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Step 1
Do seated twists with a medicine ball. Sit tall with your shoulder blades retracted, knees bent and heels resting lightly on the ground (for a more advanced move, lift your heels off the ground). Hold a weighted medicine ball out in front of you and twist from side to side, touching the medicine ball on the ground on either side of you. Do two to three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.
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Step 2
Do bicycle crunches. This is the standard bicycle crunch from the Jane Fonda days. Lie on your back and pull your knees into your chest, hands interlaced behind your head. Bring your right elbow to your left knee while extending your right leg out straight. Switch sides and repeat so that you flow seamlessly from one side to the other. For an added challenge, hold the crunch to one side for 10 seconds, then switch and hold on the other side.
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Step 3
Do side planks. This exercise is often performed in yoga classes with your hand planted on the ground, but I like to have clients do it with the entire forearm on the mat. Come onto your left side, placing the forearm on the mat with your shoulder directly above the elbow. Stack your feet and maintain a straight line from your right shoulder down to your right ankle. Keeping your right hand relaxed on your right hip, raise your body up toward the ceiling and hold for 10 seconds. Lower and repeat 3 to 4 times, then switch sides.
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Step 4
Do side bends with a dumbbell. This exercise can also be performed on a slanted bench (available in most gyms--look for people doing back extensions on it), but if you don’t have access to a bench, then standing on the floor will suffice. Stand tall, hold a dumbbell in your right hand and place your left hand behind your head. Slowly drop your right hand toward the floor while stretching your right torso up and over an imaginary barrel. Do this 15 to 20 times on the right side and then switch.
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Step 5
Do a Russian twist on a stability ball. Come into a bridge position with your shoulder blades on the ball, neck relaxed back and hips raised level to your knees and chest. Hold your arms straight up and point your fingers toward the ceiling. Keeping your hands together and arms straight, rotate your hands 90 degrees to the right so that your left hip comes up off the ball. Rotate back to the center and then roll to the left. Roll back and forth 15 to 20 times, keeping your hips up and your core engaged the entire time.
