perpendicular to your body 
-keep heels and toes together
-think to “bend” directly in the middle, aiming to get your hand to make contact with your feet as they simultaneously come up
-if straight legs is too challenging, bend your knees and drive them in towards your chest as you come up (look at half plank oblique crunch exercise)

Plank Oblique Crunches

Circuit 3

Your goal is to accumulate as many butterfly sit ups as you can within 8 minutes.  When the clock starts, go directly into the butterfly sit ups.  Once you hit the 1 min mark, you will do 5 V-ups, which do not count towards your total butterfly sit ups (clock continues running) 

Once you are done with the 5 V-ups, continue back with butterfly sit ups for the remainder of minute 2, then you will again do 5 V-ups when you hit the 2 min mark and so on, until you get to 8 minutes.

Note how many reps you get, and repeat this circuit 4 to 6 weeks later.

-start laying on your back, with feet together in the middle and the soles of your shoes touching
-reach your arms behind you, make contact with the ground, and sit up until your chest fully passes your hips
-return to the bottom, ensuring your hands always make contact with the ground before coming back up to the top

Butterfly Sit Ups

-Start by lying flat on the ground.
-Simultaneously begin to raise your legs and upper body to form a V shape. 
-And to drive lower back into the floor and maintain a tight core. 
-Bend knees if needed.

Core Work

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