Day 2 turns the program over to the abs. Five floor exercises make up the circuit: 10 high crunches, 10 knee rolls, 10 reverse crunches, a 10-count hold and 10 sitting twists. Do them back to back, rest 2 minutes, repeat. Abs days run on their own scale - Level I is 3 sets, Level II is 4 sets, Level III is 5 sets - a shorter ladder than the cardio days because each set here has fewer reps and lands on muscles that don't reset as quickly between sets. This 3/4/5 scale is what every even-numbered day in the program uses.
The five moves split the midsection into its main jobs. High crunches, with the arms held straight up and the shoulders curling toward the ceiling, work the upper abs. Knee rolls, with the arms out wide and the bent knees dropping from one side to the other, work the obliques and rotation. Reverse crunches lift the hips off the floor with the knees drawn in, loading the lower abs. The hold is the hollow position: on your back, shoulders and straight legs lifted, arms extended along your sides, held for a 10-count without moving. Sitting twists close with rotation again, seated with the feet up and the hands sweeping from side to side.
The knee rolls and sitting twists are totals: 10 rolls is 5 to each side, 10 twists is 5 each way. In the high crunch, reach up rather than forward - the arms point at the ceiling all the way. On reverse crunches lift the hips with the abs, not by rocking. In the hold, keep the lower back pressed into the floor; if it lifts, raise the legs a little higher and the count still stands. Breathe steadily through all of it.
Cardio yesterday, abs today - the two-day rhythm of the program is now in your hands.
Make it Harder: Extend the hollow hold to a 20-count and keep the legs as low as your lower back allows.
Make it Easier: Bend the knees during the hollow hold and keep the feet a little higher.
