How to Tone Up for Spring Break in One Month - part 2 - women campus
Goal #2: Jessica Alba Abs
It's easy to lose focus on your stomach area during the winter, especially since we've had our control-top tights to suck it in. But when you hit the beach in March, tights won't be as flattering with your bikini as they are with your little black dress.
George said for abs you want to engage in the following abdominal exercises 4-5 times per week to achieve the best results. For crunches, he said, it's important not to strain your neck during the exercise and to breathe.
"Make sure not to pull on the neck with your clasped hands. You should feel only the abdominal muscles working," he said. "Do not jerk the neck up and down and expel a breath on each exertion and rep. Only come up as high as comfortable, but work on getting the shoulders higher off the grounds for a stronger contraction."
Here is your Her Campus-suggested one-month plan:
Weeks 1 & 3
Monday/Wednesday: 50 crunches, 50 reverse thrusts
Tuesday/Thursday: 50 crunches, 50 crunches with legs up/ankles crossed
Friday: 50 crunches
Weeks 2 & 4
Monday/Wednesday: 50 crunches, 50 reverse thrusts, 50 crunches with legs up/ankles crossed
Tuesday/Thursday: 50 crunches, 50 reverse thrusts, 50 crunches with legs up/ankles crossed
*Each week increase number of crunches by 10 if you're up for a challenge!
Exercise instructions:
- Crunches: Lie with your back flat on the floor and your knees up. Keep your arms at your side and slightly raised, to refrain from putting pressure on your neck. Using your abdominal muscles, lift your chin towards your knees. Hold for one-count.
- Reverse thrusts: Lie on your back with knees bent and thrust pelvis.
- Crunches with legs up/ankles crossed: Lie on your back with legs raised at a 90-degree angle. Lower legs with ankles crossed to floor until you start to feel your stomach work. Hold for a one-count and bring legs back to a 90-degree angle.
