When you’re in the middle of a busy travel schedule or short on time at home, you might not be so concerned about hitting every single muscle group when you exercise. Your workouts become more about getting a quick sweat on with the time and space you have available—often utilizing bodyweight exercises. It’s easy to focus in on your arms and abs and still get a good workout in with limited space, time, and equipment.
Trainer We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. has some quick-hitting routines that you can do anywhere, anytime. “Arms and abs make a killer combo, mostly because anytime you challenge the upper body there’s a pretty good chance abs are involved, too,” she says.
[The best runners don’t just run, they hit the gym. The Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training Health & Injuries.]
In Atkins’s workouts, she puts emphasis on one of the key functions of the core: trunk stability. All of the movements of this workout feature a strong position that emphasizes the abs as a stabilizer, working to keep your spine neutral and your posture solid.
“When programming, I usually put these types of workouts in a few different places,” she says. “One, as part of the active warmup to get as many joints moving under a lighter load (bodyweight). Two, during compound circuits. Typically, I would throw one of these in after a leg exercise if we’re looking to maximize time in the gym. Three, during the cardio portion of a strength training session—this comes at the end, when I pair cardio with core workouts. This helps my clients feel like they really got their booty kicked, while also maintaining safe training practices.”
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The best runners dont just run, they hit the gym.
Health & Injuries-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men's Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.
