Whether it’s a midday workout or a quick one before you hit the office, or your weekend activities, you might want to just zoom through a workout with as little “muss and fuss” as possible. For me, sometimes I have just gotten my hair done the day before, or maybe I don’t want to look like I have been rolling around on the floor just minutes ago. If you are working at home, you can do many of these between calls. If you only have 15 minutes to actually be in the gym you can easily do an amazing ab workout after a five minute brisk work or HIIT workout. (see my post here for a simple explanation of HIIT and how it is easily accessible)
Upright ab exercises also come in handy when you may have some acid reflux or if you have recently had an injury making it painful to lie on your back, although you should always speak with an expert before trying anything on your own.
Whether it be for beauty, comfort, or efficiency, these exercises will definitely come in handy. Other convenience factors include optimal use for small spaces, like a home gym or a hotel room. I also have exercises specific to a hotel room in this past post.
10 Upright Core Exercises
#1 Woodchop
You can do this with a dumbbell or even better a cable:
#2 The Lazy Girl’s Crunch
OK, this is not really the name of the exercise, but it is what I do if I feel, well, lazy or unmotivated. The weight supported by your hands allow you to lean into your lower abs. You can do it on a bench or a bosu for more resistance, but you can do it on anything – a chair, an ottoman, whatever.
#3 Suitcase Carry
It can be done with kettlebells, dumbbells, or literally suitcases. Or grocery bags. The center of gravity pull and your fight against it really works your core!
This is also called farmer’s carry, which implies farmers that carry vats of water from the well or whatever.
Interestingly enough I could only fine “bro gym videos” of this move so I will have to set on posting one of my own on my YouTube channel (in case you want to check it out, my workout short videos can be found here –>https://www.youtube.com/@daofitlife-fitnessforbusyp320/shorts
#4 Pallof Press
It sounds all complicated, but it can basically be done with a cable machine or a body band wrapped around some kind of pole or column in your house!
#5 Overhead Carry
This is a variation of suitcase carry, which you can do with dumbbells or even barbells, or a medicine ball (or a small child:). This will also give you great practice in getting luggage up on the airplane overhead:
#6 Stomach Vacuum –
So this sounds super weird and can look weird but I have been doing this since I was 14 and have a concave stomach, so:
#7 Reverse Jacknife
This can be done on the ground in single leg style, but so your hair does not get messed up try the version on the TRX or Swedish ball:
#8 Hollow Hold
Painful but effective, says Marine corps trainer, it does help to have someone yell at you in a military style fashion while you hold it, but I recommend the trick of trying to hold it throughout the chorus of your favorite song, so for 32 beats.
#9 Swedish ball sit-up
#10 Medicine ball twists
You can do this without the fancy lunch, but again the weighted momentum of the twist will really rev up your core. With the lunge, it will also keep your heart rate elevated.
