Do This Quickie Abs Workout 3 Times a Week, and There’s No Core Move You Won’t Be Able To Master

The best thing about functional fitness training is the huge payoff you get in your everyday movements. This means that your grueling arm workouts grant you better carrying power, burning leg exercises give you more strength and stealth in your steps, and your ab-quaking core circuits make twisting and turning much easier in day-to-day life. The good news? All you need for everyday core strength is to repeat this quickie series (I’m talking 10 minutes!) of ab exercises three days a week. And once you do that, there’s no core move you won’t be able to master.

Well+Good’s Trainer of the Month Ash Wilking, a Nike master trainer and Rumble instructor, brings us exactly that: a 10-minute functional abs workout that brings the fire to all 360-degrees of your core muscles. “This is a great circuit to add onto a run or a weightlifting workout,” says Wilking of the short-but-spicy set of exercises that can truly fit into your day whenever (including between meetings). Though it’s only 10 different moves, the exercises hit your core really quickly and maintain that burn for an effective mini-sesh that you can spread throughout your week.

Included in Wilking’s core workout are staples like the side plank, dead bug, and hollow hold, but with fun twists to up the ante—think an added twist to the side plank to further fire up your obliques, or a hollow hold-cannonball combo that spikes your heart rate. Then there’s a plank variation (but of course), a kneeling twist, and more core goodness that get your body’s trunk stretched out, activated, and strengthened in a mere 10 minutes.

Once you work and sweat your way through the session, you’ll quickly realize that a solid ab workout does not necessarily call for an hour of work. Try doing this one just three days a week, and you’ll feel the difference in that major muscle area that holds you up and keeps your entire body strong. Grab a mat—and a medicine ball if you want a challenge—and hit play to get started.