ABsolutely possible three minute abs

The workout I’m about to give you will make the muscles in your midsection stronger, harder, and flatter. It will make your body stand taller and a bit thinner from front to back. It will help prevent back pain and injury. It will not give you a visible six-pack unless you are also eating right and getting adequate exercise.

There is an important concept in abdominal training. Remember the 3 B’s: Bellybutton to your Back, and Breathe out!

Every time you do an ab movement, you must concentrate on pushing your bellybutton into your back, and breathe out with a forceful contraction. Constant tension throughout the entire contraction is the second principle. Stimulate more muscle fibers by not going all the way back or sitting all the way up. If you learn to do these things you can completely work your abs in three minutes. The following exercises are the first step on your way to a flat stomach.

Pelvic Tilt/Reverse Crunch
Lie flat on your back with your heels resting on a platform raised one to two feet off the ground and a towel behind your neck for support. Your legs should have a very slight bend in them and your arms are lying on the ground beside you. As you breathe out push your bellybutton into your lower back, compressing your entire midsection as far into the ground as possible. As this happens, concentrate on the lower portion of your abs, right above your pelvic wall, and squeeze them as hard as you can. Relax the deep contraction without releasing all the tension. Don’t let your hips touch the ground as you inhale and repeat the exercise. Do this 20 times.
If that becomes too easy, hold your feet in the air at a 90 degree angle. Do the exact same motion as above while rolling your knees up and over your sternum. Make sure you don’t lift your knees too high. This will shift the weight out of the abs and into your back and hip flexors.

Dropped Knee Oblique Crunch
Still on your back, bend your knees and place both feet flat on the ground at a comfortable distance directly in line with your hip sockets (they are slightly inside where your hip bones are). This is the neutral position when lying on your back. Without moving your feet, drop your right knee out to the side until it is as close to the ground as possible. This will force your left hip slightly off the ground. Put your left hand just below your ribcage on the left side of your body and your right hand gently behind your right ear. As you exhale, do the 3Bs with a forceful contraction raising your right shoulder as high off the ground as possible. Inhale as you start to lower your shoulders, but repeat the crunch before both shoulders can touch the ground again, constant tension. When you switch sides, start from the neutral position and repeat the process of setting up. As you become familiar with the exercise the set up takes very little time. Do this exercise 20 times on each side.

Standard Crunch Pulse
Everyone knows what a crunch is, but very few people get the most out of each rep. Start in the neutral position. Place your hands behind your head and tuck the towel from behind your head underneath your chin. This will prevent you from straining your neck. Do the 3Bs and exhale as you squeeze your abs hard. Your shoulders should be a few inches off the ground, but the rest of your back should be pressed firmly into the ground. Inhale, lowering your shoulders about an inch before repeating the entire crunch. This is a pulse. Remember to never release the tension in your abs by allowing your shoulders to touch the ground.

The Workout
Try to do 20 reps for each set listed. Remember to keep strict form, and don’t forget that the oblique exercise has two parts to it.

Pelvic Tilt/Reverse Crunch
Dropped Knee Oblique Crunch (both sides)
Pelvic Tilt/Reverse Crunch
Dropped Knee Oblique crunch (both sides)
Standard Crunch Pulses
Dropped Knee Oblique crunch (both sides)
Standard Crunch Pulses

That’s a total of 200 abdominal repetitions. If at first you can’t get the entire sequence, that’s cool! Start by doing one set of each exercise, pelvic tilt/reverse crunch, oblique crunch, and standard crunch, one after the other. Add another set every workout until you can do what’s on the list.