Home Workout #1: Tabata & Abs

Probably the #1 question I am asked is "how do I get abs like yours, Sara?"

The answer is FAT LOSS, which is contingent upon many variables. You already know how much I emphasize the importance of 8 hours of sleep and diet. Without these variables under control, your exercise regime will be an exercise in futility. Please click here to learn my dietary philosophy.

Your next question is: "what ab exercises do you do?"

The answer: always something different because I don't want my body to adapt!  I never just lie down and do abs. Nor do I spend hours doing long boring steady state cardio sessions. To be honest, I used to do that, and I GAINED an ugly layer of fat over my abs because this paradigm is notorious for slowing the metabolism over time. Now I perform high intensity circuits because research demonstrates it's the most effective way to boost the metabolism and burn fat.

• A University of New South Wales study found that the women who did anaerobic high intensity interval training burned fat at a rate 3 times higher than those doing aerobic exercises!(1)
• A study by researchers at Laval University's  Physical Activity Sciences Laboratory compared interval training to standard endurance cardio. They found endurance training burned twice as many calories as interval training during the actual exercise; however, skinfold measurements showed the interval group lost 4½ times more subcutaneous fat! (2)

Key Points:

1. If you want to shed fat (and reveal your abs), then stop the long boring cardio sessions and slow weight training sessions with long rest periods! Save time & maximize fat burn with SHORT UBER-INTENSE INTERVAL TRAINING!
2. Regularly change your regime if you want to remain a fat-burning machine!

Today's Quick Workout:

Is a jump rope TABATA workout

• It consists of 20 seconds of "all out effort" followed by 10 seconds of rest. This takes 4 minutes. How's that for time-efficiency?
  • We will do jump rope for 20 seconds of "Power Jumps" followed by 10 seconds of rest.
  • If you cannot do the Power Jumps, then substitute with a very fast Basic Bounce and consider doing an easy paced Basic Bounce during the 10 seconds of rest as a compromise. If you cannot do that, then try any of the following: jumping jacks, burpees, tuck jumps, jumping lunges or  jump squats.
• When I say "all out effort", that means you should feel like your lungs are going to explode by the time you reach the 2-minute mark. Watch the workout to hear how my breathing changes over the course of 4 minutes. You can see and hear me struggling!
• After doing extremely intense Tabata exercise, your body will continue to use more oxygen than normal during the next 24 hours. In other words, your metabolism will be higher, which means you will continue to burn extra calories.

Plus an ab workout (no rest between exercises):

• Boats with a Twist (25 reps)
• Swiss Ball Leg Raise with Hip Thrust (25 reps)
• Crunches with Swiss Ball (25 reps)
• Plank Hold for 1 minute

I call this workout "Tabata Sandwiches" because I performed it 3 times in a row, resting a minute between my 3 "sandwiches". If this is your first time, then start with one "sandwich" and ease your way into it. One sandwich should take about 7 to 8 minutes to complete. Do not do more than 4 minutes of Tabata at a time. The 4-minute workout should be so intense, that you couldn't possibly do another 20 seconds of "all out effort" after the 4 minutes are up. If you can do more than 4 minutes, this means you were not engaged in "all out effort". I use the ab workout and the 1 minute of rest as an opportunity to recoup before repeating the program.

Exercise Demonstration Video:

Watch the Exercise Demonstration Video BEFORE clicking on the Home Workout Video. This is IMPORTANT for injury prevention! In this video, I teach you Buddy Lee's correct jump rope technique for the "Basic Bounce" and "Power Jumps".

Equipment Checklist:

• Gymboss Interval Timer
• Shock-absorbing surface, such as interlocking floor mats
• Dr. Sara Solomon Cross Speed Jump Rope by Buddy Lee Jump Ropes
  • Click here to learn how to determine your correct jump rope length.
• Stability Ball
• Dumbbell (I used a 9-pound dumbbell)

Always a Must!

• Read my training philosophy before you begin!

Drink your BCAAs!

Stay hydrated with water.

• I like to add BCAAs. Click here to read why.

The Real-Time Workout Video! 

Get Ready! Do the workout with me live! I found this workout to be VERY challenging. Let me know how you fare.