I’ve always been a bit of a heart breaker…ask my past few ex’s. Of course, at the same time, I’ve also been a big crybaby myself and gotten my heart broken. But this isn’t about breakin’ hearts. It’s about making grown men cry.
Now a couple weeks ago, you’ll remember that I got my Abs Instructor Certification. Go me! Until last night, I still had yet to teach a class. I walked in at 6:59 (on time? Go me!) and heard…
“Make her do the 7…”
“Heidi you can do the 7 right?”
I looked at my coworkers quizzically…
“so [Manager] wants you to teach an abs class tonight.”
Jigga what?!
I had just walked in the door, I had forgotten my routine. I convinced my coworkers to let me do the 7:30 class so that I had some time to get my act together.
So 7:30 rolls around and I have a nice class the size of…four. A dude and two layyyddiiieezzz.
I introduced myself, told them it was a 15 minutes abs class and got right down to bi’ness.
“We’re going to start with a basic crunch…” I show them, correct them (don’t pull your neck…crunch your abs keep your neck straight. DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE!!)
2 minutes….
“Ok next, we’re going to work our obliques with some bicycles” – I had to modify it for one lady but she did good with the modification. Touch your left elbow to the right knee making sure to twist so you get the full effects and vice versa.
Five minutes by this time….
Next, we did some cherry pickers, legs up in the air, reaching up and to the side to again, work the obliques. Again one woman needed the modification so i told her to keep her knees bent and to just reach to the side.
2 minutes of that.
Next, get your leg lift on! Feet together, bringing your legs up, and down to about 4″ off the floor and back up again.
After two minutes I made them hold it. For a whole minute (trust me it’s painful) – ten minutes! Only five left to go!
Next, we did some scissor kicks – similar to the leg lifts but kicking your feet up and alternating legs. 2 minutes…then hold for a minute.
We then rolled over to a plank, which is getting into push up formation, resting on your forearms instead of hands and keeping your back straight, butt down, holding it for 1 minute.
And for the last minute, we did double time itty bitty crunches. Barely bringing your shoulders off the ground but crunching your abs no less at a double time speed.
Finally we ended with a couple stretches and voila! Heidi’s fifteen minute abs!
The man came up to me after when I was putting things away asking how many times I had taught, I told him this was my first time but that I had been practicing on my boyfriend who…ached for three days afterwards.
…he looked baffled. “Well did you make him cry? Cause you certainly made me!” He told me laughing and holding his abs.
I couldn’t be more pleased!
The only thing wrong was I didn’t know how to turn on the stereo…so there was no music making a weeeee bit quiet in the studio. My coworker showed me how to work it – unfortunately (or fortunately?) only the CD player works. This of course means I can make MY OWN ABS CLASS CD!!! Boo-ya!!!
So to you my fabulous freaders, I ask…what songs should I put on a CD meant to kick butt and take names??? 
So for those of you who asked….
Heidi’s awesome abs routine…
1. Basic Crunch
2. Bikes
3. Cherry Pickers
4. Leg lifts (with hold at end for one minute)
5. Scissor kicks (with hold at end for one minute)
6. Plank
7. Double time itty bitties
Enjoy!!!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
This may sound cheesy, but the abs class I take often involves a mix of what I affectionaly refer to as “roller skating music.” Stuff like “100% Pure Love.” There’s something about the 90’s semi-techno music that really fits with abs workouts for me.
I wish that there was an ab class around here, but I don’t know of one. There isn’t one at my gym. I need to be at one for sure!
Oh man I would love teaching an abs class. I make my rowers do it to build core- we do “Seals” and “6 inches” as well. I’ll try to think of some more. You should make a video of yourself doing that and load it on here so that we can all do it too!
By the way, did you ever get that birthday card I sent?
At my old gym I took the abs class a few times and I loved it… You should put some 80s stuff on there b/c everyone loves the 80’s (right?)
Anything 90’s pop/dance is on my workout mix. that “finally” song gets me pumped every time i hear it.
hahah this is amazing. you kick ass.
damn! i think you would make me cry too!
love the sound of those exercises! hmmm… im in agreement with the old school 90’s music. possibly some madonna, also some MJ (billy jean is a fav).
oh wow that sounds intense, i’m pretty sure i’d be in pain too.
My abs hurt just from reading this… seriuosly chica, you probably have the most stellar abs ever invented! daaang girl!
xox
Ooo, I’m definitely going to try your routine. Any kind of abs exercise makes me cry.
And for some reason I have “Crazy in Love” in my head, so that’s all I’ve got for you.
When is your workout video coming out?
I hate, hate, hate leg raises. I discovered them first at soccer training. Oh how much I hate that exercise. Did I mention the fact that I hate them?
Oh and go you!
I def need a workout or two with you – sounds both painful and fabulous!!!
I need some serious abs discipline. I’d go for anything with a real pulse.
I generally have a bad attitude towards situps, so songs like “I will survive” are good; I’m also partial to angry songs like the plain white t’s “hate i really don’t like you.” The lyrics “hate is a strong word, but i really really really don’t like you” work well in an exercise class setting … but as the inflictor of the pain, you may not want to encourage these sentiments
I still admire you so much for teaching an abs class! that’s so awesome.
I have no idea what half of those exercises are, but I agree with the 80’s music and 90’s dance music.
)
oOoOo…when i get around to picking up motivation to exercise again, I’m totally gonna try your abs routine! lol thanks for sharing
Yay! I love a good abs workout!
Um, you TEACH those classes? I can hardly stand to TAKE them. I’m impressed.
ooo, i have some ideas for songs for you:
1. bounce by timbaland
2. push the button by sugababes
3. we run this by missy elliot
4. remember the name by fort minor
5. what you know by t.i.
those all get me pumped up!
Dude. I would totally do ab workouts if they required me to listen to 4 Minutes to Save the World. Seriously.
can you come give me abs classes all the time? because I suck at doing them (more like suck at forcing myself to do them) you are awesome!! Congrats on your first stellar class!!!
Wow! I want to attend your class. Sounds like fun. And much more exciting than doing ab-work by myself, like I usually do.