Here at Fitness Blender we love doing quick intense workouts to get the most out of our time and effort. This quick 12 Minute abdominal routine is no exception offering a stomach burning workout in just a few minutes. We have designed this workout to not only be easy to follow along with but also easily modified for beginners or advanced exercisers. Read the description below to get a better idea of the modifications you can use.

Though this routine is intense, the nature of ab exercises does not lend itself to burning a lot of calories. This routine burns around 8 calories per minute on the high end and about 5 calories per minute on the low end when done as is, giving you a total burn of about 60 to 96 calories. Now if you use the easier modifications below then that range will drop to around 24 to 60. If you use the harder variations (depending on the amount of weight used) that number can be anywhere from 84 to 132 total calories burned in this short 12 minute workout.

Below are the exercises used in this video. They are in groups of two exercises and they are done back to back in an A,B, A,B pattern so you alternate between exercises and complete two sets of each before moving on to the next two exercises.


12 Minute Abs and Obliques Workout

Crisscross Crunches
Russian Twists

Side-Plank Oblique Crunches L
Side-Plank Oblique Crunches R

Reverse Crunches
Jack Knife Crunches

Long Arm Crunches
Plank


Lower Intensity Modifications

• Crisscross: Bring your knee past your hip joint and/or let your extended leg touch the ground.
• Russian Twist: Sit closer to having your chest perpendicular to the ground
• Side-Plank Oblique Crunch L: Cut out the arm and leg motion and only move your hips
• Side-Plank Oblique Crunch R: Same as for Left side
• Reverse Crunch: Bend your knees and/or let your legs swing slightly for momentum. Just try and come down slowly.
• Jack Knife: Bend knees, especially when dropping them out towards the ground
• Long Arm Crunch: Bring arms in for a traditional crunch, with hands behind head or at chest for even easier version.
• Plank: Perform the hold from your elbows and knees or hands and knees.

Higher Intensity Modifications

• Crisscross: Use ankle weights if available.
• Russian Twist: Lean back as far as you can and hold a dumbbell in your hands with arms at a full extension.
• Side-Plank Oblique Crunch L: Come up on to elbow and foot rather than knee.
• Side-Plank Oblique Crunch R: Same as Left.
• Reverse Crunch: Hold a weighted object between legs and make sure there is no swing from your legs.
• Jackknife: Hold a medicine ball (or similar weighted object) between your feet and cross it into your hands every time your come up to the top of the motion. Keep arms and legs extended.
• Long Arm Crunch: Hold a weighted object in your hands. Keep upper arm by ears.
• Plank: Place a weight on lower back/hips/butt area. Be sure to maintain clean form.