241 Pizza

Lowdown I love the side plank: it has many variations either as a straightforward hold or as a raise, or even using your other levers to make the exercise harder.

Get down on to the floor and roll on to your left side. Place your left forearm on the floor, with your palm facing down and your right hand either on your hip or resting along the right side of your body, whichever feels the more comfortable. Make sure that your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line. Your body is now in the correct position, so lift your left hip off the ground by pushing yourself up with your left arm and hold this position for 20 seconds.

To make the hold harder you can raise your right leg so that it is about 12in (30cm) from the left leg on the ground. This adds an element of instability so if you are not using your core strength properly you will find it almost impossible to raise the leg.

Obviously, you then repeat the exercise on the opposite side. I promise you that within a few weeks of doing this exercise you will start to see a waist appear and if you already had one, it will look smaller and tighter.

THE BURN

Easy does it Hold this plank for 20 seconds on each side; do this four times a week.

Feeling adventurous Hold the position for 20 seconds, but raise the top arm and leg. To add even more difficulty, after the 20 seconds are up, bring your right arm and leg back to the start position and then lower the hip back to the ground, then raise up and down ten times.

Showing off Hold the position for 20 seconds and then follow up with ten raises.

A SOPHISTICATED CRUNCH

Great for working all your stomach muscles

Lowdown Start by lying on your back with your feet about 12in from your bottom with the soles of your feet on the floor. The small of your back should be touching the floor and will stay there throughout all variations of this exercise. Put your arms by your side with your palms facing the floor and then, using the muscles in your trunk, raise your head off the ground and towards your knees; your hands can also come a couple of inches off the ground and then be lowered again.

Take two seconds to reach the top of the position and two seconds to come down; repeat the exercise 20 times.

THE BURN

Easy does it 25 basic crunch exercises three times a week.

Feeling adventurous 25 repetitions with your feet raised off the floor so that your thighs are at a right angle to your lower leg.

Showing off Hold a weight in your hands, either a small medicine ball or a bag of sugar. Take the item over your head with both hands and lie flat on the floor. At the same time raise your legs to the right-angle position while taking the bag of sugar over the top of your knees, then lower to the start position, ie, flat on the floor. It is vital that the small of your back is touching the floor and that you do the move in a controlled way. Do 15 times.

Top tip

While doing these exercises, try to imagine that you are pulling your tummy button in towards your spine. This will help you to maintain the right posture.

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