ActiveWorkoutsI tried the 200 rep ab challenge – it left my midsection feeling five times strongerIt doesn’t actually take as long as you think eitherWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ActiveWorkoutsI tried the 200 rep ab challenge – it left my midsection feeling five times strongerIt doesn’t actually take as long as you think eitherWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
It doesn’t actually take as long as you think either
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Jump to category:What is the 200 rep ab challenge?How I got on
Jump to category:What is the 200 rep ab challenge?How I got on
Despite doing strength training four times a week, recently I feel my abdominal area has become somewhat neglected. Since last year I’ve been saying to my partner “I’ll add some ab exercises onto the end of my workouts”, but I never do.
As a whole, my core does get attention, I do a lot ofcompound exercises, likeback squatsandconventional deadlifts. While these will work my abdominal muscles (as they make up part of your core), I haven’t factored in any isolation ab exercises which, aren’t just essential if you want a sculpted stomach, but will also contribute towards my core strength too. (Note: for the former you will also need to have a low body fat percentage which often means eating in a calorie deficit.)
Luckily, one of my favourite personal trainers,Kayla Itsines, put out a new 200 ab rep challenge – talk about perfect timing! I know what you’re probably thinking, 200 reps sounds like a lot! But when I saw the breakdown of the workout, I didn’t think it looked too bad. Here’s what happened when I gave it a go…
What is the 200 rep ab challenge?
As you guessed, it’s an ab workout that’s made up of 200 reps in total. The workout itself consists of seven exercises, which are split into two parts, a superset (two exercises done back to back) and a circuit, made up of five exercises. This still may sound like a lot, but when you actually see it broken down below it can feel a lot more manageable (at least I think it does). Here’s a breakdown of the workout and a video:
Superset - complete five rounds
Circuit - complete two rounds
How I got on
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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First up was the superset of sit ups and bent leg raises, the part of the workout I was actually most looking forward to, despite there being five rounds. Supersets are excellent for when you’re pushed for time, as you perform the exercises one after the other with no rest in between – they’re therefore a great option for someone like myself who struggles to fit ab exercises into my workout routine. Plus, according toGrenade, they also increase muscle activation, so if you enjoy that burning sensation after doing an ab exercise, these are the ones.
Time for the circuit…
My entire midsection had that burning numb sensation afterwards, and to say it felt stronger than before would be an understatement. I was shocked to see it only took me 15 minutes to complete the entire 200 reps (I finished at 12:33PM) and, to be honest, depending on the rest time you take it could be even quicker.
Final thoughts
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
I think the number ‘200’ can make this ab challenge sound a lot more intimidating than it actually is. That’s not me trying to sell it off as ‘easy’, because it’s not (otherwise what would be the point). But it is certainly a do-able challenge and ideal if you need an effective, speedy ab workout to do a couple of times a week.
The exercises aremostlybeginner-friendly but, as I explain above, you can modify them to make them work best for you. For beginners, I’d also recommend extending the 20 second break time I took to 40 seconds and then take a minute’s rest before going into the first round of the circuit.
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