David Kirsch may train celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, and Heidi Klum, but thanks to the power of the Internet, we like to think he’s our trainer, too. Kirsch regularly posts his favorite workout routines to Instagram, which means we all have a chance to do J.Lo’s workout (and as we all know, she really loves to exercise.) Most recently, Kirsch shared a four-move core workout that makes use of a pull-up bar and medicine balls. It’s an ideal workout to test at your own gym this week. We reached out to Kirsch to get the full breakdown on how to try these moves at home.
In his video, Kirsch walks viewers through hanging knee raises, a medicine ball spiderman, jackknives, and a medicine ball slam. Find out exactly how to do each move below, plus Kirsch’s pro tips on form, rep suggestions, and advice.
Hanging knee raise
This move “engages the lower abs, the area around the belly but ton,” says Kirsch. In his own workouts, Kirsch attaches soft cuffs to a pull-up bar, which provide the elbows extra stability. If you don’t have cuffs handy, grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing outward. With our without cuffs, Kirsch asks his clients to keep their elbows bent at a right angle. Keep your core engaged and make sure your legs aren’t swinging, which, Kirsch explains, help protect your lower back.
“[Beginners should] start with bent legs and bring the knees up to the chest, slowly contracting the abs as you do it,” he explains. “Once you get more proficient, you can try to do them with straight legs.” Keep in mind that a partial range of motion is good (even expected!) for beginners, so don’t expect to bring your knees all the way to your chest the first time you try. Start with 10 to 15 reps.
“This is basically a plank, which engages the entire core,” says Kirsch. “The added benefit of the medicine ball is to create an unstable surface, which raises the difficulty. Bringing your knee in [also] engages the oblique muscles.” Start in a plank with your hands on top of the medicine ball, then bring each knee to its matching elbow. Kirsch says to make sure to keep your core engaged and hips lifted. Start with 12 to 15 reps.
Jackknives
This ab move “engages the entire core from below the rib cage to the bellow button,” says Kirsch. “You also have the added benefit of engaging your arms and back.” To start, lie on an exercise mat with a medicine ball (of any weight) in your hands. Then crunch up, lifting the ball and your torso, while simultaneously lifting your legs. Touch your feet with the ball, pause for a moment at the top, and return to start. Again, 12 to 15 reps.
Medicine ball slam
Reach for the medicine ball once again for a final move, a ball slam that engages the entire core and has the added benefit, says Kirsch, of raising your heart rate for a bit of a cardio workout. Extend your arms overhead with a medicine ball in hand. From there, the move is simple: Slam the ball down on the floor, pick it up on the rebound, and slam it back down 12 to 15 times.
Use these four moves for a full workout, or add strength training to stretch your session even further.
