Who’s psyched for today’s bodyweight core workout?! We are so close to the finish of our Better Together Challenge—and believe it or not, just as close to the end of the first month of 2021. Hang in there, and keep on keepin’ on. If you’ve made it this far, there’s no doubt in our minds that you can complete this last week of workouts with a bang.
By now you should be pretty familiar with your core. You might even feel it getting stronger—perhaps you’re less sore after your workouts or find that you’re able to do more reps in the same period of time. If the workouts are getting easier for you, experiment with a longer work interval for our last week of working out together.
We also definitely recommend trying our countdown finisher for a final five-minute burn at the end of this bodyweight core workout. You can think of these finishers like a fun little game before you start to cool off. You’ll do a move for 50 reps, then another move for 40 reps, and then another move for 30 reps, then 20 reps, and finally your last move for 10 reps. When you finish that move, you’ll hold a forearm plank until the time is up. If your core wasn’t on fire before, it sure will be now. Ready, set, go!
The bodyweight core workout below is for Day 23 of the SELF Better Together Challenge. Check out the full month of workouts right here. Or go to the workout calendar here. If you haven’t signed up to receive daily emails, do that here.
WORKOUT DIRECTIONS
Do each move below for your selected interval of work and rest. At the end of all the moves, rest for 60 seconds. That’s 1 circuit. Do the circuit 3–5 times. Then try the countdown finisher.
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Option 1: 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest
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Option 2: 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest
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Option 3: 50 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest
EXERCISES
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Reverse Lunge (Alternating Sides)
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Triple Climber
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Glute Bridge March
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Side Plank Crunch (Right Side)
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Side Plank Crunch (Left Side)
COUNTDOWN FINISHER
Start a timer for 5 minutes. Do each move below for the indicated number of reps, as quickly as possible, with no rest. After you finish all the moves, hold a forearm plank until the timer runs out. Note: Each side equals 1 rep.
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Bicycle Crunch x 50 reps
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Squats x 40 reps
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Lateral Lunge x 30 reps
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Butterfly Sit-Up x 20 reps
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Frogger x 10 reps
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Forearm Plank Hold
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson1 Reverse Lunge
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Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, core engaged.
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Step back with your right foot and bend both knees to sink into a lunge. Keep your core engaged, hips tucked, and back straight.
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Return to your starting position by pushing off your right foot and stepping forward.
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Repeat on the other side. Continue to alternate sides.
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Make it harder: Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson2 Triple Climber
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Start in a high plank position, with your wrists directly under your shoulders, core engaged, hips level, and legs extended straight behind you. Lift your right foot a few inches off the floor.
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Draw your right knee to your right triceps. Then extend your right leg to return to a three-legged plank position.
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Draw your right knee to your chest (like a mountain climber), then return to a three-legged plank position.
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Draw your right knee to your left triceps (like a twisting mountain climber), then return to high plank (returning your right foot to the floor).
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Repeat on the other side.
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Katie Thompson3 -
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Katie Thompson4 Side Plank Crunch
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Lie on your right side with your feet stacked and prop yourself up on your right forearm.
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Engage your core and lift your hips so you are supported only by your right forearm and the outside edge of your right foot. Focus on keeping your hips lifted and core tight. Extend your left arm overhead.
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From this position, lift your left foot and bring your left elbow down and left knee up to meet, doing a side crunch in your plank position.
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Extend your foot and arm to return to your starting position.
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Do all of the reps on the same side, then repeat on the other.
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Make it easier: Stagger feet with one foot in front of the other to make a wider base.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson5 Bicycle Crunch
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Lie faceup with your feet off the ground so your shins are parallel to the floor, knees bent to 90 degrees and stacked over your hips. Place your hands behind your head, elbows bent and pointing out to the sides. Use your abs to raise your shoulders off the floor.
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Twist to bring your right elbow to your left knee, while simultaneously straightening your right leg.
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Then twist to bring your left elbow to your right knee, simultaneously straightening your left leg.
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Continue alternating sides. Go at a slow, steady pace so you can really twist and feel your abs working.
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Katie Thompson6 Squat
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Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and core engaged.
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Send your hips back and bend both knees to drop into a squat, allowing your knees to bend to at least 90 degrees, so both thighs are parallel to the floor.
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Return to starting position by squeezing your glutes to stand.
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Make it harder: You can hold a dumbbell at your chest or a dumbbell in each hand.
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Kelsey McClellan7 Lateral Lunge
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Stand with your feet together, hands either on your hips or clasped in prayer at chest height.
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Take a big step out to the right with your right foot. Hinge forward at the hips, push your butt back, and bend your right knee to lower into a lunge.
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Pause for a second, and then push off your right foot to return to starting position.
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Repeat on the other side.
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Katie Thompson8 Butterfly Sit-Up
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Lie faceup with the soles of your feet together, knees bent out to the sides. Cross your arms across your chest or lace your fingers behind your head. Engage your core so that your lower back gently presses against the floor.
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Using your abs, roll your body up until you are sitting upright with your back straight.
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Slowly lower back down to your starting position and immediately start the next rep.
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Katie Thompson9 Frogger
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Start in a high plank position, with your palms flat on the floor, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.
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Jump your feet forward and land them lightly outside your hands. Lift your chest, drop your butt down so that you’re in the bottom portion of a squat, and lift your hands off the floor.
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Then lean forward again, place your hands back on the floor in between your feet, and jump your feet back out to return to a high plank.
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Continue to move as quickly as possible.
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Katie Thompson10 Forearm Plank Hold
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Place your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel. Extend your legs behind you, feet hip-width apart. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
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Hold.
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Make it easier: If it’s difficult to hold the plank for the full time period, gently allow your knees to come to the floor, take a few deep breaths, then lift them again. Resist the urge to simply collapse your chest to the floor. Work to bring knees to the floor with control, then lift them again.
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