Kickbox your way to better abs

By Daisy Carrington, amNewYork Deputy Features Editor | daisy.carrington@am-ny.com

November 14, 2007

Kickboxing Moves to get your Abs in Shape with Katherine Puddu, CPT at Focus Gym, New York, NY. (Kristy May / November 13, 2007)

Sure, kickboxing and martial arts will give you strong arms and killer legs (as evidenced by Jean-Claude Van Damme), but did you know that they offer a great ab workout, too?

According to Katherine Puddu, a personal trainer at Focus Integrated Fitness in midtown, strong abdominal muscles are essential for a fit body overall.

"A strong trunk [abs and back] provides speed and power and helps stabilize the body," Puddu says.

She's devised the following routine to hone your kickboxing skills and build an attractive trunk. For each move, do three sets of 15 reps, or try to do as many reps as you can in 90 seconds.

1. Seated calf raise
Get into push-up position. Twist your right arm under your left arm, then twist your torso in the opposite direction and reach for the ceiling. If you feel especially daring (or strong), hold a dumbbell in your hand. Repeat on both sides.

2. Side plane/reach through
Lie down on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Do a full sit-up, and then punch each of your hands forward and up. Slowly lower your torso and repeat.

3. Wood chops
Holding a medicine ball, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Twist so that the ball goes up and across your body and then down and across your body. Bend your knees and end in a quarter squat. In a fluid motion, continue to reach the ball up and back down. Don't pull with your arms or shoulders; you should feel the movement in your abs and back.