A well-defined, hourglass mid section doesn’t come from doing hundreds of crunches, which only target the major muscles in the center of your abdomen. To really get that “oh, gee thanks! I just do yoga once in a while” kind of slender middle, you need to combine cardio with a variety of core toning moves at least three times a week. Afterwards, just tell everyone that you just do yoga once a week–it’ll be our little secret.
1. Standing knee kicks
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms loosely up in front of you for balance. Lift up your right knee high toward your chest, and then your left. That’s one rep: do 25 reps, 3 sets.
2. Around the world kicks
Lie flat on your back with your arms out, like the letter T. Lift your right leg straight ahead of you, keeping both knees straight. Take the leg to the right (around the world), using primarily your core muscles to do so. Put the leg back down. Do 10 on each leg; repeat three times.
3. Dumbbell rotation
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a 5 lb dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbow so that your forearm is parallel to the floor; tuck your pelvic bone slightly to engage your core. Turn slowly from left to right side, keeping your hips square to the front. Continue for 30 seconds.
Photo: 123rf.com
