Kayla Itsines’ 4-Move Oblique-Obliterating Workout

Last summer was a breakout year for Australian trainer Kayla Itsines—in addition to her Bikini Body Guide program, she developed the SELF Summer Challenge plan, and embarked on her first workout world tour. Now, she’s launched a new app, Sweat With Kayla, and has earned the title of Instagram’s biggest fitness star with every burpee, tuck jump, and pull-up she posts. 

Itsines is preparing to hit the road again, making three stops this summer (London, NYC, and LA) on her Sweat Tour 2016. And part of her tour includes meeting fans and participating in a Q&A at the London Apple Store in Covent Garden (June 17, 6 P.M., RSVP here) and NYC’s SoHo store (June 23, 7 P.M., RSVP here) with Jay Blahnik, Apple’s director of fitness and health technologies.

Whether Itsines is leading boot camps in Adelaide, Australia, or stateside, one thing is for certain—you can expect to see her post a picture of her seriously strong abs on her Instagram account that boasts 5.1 million followers. Her abs are famous—The New York Times-level famous. And while Istines agrees that the secret to great abs isn’t doing just a bunch of abs exercises (it takes full-body strength training, cardio sessions, and a healthy diet), she does a have a few go-to moves that are killer for firing up your core. Here she shares four of her top exercises for your obliques (the muscles that run along the sides of your waist). 

The Workout:

Set a timer for seven minutes and complete the four-move circuit below as many times as you can before the timer goes off—keep a steady pace and aim to complete two to three rounds. Then take a 30-second break. Oh, but you’re not done! Then you’ll reset your timer and complete one more seven-minute circuit. 

The Moves:

1. Straight-Leg Sit-Ups With A Twist — do 20 reps (10 per side)

• Start faceup on a yoga mat with your legs extended in front of you and place your hands behind your ears.
• Pull your bellybutton toward your spine and engage your abs.
• Slowly lift your head, shoulder blades, and torso off the floor. As you sit up, extend your right arm, twist your torso, and touch the floor next to your left leg with your right hand.
• Slowly untwist and lower your torso back to the mat and bring your right hand back behind your right ear. Then repeat on the opposite side.
• Continue alternating sides until you complete 20 reps (10 on each side).

2. Abs Bikes — do 40 reps (20 per side)

• Start faceup on a yoga mat with your legs extended in front of you and place your hands behind your ears.
• Raise your head and shoulder blades off the floor and lift your legs off the ground with your knees bent at 90 degrees. This is your starting position.
• Extend your left leg so that is approximately 45 degrees from the floor and bring your right knee into your chest. Now extend your right leg completely so that is 45 degrees from the floor and bring your left knee into your chest.
• When you’re ready, incorporate a twist with your upper body bringing opposite elbow and knee to meet.
• Continue alternating sides until you complete 40 reps (20 on each side).

3. Russian Twists — do 24 reps (12 per side)

• Start seated on a yoga mat with your hands clasped in front of your chest, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your legs together, lift your feet off the floor and extend legs so that they are almost straight. This is your starting position.
• Twist your torso to the right so that your right hand touches the floor beside you.
• Return to center then repeat twisting to the left.
• Continue alternating sides until you complete 24 reps (12 on each side).

4. X Mountain Climbers — do 40 reps (20 per side)

• Start in a high plank with feet together and hands shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your left foot on the floor and bend your right knee, bringing it under your chest and toward your left elbow.
• Extend your right leg back to plank position and repeat on the opposite side.
• Continue alternating sides until you complete 40 reps total (20 on each side). As you get comfortable with the exercise, gradually increase your speed.

“While these moves work your obliques, some of these exercises also work a number of muscle groups in your body,” she tells SELF. “The X Mountain Climbers can also help target your deeper abdominal muscles as well as your shoulders and arms.” The entire routine is just under 15 minutes, with very little downtime or rest included—and there’s a reason for that. This drives up the intensity of the workout, Itsines explains. (Of course if you need a break, take one. You know your body best.)

Decreasing your changeover time (which simply means reducing the time between exercises and sets), is one of Itsines’ top workout tips. “A faster changeover time equals a consistently elevated heart rate. This means that when you’re working out, you’re really making the most of it,” she says. “Whether I’m training my clients or working out myself, I’m always glancing at it [her Apple Watch] to keep track and countdown,” she tells SELF.

While this particular routine doesn’t require anything other than a yoga mat, if you’re doing another workout, try setting up your station before you actually start training, advises Itsines. “If you’re using any equipment such as dumbbells or a skipping rope, have them on the floor in front of you so you can access them quickly while you move through the exercises. If you’re able to complete your workout without the need to stop and locate equipment, there will be less distractions and reasons for longer changeover times.”

Abs, mastered.

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