This month, skip the countless crunches and lengthy plank holds. Instead, let Lauren Williams, the creator of Chisel Club, guide you through a 30-day abdominal challenge that’s not only enjoyable to do but also targets each of your stomach muscles and enhances your core’s stamina.

Every week, you’ll discover a quick abdominal workout that you’ll perform for four days of the week. On your rest days, you’ll do either a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout, a sprint, or take a break. As each week of the 30-day abdominal challenge progresses, the exercises become slightly more difficult (and a minute longer) so that by the end of the month, you’ll feel strong enough to complete all of the exercises in one workout.

How to Finish the 30-Day Abdominal Challenge

Each week of this 30-day abdominal challenge has its own distinct plan. Make sure to carefully read the instructions under each designated week in order to not only complete your assigned exercises but also continue to make progress throughout the month.

Abdominal Challenge Week 1

On Days 1 and 2 of this 30-day ab challenge, perform 30 seconds of each exercise. On Day 3, do three 40-second sets of high knees with 20 seconds of rest in between. For Days 4 and 5, do two 30-second sets of these abdominal exercises. On Day 6, you’ll do six sets of 30-second sprints, with 75 seconds of recovery between each set. Give yourself a break from the 30-day ab challenge on Day 7.

Citrus Crushers

B. Rise up while drawing knees towards your chest and stretching arms forward, then recline back into extension and reset.

Repeat for half a minute.

Foot Stretches

PHOTO: SHAPE

PHOTO: SHAPE

• A. Lie flat on your back and elevate your legs and hands up towards the ceiling.
• B. While keeping your core engaged, raise your shoulders off the floor and extend your hands towards your feet, then lower your shoulders back to the floor.
• Repeat this movement for 30 seconds.

Mountain Climbers

PHOTO: SHAPE

PHOTO: SHAPE

• A. Start in a high plank position with your shoulders above your wrists, fingers spread apart, feet a hip-width apart, and your weight resting on the balls of your feet. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
• B. Keeping a flat back and looking between your hands, engage your core, lift one foot off the floor, and quickly bring your knee towards your chest.
• C. Return your foot to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Quickly alternate bringing your knees towards your chest as if you were running.
• Repeat this movement for 30 seconds.

Plank Up-Downs

A. Initiate in a tabletop position on the floor with hands stacked directly beneath shoulders, knees bent and stacked directly beneath hips, and feet hip-width apart.

B. Elevate both knees off the floor and extend legs to assume a high plank position on palms, squeezing glutes together and activating core. Actively push away from the floor and maintain a straight line from head to heels. This is the initial position.

C. Keeping hips squared, descend right elbow to the floor, then left elbow, to transition into a forearm plank. Position right hand beneath right shoulder, then left hand beneath left shoulder to return to a high plank.

D. Repeat the plank up-down with the left side leading, lowering left elbow to the floor, then right elbow, to transition into a forearm plank. Place left hand beneath left shoulder, then right hand beneath right shoulder to return to a high plank.

Repeat for 30 seconds.

Core Muscles Challenge Week 2

On Days 8 and 9 of the 30-day core muscles challenge, perform 45 seconds each of deceased insects, leg lowers, alternating toe taps, and shears.

Similar to the 30-day stomach exercise rotation we had last week, there is a cardiovascular burst on Day 10. This cardiovascular burst consists of 40 seconds of high-intensity interval training tuck jumps, followed by a 20-second break. On Days 11 and 12, you will go back to performing two sets of ab exercises that last for 45 seconds each. It is time for sprints once again on Day 13: do 30 seconds of all-out sprints and then recover for 75 seconds. Take a moment to rest on Day 14 of the 30-day stomach exercise challenge.

Insects that are No Longer Alive

Lowering of Lower Limbs

PHOTO: SHAPE
A. Recline on your back with your legs stretched out straight towards the ceiling, with your hands beneath your buttocks and your core activated.
B. While keeping your legs straight, with your feet touching and your core engaged, lower your legs until they are a few inches above the floor, then raise them back to the starting position.

• Repeat this movement for 45 seconds.

Alternating Toe Touches

A. Recline horizontally on the floor, arms beside the body and legs in a straight position.

B. Reach up with the left arm and right leg to make contact between the fingertips and toes. Return to the initial position and switch sides.

Repeat for 45 seconds.

Scissors

A. Lie on your back, placing your hands underneath your buttocks for support, and extend your legs straight on the floor. Elevate your right leg to point towards the ceiling.

B. While lowering the right leg, raise your left leg to point to the ceiling.

Repeat for 45 seconds, alternating legs.

Abs Challenge Week 3

Similar to previous weeks in the 30-day ab challenge, Days 15, 16, 18, and 19 are designated for abdominal exercises. (Remember to perform two sets on Days 18 and 19!) You will complete one minute of twisting movements, rotational side planks, lifts involving the opposite arm and leg, and rolling like a banana. Day 17 and Day 20 are designated as cardio days, which involve high-intensity interval training with frogger exercises (six rounds, 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off) and sprints (six rounds of 30 seconds on, 75 seconds off).

Rest on Day 21 of the 30-day abdominal challenge.

Russian Turns

A. Recline with base of the spine on the ground, legs lifted and bent at a 90-degree angle, and upper body lifted off the ground, hands pressed together in a gesture of reverence. Rotate towards the right, lightly touching the right elbow to the ground.

B. Rotate towards the left, lightly touching the left elbow to the ground.

Repeat for 1 minute, alternating sides.

Lateral Plank Revolutions

1. Begin by assuming a side plank position, with the elbow on the floor aligned with the shoulder and the feet stacked.
2. Transition into a forearm plank position, resting on both elbows.
3. Return to the starting position and switch to the opposite side, assuming a side plank position.
4. Continue alternating between the two positions for a total of 1 minute.

Opposite Arm and Leg Lifts

PHOTO: FORM

PHOTO: FORM

A. Commence in a elevated plank posture with feet equidistant apart.

B. Elevate and elongate the left arm and right leg, then interchange with the contrary side.

Reiterate for 1 minute.

Banana Rotations

1. PHOTO: FORM PHOTO: FORM A. Lie on your back in a hollow hold position, with your arms raised above your head and your legs stretched out above the ground. B. Flip over onto your stomach while keeping your arms and legs lifted off the ground. C. Maintain a superman pose before rolling back. Repeat for one minute. Abdominal Challenge Week 4 The concluding week of this 30-day ab challenge is slightly different (and lengthier!): You will perform abdominal exercises on Days 22 and 23 (one set), 25 and 26 (two sets). This includes kneeling medicine ball chops, kneeling medicine ball slams, resistance band bicycle presses, resistance band plank jacks, side plank leg lifts, and bicycles. For the cardiovascular days of the 30-day ab challenge, burpees are introduced to the routine (yay, Day 24!), followed by your usual sprints on Day 27. On Day 28, you will have a well-deserved break. Day 29, you will repeat the same abdominal sequence you completed at the start of the week (one or two sets — your choice). Then, on Day 30, you will perform each core exercise in the 30-Day Ab Challenge for a duration of 30 seconds. Kneeling Medicine Ball Chops PHOTO: FORM PHOTO: FORM 1. Initiate in an elevated kneeling position, with knees at a width equivalent to the hips, buttocks contracted, and arms at a perpendicular angle to the right hip, grasping a medicine ball. 2. Hoist the ball from left to right, ascending over the left shoulder. 3. Recreate this action for a duration of 50 seconds. Kneeling Medicine Ball Slam Exercises A. Begin in tall kneeling stance with knees hip-width apart and a medicine ball on the floor on the right side of the body. B. Elevate the ball up and above the head. C. Slam the ball down on the opposing side. Repeat for 50 seconds, alternating sides. Bicycle Press with Resistance Band A. Lie on the back in a tabletop position and wrap the resistance band around the feet. Rest the back with hands behind the head, extending the elbows outward. B. Reach the left elbow towards the right knee, extending the left leg outward. Apply pressure on the band to push the feet away from the body. C. Switch sides, bringing the opposite knee in and rotating the shoulders. Repeat for 50 seconds, alternating sides. Plank Jacks with Resistance Band Reiterate for 50 seconds. Lateral Plank Leg Raises Lie on your back in a tabletop position with your hands behind your head and your elbows extended outwards. Extend left leg and reach left elbow towards right knee. C. Drive opposite knee in and rotate shoulders. Repeat for 50 seconds, alternating sides. You Might Also Like Experiment with 5 Kettlebell Swing Variations for Enhanced Full-Body Power. September 25, 2023 Give This Workout a Shot with Just One Dumbbell When Your Equipment Options Are Extremely Limited. September 25, 2023 Surviving This Extreme Ab Workout Will Be a Challenge September 25, 2023