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gf11 Core | Body-weight Tabata Workout

Welcome to my core body-weight strength workout featuring Tabata intervals and isometric exercises. In this blog, I have included short demos of each of the exercises from the workout with progressions and modifications to suit most fitness levels. You can also dive right into the 11-minute workout if you don’t need the demos.

If you have time, take my 5-minute warm up before your workout and my 5-minute post workout core stretch when you’re done.

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Equipment

Exercise mat
Interval timer
Water bottle

Before You Begin

This workout begins with a short 1-minute warm up. Then we move into a Tabata workout with 8 total rounds of 30s work / 15s rest. In the middle and at the end of the workout there are one-minute isometric exercises to be used as a benchmark from which you can measure progress when you repeat this workout in the future.

Full 11-minute Workout Video:

Workout Breakdown:

PART 1: Tabata (3 minutes)

Perform 4 rounds of 30s work followed by 15s rest.

Rounds 1 & 3: Elbow Plank Hip Dips

Begin in an elbow plank. Drop your hips to one side. Return to the elbow plank and then drop hips to the other side. Continue to alternate.
Modification: Reduce range of motion or do this on knees
Progression: Drop hips to touch floor
Be careful: Keep your butt down

Rounds 2 & 4: Butterfly Sit ups

Lie on your back with soles of the sneakers together and knees pressed down to the floor. Reach arms overhead and sit up. Return to starting position.
Modification: Crunch instead of sitting all the way up
Progression: Increase pace
Be careful: Keep feet on floor

PART 2: Benchmark (1 minute)

Hold this isometric pose for as long as you can. Remember your result.

Plank

Place hands under shoulders and push up to toes keeping the entire body in a straight line. This can also be done on elbows.
Modification: Drop knees to floor
Progression: Move hands and feet closer together
Be careful: Keep head, neck, back, butt, knees and ankles in alignment

PART 3: Tabata (3 minutes)

Perform 4 rounds of 30s work followed by 15s rest.

Rounds 5 & 7: Jackknife

Lying supine lift one leg off the mat and reach to it with the opposite arm while lifting your back off the floor. Return to the starting position. Alternate sides.
Modification: Bend knees and crunch instead of sitting up
Progression: Use light weights
Be careful: Push into the hand on the floor to support your back

Rounds 6 & 8: Bear Plank Shoulder Taps

Start on all 4’s with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Raise knees a few inches off the floor. Lift one hand at a time to tap the opposite shoulder.
Modification: Drop knees
Progression: Keep hips from swiveling
Be careful: Keep back flat

PART 4: Benchmark (1 minute)

Hold this isometric pose for as long as you can. Remember your result.

Hollow Hold

Lying supine lift legs 6″ from floor and hold.
Modification: Bend knees or raise legs higher
Progression: Lift head, neck and shoulders and arms off the mat
Be careful: Keep low back pressed tight to the mat

PART 5: Finisher (1 minute)

Perform as many reps as you can in one minute.

Cross Body Mountain Climber

Begin in a plank position. Crunch one knee toward the opposite shoulder. Return to the starting position and switch sides. Continue to alternate.
Modification: Drop to knees and do small knee lifts
Progression: Add a hop to make it high impact
Be careful: Keep back straight and hands directly under shoulders

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