- Denise Austin, 69, shared seven easy “no floor core” moves on her Instagram.
- She demonstrated the workout alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Katie Austin.
- Here’s how to do each exercise at home.
Fitness pro Denise Austin is always our go-to source for workout tips we can easily incorporate into our daily lives. Whether she’s sharing her favorite Pilates moves to feel strong or simple moves for women over 50, we can always count on the 69-year-old to make working out more fun and accessible. Most recently, Austin teamed up with her daughter, Katie Austin, 32, to demonstrate a simple routine for “abs at any age.”
In a joint Instagram post, the mother-daughter duo shared a series of seven “no floor core” moves, with just a single hand weight as the only equipment needed. “I love working out with my mama, so we’re always finding ways to make workouts that feel good for both of us,” Katie captioned the post. “Depending on age and mobility, getting down on the mat can be tougher, so this standing workout was perfect for us!!”
We’ve got the details on each move below. The duo suggested trying each for 30 seconds, with a 20-second break in between, and repeating twice.
1. Side pulls
To start, stand in a lunge position with your arms outstretched in front of you, holding one end of your weight in each hand. Then, straighten your front leg and lift your back knee toward your chest while pulling your arms back in and twisting your upper body toward the side of the lifted leg. Repeat the movement on both sides.
2. Side crunches
A variation on a classic crunch, this move offers a great side-body stretch. Starting in a wide-legged stance, hold your weight in one hand above your head, side-bending slightly to the opposite side. As you bring the weighted arm down, lift the leg on the same side to bring your knee to your elbow. Repeat on both sides.
3. Standing crunches
If you tend to strain your neck or shoulders while doing regular crunches on your back, these weighted standing crunches are a great alternative. Start standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding one side of your weight in each hand above your head. Then bend your elbows in front of you as you lift one knee to your chest, alternating knees.
4. Standing twists
Start standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-length distance apart and a microbend in your knees. Holding one side of your weight in each hand close to your chest, twist your upper body from side to side using your obliques.
5. Side reaches
Starting with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, hold your weight in one hand with your arm down by your side and the other hand on your hip. Do a tricep curl with your weighted hand to bring your arm toward your chest, then extend your arm out to the side and lean toward your outstretched hand. Reverse the movement to bring your arm back down to your side and repeat with the other arm.
6. Side dips
Start in the same stance as the last move, but bring your non-weighted hand behind your head. Side bend toward your weighted arm to lower the weight further down the side of your leg, using your abs to lift yourself back up. Repeat on both sides.
7. Front raises
To finish off strong, stand with your knees slightly bent and your feet shoulder-width distance apart. Hold one side of your weight in each hand in front of your lower abs, then swing your arms out and up to bring the weight in front of your chest.
Next time you want to feel the burn in your core without having to get down on the ground, try any one of these moves, or the whole series, for a fun and effective workout.
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