The 7-Minute Abs Workout That Will Fire Up Your Core

This article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue of SELF.

Sculpting your abs requires firing up every inch of your midsection, from the top of your rectus abdominis, or six-pack muscles, to your obliques. This routine challenges them all in seven moves. Don’t rush: Slow, controlled movements ensure your core muscles do the work, not gravity or momentum. Each exercise in the routine below will take about a minute to complete. When you’re short on time do one round of the seven-move circuit. For supercharged results, do three sets of each move up to five times per week. Now let’s get to the abs-mazing moves.

Your Trainer Hannah Davis, a trainer in Cleveland, Tennessee, and founder of Body By Hannah

You’ll Need gliding disks (or small towels or paper plates)

You Can Do the routine before or after cardio, but if you’re strength training, do these moves last

1. Bicycle

Works abs, obliques, hip flexors

• Sit on floor with knees bent, feet lifted, hands behind head.
• Keep chest up and back straight as you lean back to engage abs.
• Twist to bring right elbow to left knee, straightening right leg.
• Repeat on opposite side for 1 rep. Do 10 to 15 reps.

2. Slider Pike

Works shoulders, abs, hip flexors

• Start in a high plank with feet together, a gliding disk under each.
• Use abs to lift hips, bringing feet as close as possible to hands without bending knees.
• Slowly slide back to start for 1 rep. Do 10 to 15 reps.

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