Having done marathon training for a long period, I ended up with more time and power. I chose not to dive into another big adventure but instead started mini-size. This made me choose a core workout without equipment that did not exceed 30 minutes and only five exercises were to be done but there was still a promise that the abs would be on fire. No weights, no machines, and no excuses.
What clicked with this workout was that it was fuss-free. The entire workout was no more than thirty minutes and did not require a visit to the gym, which actually proved to be a plus point when the weather was too good to stay indoors. I got my mat out, set my timer up, and gave it a try from home and here’s what happened next.
The Workout: Just You, a Mat, and 5 Core Moves
The architecture of this workout revolves around a set of five exercises, which are performed in a circuit for five sets. Each circuit consists of 30 seconds of work, followed by 30 seconds of rest, and a 1-minute rest after the whole set is done. After the five rounds, you will have effectively worked out for 30 minutes-and your core will really feel it.
The Moves:
- Hollow Hold (30 seconds)
- Back Extensions (30 seconds)
- Leg Lifts (30 seconds)
- Shoulder Taps (30 seconds)
- Copenhagen Plank (20 seconds each side)
Rest:
- 30 seconds between exercises
- 1-minute rest between rounds
No equipment is required, but I still think that the best option would be the usage of a dense mat to pad your back. This is particularly necessary for exercises like the hollow hold and leg lifts.
Round One: A Lot Easier than I Thought
The first set felt completely fine. Hollow holds were a bit tough but I was able to finish the reps, back extensions were kind of safe place for my ab muscles, and the Copenhagen planks were in fact an eye-opener that I haven’t been training that part of my body for quite some time. I was not very exhausted after the first round but I knew I was only warming up.
By Round Three: That Core Burn Is Real
Things took a turn for the worse by the start of the third round. During the hollow holds, I found I couldn’t control the shakiness of my lower body, and the back extensions required me to concentrate deeply on my form. In time-based workouts, the clock is always here, but at the same time, it is very tempting to do everything faster just to show that you have good stamina. This time the exercises became the most effective, which corresponds with increased intensity when the pace was a bit slower and the motion of the reps was controlled.
The side to side shoulder taps forced me to stay upright and pick out the obliques and transversus abdominis. Also, the Copenhagen planks, which are not usually part of my core training, hit the muscles very effectively.
Tracking the Workout Time Without Getting Distracted
Here’s one thing to note. The video does not have audio signal guidance or a built-in timer, so try to arrange your time in advance. I had programmed my intervals on my Garmin watch, while you can use your phone timer or any workout app. Once I had that ready, I was able to focus my attention on the workout and enjoyed it a lot more.
As you do this workout more often, you can save a timer workout to your fitness watch, making the whole workout process a breeze especially if you take short breaks between different sets of exercises.
It’s Not a Race—Movement Quality is the Priority
A very important fact that I learned from this workout is that it’s not about speed. Running through a quick 30-second leg lift period with poor form is not going to help you in the long run of getting good results. The muscle strength and the endurance experienced during the isometric moves with the slow leg changes are the true measuring sticks of the difficulty of this workout.
At the sight of that demo, I focused on the pace of the trainer, who was very careful, deliberate, and never quick or jerky. This is a pace that I tried to keep up with, even when I really had a hard time seeing the reason for it in my abs.
What I Was Feeling and My Particular Positions
Most of all, what I didn’t expect was that with this very simple circuit, I had an opportunity to train all my core parts. The hollow holds are a strong core exercise, the leg raises were exclusively for the lower abs, and the shoulder taps were very well recognized as ideal obliques exercises. Those Copenhagen planks? They not only activated the abductors and the middle ab group but also in ways previously unnoteable. What’s more, the workout is very effective for the core without any need for equipment.
Even if I was just doing the same 5 movements, using various angles and thereby engaging different sets of muscles, I was not simply doing sit-ups over and over again. Every round was a matter of doing the exercises, but at the same time it was a real challenge to both strength, control, and endurance.
A Unique Core Training Program
This no-equipment core workout could be really easy at first glance, but as you get to the actual workout itself, you’ll realize that it is definitely anything but easy. This workout addresses the upper and lower body parts, all the muscles of the body that have only this equipment and also does the job of balancing and mobility if you can follow along.
The time element is a significant factor, especially when you are one of those people exercising from home. In case you want to get an intermediary workout which only leaves you the responsibility to decide at what hour you want to execute it, this one is the real deal.
