• Read previous article : 30 day fitness

Before diving into this Bikini Fitness Challenge series, I asked you the question: what part of your body do you find hardest to tone? I naively thought most of you would have the same as mine, but no, it isn’t your derriere the majority of you struggle with, but your abdominals or in the words of one of the bootcampers the “abominables”

So, we will dedicate this week to our tummies. Beware, in addition to the fitness regime targeting that area, we are going to put in place some healthy habits I would like you to stick to for the entire duration of the 30 day program, in fact even afterwards.

• Drink a freshly squeezed lemon juice in room temperature water first thing in the morning. Or, if  you don’t like the taste of lemon, the juice of a freshly squeezed pink grapefruit will have the same effect.

• Drink a cup of sobacha® (roasted buckwheat infusion, I am such a fan that I registered the trademark!).

• Take a 30 mn walk on an empty stomach every day. Either before breakfast, before lunch or late afternoon before dinner.

• Add a 30 min cardio workout (walking counts) in your day to reach a total of an hour or 10,000 steps, your choice.

Now that we have established good daily habits, Let’s tackle your abs. I won’t go into detail about what different muscles make our tummies but I can assure you we will target all of them. You will have two coaches for the price of one, Alexia Cornu an amazing fitness coach whom I adore and myself your loyal coach ! Our dream team will give your abs no rest over the next 7 days. Do not let those telling you muscles need rest put you off, we aren’t working out for the Olympic Games, it is perfectly OK to do a little ab work every day.

I recommend you simply practice a 9 minute routine each day. That is enough! And no we won’t be doing any crunches as they are very bad for you ladies. Alright ! let’s get going !

(1) 3 mn abs on video

(2) 1 mn Starfish

Touch the foot of the leg stretched in the air with the opposite hand and reverse (rectus abdominis and obliques)

(3) 1 mn « Love Handles Special»

Beware not to pull on your head. Complete a series on one side before swapping around (targets rectus abdominis and obliques)

(4) 1 mn « Chest Rise»

Arms stretched out in front and feet on the ground (targets rectus abdominis)

(5) 1 mn Transversal

keep your heels on the ground, legs at 90° without pulling on the neck of lifting your lower back from the mat. (targets transversal abs)

(6) 1 mn Natural Girdle

Resting on both elbows facing down or on one elbow sideways.  Be very careful with the “shoulder – pelvis- ankle” alignment (targets all the core  muscles = posture muscles mainly works on the abdominal)

(7) 1 min Plank

keep your back flat (no arching and no round backs) it is the same position as before but held for a whole minute.

If a minute per exercise seems too long for you, start out with 30 sec and increase progressively to a minute adding a few second more each day.

There you are, do this every day or more to win the challenge.  Don’t forget to share on social media (@lebootcamp on twitter, @valerieorsoni on instagram and facebook.com/lebootcamp pour FB) and write in the comment section below about how you got on every day.

A big thank you to Alexia, sports nut and former athlete who posed for those photos.