Over the past few years, former tennis pro, model, and fitness instructor Akin Akman has steadily amassed an army of hardcore clients, which is how his #fitfam affectionately refers to itself. His SoulCycle classes in New York City are almost always waitlist-only events (I’m pretty sure I overheard someone begging to ride in the front row at a recent 7 a.m. sweat sesh), and the same goes for his boot camps. So why is everyone so willing to enlist in his workout regimen?
“I really believe in having one coach and that one philosophy that you embrace yourself—you kind of feed the growth versus going all over the place and everyone telling you something different,” Akman says. “You’ll go to my class and I’ll teach a certain way—I’ll teach you the form a certain way.”
“I really believe in having one coach and that kind of one philosophy that you embrace yourself—you kind of feed the growth versus going all over the place.”
One of his specialties is sculpting abs—both his own and those of his high-profile students like models Karlie Kloss and Emily DiDonato. Other fans include celebs like Victoria and David Beckham and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as pro athletes like Maria Sharapova.
And he doesn’t just train celebs or models to tap it back, either—he also dresses them. This month Akman released his first activewear capsule collection, a collab with designer Todd Snyder. Its sporty separates (T-shirts, sweat shorts, and pullovers emblazoned with “Akin’s Army” in bold, block letters) leave little doubt as to where its wearer’s loyalty lies. And makes him the latest boutique fitness brand with a cult following to turn the devotion it inspires into a fashion line.
Still, while it might now be easier to rep for his squad, rocking one of Akman’s muscle tanks doesn’t mean you get to cut to the front of the line for his classes. The next best thing? Bringing him home with you (sort of).
Keep reading for Akin Akman’s at-home ab workout—you can bet you’ll feel this one tomorrow.
GIFs: Laird + Partners
Hollow rock
Start on your back and keep your belly button pulled in toward your spine. Drive your lower back into the mat. Lift your shoulder blades off the ground and straighten your arms (biceps near your ears). Extend your legs to a 45-degree angle. Engage your core to hold the position. Rock back and forth in a tiny movement, raising your limbs a few inches from their starting position. Aim to do 3, 60-second sets of each move in this series.
Roll up
Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Sit into a low squat, bringing your sitz bones in line with your heels. Slowly roll onto your back with both your legs and hands extended, maintaining a slight C-curve in your spine. Using your core, roll forward and push through your heels to return to your starting position.
Starfish
Lie on your back with your hands by your sides. With your legs and arms extended, raise all four limbs, and bring your elbows to your knees. Hold for one breath. Then, re-straighten your arms and legs to hover above the ground before lowering all the way back to your mat. Pause between each movement to keep all four positions separate.
Pikes
Start in a plank position with your feet together on a glider and shoulders over your wrists. Raise your heels so you’re on the balls of your feet. Scoop out your stomach, pulling your belly button to your spine, and hinge at the waist, raising your hips into the air and pulling your legs as close to parallel with your arms as you can. Shift back to your plank.
Around the world
Start in a plank position with your feet together on a glider and a weight or a cone on the floor below your lower thighs. Bend your knees, keep your shoulders over your wrists, and draw a circle around your prop with your feet.
For two more celeb-approved ab workouts, check out the 11-minute one Kendall Jenner swears by and this one from Tracy Anderson you can do in under 5.
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