30-Day 6-Pack Abs Challenge

POPSUGAR Studios
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Ready for another workout challenge? This one is all about strengthening and slimming your entire midsection to help diminish belly fat and love handles. All it takes is less than 10 minutes a day for the next 30 days and you'll notice a difference in how your clothes fit. It's not just about basic crunches! Oh no! This challenge involves six different ab-tastic moves to target every angle of your core from the front to the sides to the back.

Here's the 30-day plan below and do adjust as needed according to your ability level. Each day involves three sets of the six above exercises. The third set will be tough — hey, it's a challenge, right! — so be sure to focus on doing the moves correctly, not quickly. This plan also incorporates rest days, so while you can hold off on ab exercises, you can (and should) still do other workouts to strengthen the rest of your body. Also, it's not advised to skip right to day 14 (if you want to be able to laugh the next day without rolling over in pain), so follow the plan and adjust it as needed according to your schedule and ability level.

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Keep reading to learn more details about each of these exercises. And good luck!

Seated Russian Twist
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Seated Russian Twist

  • Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot and a half from your butt.
  • Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all.
  • Place your hands behind your head with elbows wide.
  • Pull your navel to your spine, and twist slowly to the right. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating. Inhale through your center, and rotate to the left. Come back to center.
  • This completes one rep.
Basic Crunch
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Basic Crunch

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet about 12 inches from your butt. Put your hands behind your ears.
  • Focusing on your core muscles, lift your head and shoulders and raise up until your head, shoulders, and back are off the floor. Keep your belly button pulled in.
  • Lower back down to complete one rep.
Side Elbow Plank Twist
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Side Elbow Plank Twist

  • Start in side elbow plank on your left side, with your feet stacked one on top of the other. Keep your weight on your left elbow with your fingers reaching away from your body.
  • Place your right arm behind your head, and inhale to prepare.
  • Exhale, pulling your navel in toward your spine, engaging your deep abs. Rotate your right rib cage toward the floor, bringing your right elbow to your left hand.
  • Return to the starting position to complete one rep. Do the designated number of reps on this side, then repeat on the left.
Superman Lift
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Superman Lift

  • Lie face down on your stomach with arms and legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
  • Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated "u" shape with your body — back arches and arms and legs lift several inches off the floor.
  • Hold for two to five seconds, and lower back down to complete one rep.
Plank Jacks
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Plank Jacks

  • Begin in plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together.
  • Like the motion of a jumping jack, jump your legs wide and then back together. Jump as quickly as you want, but keep your pelvis steady and don't let your booty rise toward the ceiling.
  • This counts as one rep.
Overhead Side Bend
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Overhead Side Bend

  • Stand with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart, holding your pressed palms overhead. Squeeze your head with your upper arms to fire up your core and protect your neck.
  • Bend sideways to the right, squeezing your waist on the right side. Keep your neck as neutral as possible, looking forward, not down.
  • Pull the left ribs down to return to standing upright. This focuses the work on the left obliques. Switch sides, and bend to the left. Rise back up to center to complete one rep.