You only need 5 moves and a resistance band to strengthen your 'deep core' muscle, build your abs and boost your balance
You don't need sit-ups to build a stronger core; pick up a set of the best resistance bands instead to provide constant, targeted tension to help you build more defined abs, glutes, and back muscles, all without taking up a lot of space.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of a band, fat loss, and mindset coach Fernanda Shaw has created a five-move ab workout that focuses on stabilizing, sculpting, and torching your core.
'The beauty of this routine lies in the details,' says Fernanda. She has taken familiar ab moves and upgraded them using a resistance band to help boost results and keep things interesting. Take the plank — it's already a fantastic core move, but add a resistance band and perform a knee drive or side step, and you'll instantly feel the intensity shift.
Fernanda recommends completing three rounds of the circuit, but feel free to add more depending on your time and fitness level. Just don't forget to brace your core throughout by 'zipping up' your abs — think drawing up your belly button and pulling it in towards your spine.
You won't find minute-long planks or endless sit-ups here. Instead, this routine challenges your core with five resistance band exercises performed for 45 seconds each. The goal? Complete three rounds with as little rest as possible. If you're feeling strong, go for four.
Want to stay in the zone? Plug in a pair of the best workout earbuds and roll out a cushioned yoga mat to protect your spine and wrists during the floor-based moves.
Below, you'll find a breakdown of each exercise, along with a video of Fernanda demonstrating every movement with precision and control.
Perform each exercise for 45 seconds. Move through all five exercises before taking a short rest and repeat.
Double leg deadlift with wide leg band pull; 45 seconds
Knee tuck with leg abduction; 45 seconds
Reverse plank knee drive; 45 seconds
Low plank with side step to squat thrust; 45 seconds
Mountain climbers; 45 seconds
Each exercise in this quick routine builds functional core strength that translates into better stability and balance, whether you're running, lifting weights, or simply going about your day. 'Your core is your power centre,' says Fernanda. 'Strengthen it, and you'll move stronger, stand taller, and feel unstoppable.'
Ab workouts don't have to be boring or repetitive. Adding a resistance band amps up the challenge by providing consistent tension throughout each movement. This activates deeper core muscles, making your abs work harder while keeping the routine versatile and accessible. All you need is a band and a small patch of floor — perfect for home workouts or when you're on the go.
Being short on time or space doesn't mean short on results. Gone are the days of endless reps with little reward. Grab yourself a resistance band, and voilà, you'll maximise results, minimize boredom, and get yourself a decent ab burn too.
Slash your biological age by up to 16 years by doing this one thing during your daily walk — new study says
No more crunches! Build a strong, stable core with these 5 standing ab exercises
Goodbye sit-ups! This 10-minute workout will help you build a stronger core and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vogue
21 minutes ago
- Vogue
Science Says We Age in Spikes—Here's How To Slow Them Down
'The fact is if we're not aging, we're dead,' she says frankly. 'The goal is to age the best that you can, not just physically but mentally. And the physical does affect the psyche.' So, what aging looks like on the face: it's loss of elasticity, lines and wrinkles, and jowling. As noted by Dr. Idriss, another indisputable part of the aging process starts as early as your twenties; collagen production naturally begins to decrease around the age of 25, typically by about 1% per year, contributing to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 'We're much more attuned to our faces and people are noticing them more,' she says—it's a culture thing, where the Instagram feed, front-facing camera, and the celebrity news cycle have us examining our faces in ways we've never done before. But still, Dr. Idriss has noticed a 'subtle shift' in faces. Over the course of six months, there's a 'flatness' that happens. Faces get narrower and longer. According to the derm, that's happening because of slight 'volume shrinkage' on the outer aspect of our faces that shifts things in your face. Can it be prevented? Not hugely, but you can address the more overarching aging shift; Dr. Idriss advises that you stick to a healthy diet, and try not to fluctuate in weight. Yo-yoing can accentuate those facial shifts. Collagen powders won't make an impact either, she belives, because you can't spot target like that. Topical vitamin A-based drugs—AKA retinoids—have been proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. 'Your later self will thank you,' Dr. Idriss says of retinol usage in your twenties. In the derm office, light microneedling can make a difference too—although not with a lot of radio frequency or heat, as Dr. Idriss advises, which could 'melt' the fat or tissue in your face that gives your skin elasticity and that plump appearance. The second peak in your late thirties, as Dr. Idriss says, can be reflected in jowling (sagging skin) around the face over the course of a month. Smile lines can become more prominent. Having a good derm, here, can be important. No cream is going to restore volume—different treatments like PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin, derived from your body's blood) or PRP therapies to stimulate your own tissue would be advisable. It can strengthen your tissue, and can slow down the deepening of smile lines. Dr. Idriss says she's noticed it's helped her own under eyes. Filler, when used strategically and done correctly, could also be considered. While fillers won't lift your face, it can be used to fill in the details on your face to create balance and make jowls less prominent. Dr. Idriss also advises ultrasound treatments around this time, which would help to tighten skin over time.
CBS News
21 minutes ago
- CBS News
Former Trump surgeon general says "people are going to die" after RFK Jr. halts some mRNA vaccine research
Former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams — who served during the first Trump administration — argued Sunday that "people are going to die" if the U.S. backs away from mRNA vaccine development, after Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. halted around $500 million in research funding. Kennedy announced last week that the administration was canceling 22 mRNA vaccine development projects, saying the vaccines "fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu." The projects were funded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA. Kennedy said the funds would be shifted toward "safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate." Adams, who appeared Sunday on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," said Kennedy's assertions about the efficacy of mRNA vaccines are "simply not true" — citing their effectiveness in the COVID-19 pandemic, during which hundreds of millions of people took Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA vaccines. "We know that by the most conservative estimates, upward of 2 million lives have been saved because of mRNA technology," Adams said. "It helped us develop COVID-19 vaccines in record time. And it's, quite frankly, President Trump's greatest achievement." The mRNA technology was central to Operation Warp Speed, a public-private partnership aimed at quickly developing COVID-19 vaccines at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic near the end of Mr. Trump's first term. If the U.S. had relied on older vaccine technology, it could have taken an extra 18 to 24 months to develop COVID-19 shots, Adams said. Asked about Kennedy's move by CBS News earlier this week, Mr. Trump said, "Operation Warp Speed was, whether you're Republican or a Democrat, considered one of the most incredible things ever done in this country," while noting that he had upcoming meetings on the topic. Adams, who was involved in the Operation Warp Speed effort, said it's "fascinating" to him that, as Mr. Trump and his allies discuss whether he deserves a Nobel Prize, "the thing that he should be considered for the Nobel Prize for, his health secretary is trying to undermine." The former surgeon general explained that mRNA is a type of natural molecule that's present in the body and operates like a "recipe card that tells your body how to make a protein." Beyond COVID-19, Adams said the technology "helps us develop vaccines and new treatments" in other areas — from cancers and HIV to the flu and the Zika virus. The funding cuts could halt progress in one of the "most promising areas of modern medicine," the former surgeon general said. "These are advances that are not going to happen now," Adams said. "People are going to die because we're cutting short funding for this technology." Adams also criticized Kennedy for his response to a shooting outside Centers for Disease Control and Prevention buildings in Atlanta on Friday. Investigators have been looking into possible motives, including the possibility that the suspect believed he was sick as a result of the COVID vaccine, multiple sources told CBS News. "How you respond to a crisis defines a leader. Quite frankly, Secretary Kennedy has failed in his first major test in this regard," Adams said, accusing Kennedy of issuing "tepid response" to the shooting, while adding, "and that's not even considering how his inflammatory rhetoric in the past have actually contributed to a lot of what's been going on." In a statement Friday, Kennedy said, "No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others." But Adams argued Kennedy has not "unequivocally condemned the violence." "There's an out there," Adams said. "If you don't believe that people are working to protect the public, then that means it's okay to commit violence, at least in some people's eyes." The former surgeon general said people at the CDC were calling him after the shooting asking him to make a public statement "because they felt under attack." "They didn't know if this was going to continue," Adams said. "They were scared, and they wanted someone, someone who they felt had a public voice, to go out there and say, 'This is wrong. Violence is wrong.'"
CBS News
21 minutes ago
- CBS News
After daughter's devastating Batten diagnosis, Minnesota family fighting to find cure
A Victoria, Minnesota, family is channeling their heartbreak into hope. When Dan and Stephanie Born welcomed their daughter Helen into the world, they felt their family was finally complete. Helen Born was spirited from the start and has always loved pink, hugs and all things "girl." Now, that spirit is helping Helen Born — and her parents — fight an unimaginable disease. "It's been a really, really difficult year," Stephanie Born said. It was around age 2 that Dan and Steph Born started to notice some changes. Helen Born was a bit clumsy, and her speech was delayed. Last summer, the seizures started. By age 4, doctors delivered a diagnosis the Born family had never heard of: CLN2 Batten disease — a rare, degenerative and fatal neurological disorder with no cure. "We never thought our world would come crashing down with a diagnosis," Dan Born said. "You could just see it in the doctor's eyes." Batten disease affects just 200 to 300 children in the U.S. It's caused by a deficiency of the TPP1 enzyme, which breaks down waste in cells. Without it, the waste builds up and slowly kills cells, taking away motor function, sight, speech and, ultimately, life. Doctors told the Borns their daughter may not live past the age of 10. "I can't unhear that," Dan Born said. "And I can't live with that." Since her diagnosis, Helen Born has been receiving enzyme replacement therapy every two weeks at Mayo Clinic — the only child there currently undergoing the treatment. Shortly after the diagnosis, a port was surgically placed in her brain to administer the infusions, which aim to slow the disease's progression. But the treatment is not a cure. "This is the best she'll ever be until we find something else," Stephanie Born said. "It's a disease that absolutely robs kids of their childhood." The Borns refused to accept that Helen's diagnosis is the end of her story. "The first night after the diagnosis, there was just this beautiful, pink sky," Dan Born remembered. "Helen has always loved pink. I remember Steph, one of the first nights, said, 'That's a sign from God that he's going to take care of Helen.'" That moment inspired the creation of Helen's Pink Sky Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to raising money for Batten disease research. In just a few months, they've raised $1 million. None of it goes toward Helen Born's medical care. Every dollar supports research grants, with three institutions already receiving funding. Their goal: raise another $8 to $10 million over the next three years. "We are just getting started," Stephanie Born said. "I think we're challenging things in certain ways that people haven't seen before. That we're going to get a different outcome. I will think nothing less than us finding a cure." The foundation has sparked nationwide support. Hundreds of people across the U.S. are hosting "Pink Lemonade Stands for Helen." During the Indy 500, where Helen Born's cousin and uncle are part of a race team, her story was featured — drawing 10,000 views to the foundation's website in a single minute. The momentum is vital. And in the face of this relentless disease, their fight burns brighter than ever. "We're fighting every day for Helen," Dan Born said. "And we're going to continue to fight for Helen. We can't accept anything else." Helen's Pink Sky Foundation is hosting a fundraising gala Oct. 25 at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota.
