Good morning Challengers!

Here is your Core Challenge Workout for today:

• Plank Jacks – 30 seconds
• Knee to Chest to Elbow Plank – 45 seconds
• Bicycle Crunches – 45 seconds

Repeat this sequence three times through.

How to do the Exercises

Plank Jacks

1. From the high plank position (meaning on your hands) hop your feet apart as far that is comfortable and bring your feet back together
2. Repeat this out and in motion for 30 seconds

Level 3:  Start on your forearms instead of your hands.  Be sure to keep your spine long and lean, your neck neutral and eyes staring about 6 inches in front of you.

Level 1: Alternate your time as follows:  5 seconds on, 5 seconds off for 30 seconds or simply hold the plank for 30 seconds.

Knee to Chest to Elbow Plank

1. From your high plank position (on your hands) lift your right leg and bring your knee as far up to your chest as you can
2. Extend the leg back behind you
3. Now bring that knee as far as you can to the outside of your right elbow
4. Replace that leg behind you
5. Repeat this motion on the left side
6. Alternate legs for the 45 seconds

Tip:  Keep your spine long and lean.  You should not be twisting or turning or rounding out your back during this exercise.  The only movement are the legs.

Level 3:  Start this exercise from a low plank (on your forearms).

Level 1: Alternate your time as follows:  15 seconds on, 15 seconds rest, 15 seconds on for the 45 seconds.

Bicycle Crunch

1. Lay on your back, knees bent, feet flat on ground
2. Place hands behind head
3. Lift shoulders and head off the ground, lift feet off ground
4. Rotate your torso to the right so that your left elbow and right knee in the middle of your torso (this is the start position)
5. Keep left leg straight out, about 18 inches off the ground
6. Keeping abs tight, rotate torso to the left so that the right elbow is now meeting the left knee in the middle of your torso and left leg is now extended
7. Continue rotating so that opposite elbow and knee meets in the middle
8. Make sure that your extended leg is as low to the ground as can possibly be
9. Repeat for 45 seconds

Level 3:  Increase time to 60 seconds

Level 1:  Decrease time to 30 seconds

If you haven’t already guessed, we are adding some time and intensity to your workouts.  If some of these exercises are at a level that is too great for you, that’s OK, don’t panic!  Do what you can.

The only way you can fail, is to not try.

Now go run!

Keli 🙂