Try out these exercises designed to give you the perfect washboard stomach – extracted from James Duigan’s Blueprint for Health (Pavilion, £14.99).
Lunge Twist
(10 repetitions, both sides)
1. Lunge forward; keep your hips facing forward, with your head still, arms out to the side parallel with the ground.
2. As you move down into the lunge, slowly rotate your torso over the lead leg, with your hands still out to the side. Keep your body upright, with your chest out and shoulders rolled back.
3. Rotate back to the middle and then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times, then continue with the other leg.
High Plank to Shin Tap
(10 repetitions, both sides)
1. Start in high-plank position (just like traditional plank but with straight arms instead of them being bent at the forearm).
2. Lift your right hand off the floor and reach under your torso towards your left ankle (gently tapping the front of your foot or ankle, if possible).
3. Return the right hand to the floor and repeat with the opposite arm. Repeat 10 times on each side.
Side Plank – Knee to Elbow
(10 repetitions, both sides)
1. Come into a forearm side plank on your left side, with your left elbow resting on the floor below your shoulder.
2. Place your right arm behind your head and lift your right knee up towards your bent arm. Don’t let your hips drop. Repeat 10 times on each side.
The Body Saw with Gliding Discs
(10 repetitions)
1. Start on the floor and come into a forearm plank, with your fists clenched or your palms facing up.
2. Place each foot on a Bodyism gliding disc. (If you don’t have the discs, you could try using a small paper plate — it works in a similar way!)
3. Keeping your body in a straight line, press your forearms into the floor (forearms should not move) to push your body backwards, so your arms form a 60-degree angle.
4. Reverse the motion by pressing into your forearms to pull your body forwards, back to the start position. Repeat this 10 times.
