In the 10-minute workout series, FITBOOK presents effective training sessions for in between. The protagonists are people with in-depth knowledge in their field, including trained trainers and well-known athletes. One of them is the athletic trainer and former competitive athlete Timo Kirchenberger. In this video, the stomach is trained intensively – without neglecting the opponent: the core muscles.
This holistic 10-minute workout by athletic coach Timo Kirchenberger targets the core of the body: a strong core. The expert in bodyweight exercises guides you through a total of ten exercises – an intensive workout for the torso (core) and stomach.
Who is the trainer in the video?
Timo Kirchenberger himself was a competitive athlete in track and field for twelve years. He now works as a professional athletics trainer in Berlin. A permanent increase in well-being has top priority for him – and he is convinced that maximum efficient training is an essential lever for this. The Berlin Recycling Volleys, Olympic champion Robert Harting, the national karate team and the Berlin Hockey Club, among others, train according to his philosophy.
What is the idea behind this core abdominal workout?
As a coach, Timo Kirchenberger constantly encounters the desire for a flat, well-trained stomach. However, blunt training of the rectus and oblique muscles aimed solely at appearance is not an option for him. From the point of view of the athletic trainer, this is not expedient either from an optical or health point of view, because the opponent is not taken into account enough: the core muscles. This intensive 10-minute workout therefore tackles the entire trunk area – with a focus on the abdomen.
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How is training done?
The workout is structured as a demanding interval training: 50 seconds of exertion are followed by a 10-second break. Just follow the trainer’s instructions. You don’t need any equipment, you only train with your own body weight.
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Which muscle groups are strengthened?
The entire torso is trained, with particular emphasis on the front, deep and lateral abdominal muscles. «This body center has an extremely large influence on the general movement of the human body and the absence of pain and ailments,» explains Kirchenberger. The more stable this game, the better you are at your sport, such as running, strength training, tennis, etc.
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What should be considered with this core abdominal training?
This training is demanding. Anyone who has acute previous illnesses, injuries (e.g. herniated disc, torn fibers, strains in the abdominal muscles) or pain should refrain from doing this or at least consult their doctor first.
Otherwise, according to Kirchenberger, anyone can try it out – from ambitious young people to pensioners. Because the advantage of the workout is that you can adjust the intensity: beginners shorten the load interval and pause longer accordingly.
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Core abdominal training: The exercises at a glance
core rotation
Lie on your back on the floor and bend your knees, heels firmly on the floor. Then bring your arms forward and keep them parallel to your thighs. Now bring your hands together and lift your shoulder girdle off the floor. The next step: rotate your upper body to the left and right. Only when the abs are really burning are you doing it right. DO NOT lay the upper body on the floor during the rotation movement!
Diagonal folding knives
Same starting position as exercise one. The legs remain bent, back and heels are on the floor. Now bring the diagonally opposite limbs together over the abdomen. To do this, lift the shoulder girdle off the floor again, the respective arms and legs should touch. After one rep, switch arm-and-leg pairs.
bike seesaw
Sit on the floor with your upper body upright. Important: Only the buttocks may rest, raise your legs. Now bring your knees alternately to the upright upper body. On the one hand keep your balance with your arms and on the other hand increase the exercise intensity with a rocking movement. Do not lay down your legs or arms during the entire exercise!
Criss cross leg raise
Bend your legs again. Put your hands under your buttocks and stretch your legs in the air at a 90-degree angle to your upper body. Now cross your legs alternately on top of each other and move stretched towards the floor – but do not touch the floor! Repeat several times.
Side plank wiper (left and right)
From the plank position (= forearms at right angles to the floor, upper body straight), move your hips up and down.
Quadruped leg extensions
The starting position for this exercise is on all fours. Only hands and toes touch the ground. Alternately, take one leg off the floor and lead it backwards. Important: In the end position, stretch the leg straight away like an extension of the back.
Plank X lift
Starting with the classic plank, lift the diagonally running limbs, hold them – and lower them again. Again, arms and legs should be an extension of the back. Thumbs up to the ceiling.
reverse crunch
In this exercise, the upper body remains firmly on the floor. Legs bent on heels and knees brought to chest. For stabilization, the arms and the palms of the hands lie on the floor at the side of the body. Please make sure that the buttocks lift off at the top point. Keep your legs in the air for each subsequent repetition.
legs levers
For the last exercise, place your hands under your buttocks while lying on your back. Straighten your legs and move your feet (without bending) towards the ceiling. The end position is the right angle between the legs and upper body. Repeat several times – then you’ve made it.