Looking for a way to tighten your abs? After all, bikini season will be here before you know it. Anna Kaiser, the owner of AKT in Motion and the fitness expert behind the bodies of Kelly Ripa and Shakira, has a quick and challenging 10-minute routine that’ll help you achieve your ab goals. Her secret weapon? A slightly deflated overball. But don’t be fooled: “It’s not there for you to sink your weight into it or to make your workout easier,” Kaiser warns. Instead, the overball is there to prompt you to work harder in order to stabilize yourself on it. At the same time, it also provides some extra support, and a little bit of guidance, as you move through the various exercises.
Strong abs are also about a lot more than just appearances. “Your core is the source of power for your entire body,” explains Kaiser. “It includes not only your abs, but also your hips, back, pelvic floor and the muscles that wrap around the side of your body.” Having a strong core, Kaiser continues, will also help prevent injuries when working out. “It’s the driving force behind everything that we do in life.”
So grab an overball, make sure it’s slightly deflated, and get ready to flutter kick, crunch and oblique twist your way to a tighter core. Remember to breathe throughout all the moves, exhaling on exertion. You should also be focused on pulling your navel to spine for all of these moves. Proper form is key. “Take a break if you need it,” Anna says. “Then come back and finish the workout.”
TIP: For the flutter kicks, feel free to adjust the angle of your legs depending on your level of strength. Your back should never arch off the ground.
