Old-school crunches aren’t bad exercises by any means. But it doesn’t hurt to spice up your abs routine with ballet-inspired moves.
Today’s article will walk you through 10 one-minute exercises that help with strength AND mobility.
Crunch Pulses With Leg Extension
Let’s kick things off with a dynamic exercise. For this one, you’ll do a combo of leg extensions and crunch pulses (for more isolated muscle activation).
How to perform:
- Lay down, set your hands behind your head, and bend your knees over your hips.
- Engage your core as you curl up and lift your shoulders.
- Hold the crunch, then do a pulse.
- Keep holding the crunch position, extend one leg, and bring it back up.
- Alternate legs.
Leg Raises ft. Beats
This exercise blends the fluttering footwork from the balletic beats with the basic leg raise flexion. It’ll take some coordination to get this one right, though!
How to perform:
- Put your arms by your side and keep your feet pointed.
- Make sure there’s no gap between your lower back and the floor.
- Slowly bring your legs up and down while crossing your legs repeatedly.
Crunch/Sit-up
Crunches and sit-ups are two of the most popular abs-strengthening exercises. And for this workout, you’ll do them both in one sitting.
How to perform:
- Lay down with ballet arms in front of your body (soft bend at the elbows).
- Bring your arms over your head, then crunch high enough to touch the top of your knees.
- Bring your arms overhead again, but do a full sit-up this time.
Oblique Twists
Your workout won’t be complete without targeting your obliques. So, let’s jump into side-to-side twists with leg tap-outs.
How to perform:
- Sit with your knees bent, legs flat on the ground, and ballet arms in front of you.
- Twist to one side, moving your chest and arms as you go.
- Return to the center.
- Extend your legs outward and tap the floor with your heels
- Alternate sides.
High Plank to Down Dog
Now, switch over to a high plank position. For this exercise, you’ll be bringing one knee up to your belly, then tapping it down on the mat before transitioning to a down dog.
How to perform:
- Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line.
- Lift one leg and raise your knee until it reaches chest level.
- Tap the floor with the bent knee.
- Raise your knee again before bringing it back down.
- With both feet on the floor, stretch in a downward dog position.
- Alternate legs.
Plank Rock-Tap
This exercise adds a bit of movement to static forearm planks — you’ll rock back and forth, shifting your body weight around to fire up your abs and glutes!
And to take things to the next level, do a little knee-floor tap.
How to perform:
- Get in the forearm plank position.
- Shift your body weight forward, then backward.
- Bend both knees to tap the floor gently. Don’t put your weight into it.
Windshield Wipers
Next, roll over and lay on your back for a minute of windshield wipers. To nail your form, you’ll draw your rips in and tuck your pelvis.
If you have trouble with stability, use your arms and shoulders to anchor you down.
How to perform:
- Lay down with your shoulders on the ground and arms in a T position.
- Bend your knees over your hips.
- Rotate your hips and lower both legs down one side. The key is controlled motion. Your legs shouldn’t drop to the floor.
- Bring your legs back to the center before switching sides.
Leg Switches
Leg switches can be tweaked around as much as needed.
Experienced in barre-inspired abs workouts? Take it up a notch by lifting your shoulders and giving your legs an extra pull.
Beginners, however, could do their switches with bent legs and hands flat on the ground for stability.
How to perform:
- Lay down with one leg pointing upwards and the other raised slightly off the floor.
- Squeeze your core as you lower one leg and lift the other.
- Keep fluttering, but don’t speed up as you go.
Straight-Leg Sit-up
Do you struggle with classic sit-ups because you need a partner to hold your feet in place? This variation is for you.
How to perform:
- Lay on your back with ballet arms.
- With heels planted on the floor, lift your torso using your abs.
- Bring one arm overhead as you reach a full sit-up.
- Reverse and repeat, alternating arms.
Crunch-Plié
You’re almost there!
For the last exercise, you’ll need to do a simple crunch and hold it as you perform a classic ballet plie (a knee bend).
How to perform:
- Lay down with your legs pointing upwards.
- Lift your shoulders off.
- Hold the crunch and bend your knees without separating your heels.
- Keep holding the crunch as you stretch your legs.
- Lower your shoulders and repeat.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
