My 5 Minute AB Routine

So we alllll know how I feel about my belly. It's been a love hate relationship for the past 8 months but I continue everyday to love it a little more. I get a lot of questions asking me how did I lose my baby weight so quick? How did I get my belly so tight? Annnnd what's my ab routine. Basically.... I breast fed which is what I think helped me to lose the weight so fast. I also carried a lot of water weight when pregnant so once I popped Hendrix out that all seemed to fuck off as well. I was back on the basketball court within 4 months of having Hendrix. I practiced twice a week for two hours and then had game days on the weekend. My belly on photos looks tight but let me tell you, i have a lot of saggy skin. In a picture you can't tell but especially around my belly button it is still very saggy. Annnnd...what's my ab routine? Well I have a few if I'm honest but here is one I have done for years.

All you need is a soft floor (if your a boujee bitch you can use a yoga mat sometimes I like to be boujee) and a stop watch. It's a 5 minute routine in total that requires you to change exercise every 30 seconds. It would be ideal if you could keep going the whole 5 minutes but if you need to rest that's fine, it will give you something to work towards, just make sure you are pausing the clock. So all in all you will be doing the following 10 exercises for just 30 seconds each time.

Plank:

The plank exercise requires minimal movement while contracting all layers of the abdominal area, it is an excellent way to strengthen the core, which, in turn, helps reduce lower-back pain. Resting on your forearms and toes, lift your body and hold that position. Keep your body in a straight line, avoid booty dipping or popping it up in the air. Try and keep your head looking forward.

Side plank Right & Left:

Side Plank focuses the strain on the selected side of your abs. It requires you to balance on one arm, so this is a great pose for strengthening your shoulders, wrists, and arms also. Make sure to keep your arm strong. Don't lock your elbow, and don't sink into your shoulder. Once again lift your body and maintain position keeping a straight line.

Crunch:

As a core-training exercise, crunches help improve your balance by strengthening your abdominal muscles. Keeping knees stacked over hips, lift shoulders and crunch your upper body up towards knees.

Bicycles Crunch:

Keeping your legs off the ground works the lower abs. Keeping your legs flat on the floor, on the other hand, works the middle abs. Either way is fine. Bicycle crunches work the rectus abdominus muscle (upper abs). This is the highest set of ab muscles you have. Same position as crunches just move your legs back and forth like you are riding a bicycle gurrrrrrl.

Toe Touches:

This exercise, you can also work on the erector spinae muscles that are found on the lower back while working the abdominal muscles. Legs are straight in the air, crunch up and touch your toes.

Ankle Touches:

Lay down with your back on the ground and your knees bent, pointed towards the ceiling. With your arms on your side raise your shoulders slightly off the ground. Using your abs rotate your right hand down to your right foot and then back up, then the same with your left.

Side Crunch Right & Left:

Also known as oblique crunches, an abdominal exercise in which you do a basic crunch while leaning on one side of your body. Raising your hip and squeezing your obliques (sides) you will lift your knees towards your elbow that is positioned beside your head. Then release until both your upper body and legs lower, then raise and squeeze again.

Plank: 

Ending with Plank again...

This only takes five minutes so it's something you can do whenever you get a 'spare' 5 minutes.... Mothers, wives, girlfriends, hard working assss females I know...I know a "spare" 5 minutes is like gold dust. I have found my gold dust when the baby is napping, when I'm running a bath, when he is having some tummy time, when he is having his bottle, when my girl Kaya comes round and I hand the child over and run to a room in the house that is kid free and do this then.

Once you have mastered the above, turn that whole routine into one set and give yourself a two minute break. Repeat this set 2/3 times. 

Like I said this is one of my routines I have done since college and I love it because it can be done anywhere. I will have more routines and workouts coming soon. GO get them abs GURLLLLL!