Hi, it’s me, back later trying a 5-minute abs workout for 31 days straight and ready for more. This time, I’m tackling a famous TikTok abs routine.
ICYMI, I wasn’t much into ab exercises before that last experiment. But coming out of that, I vowed to try to include them in my exercise routine more consistently. As for how that was going…let’s just say he had the best of intentions, but old habits die hard. I am grateful for this assignment as another boost of motivation to continue with the main work.
This (approximately) 12-minute bodyweight abs workout came from the TikTok star and BOLD by Brianna Joye app founder Brianna Joye Kohnwhich was programmed exclusively for WH. It was actually my first foray into the TikTok fitness world (probably because my page is full of cat videos, no pun intended).
TBH, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. All the exercises were familiar to me, and 12 minutes did not sound I like it a lot, so I felt confident walking in. But I’ve definitely been overconfident when starting new regimens before (see: The time I tried Torch’d with five pound ankle weights Oh!).
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Fortunately, I connected with Kohn for advice and to be as prepared as possible. He just remembers: I did this two-week trial as a fun experiment, so I’m not suggesting you follow my exact steps But if you need help designing your own exercise regimen, WH has a lot of information about how often should you do abdominal exercises Y How to correctly combine cardio and strength training.And you can always consult a professional like Kohn for more individualized advice too!
Now, read on for everything you need to know about my first “FitTok” journey, my exact TikTok crunch routine, and every milestone I hit along the way.
The TikTok Abs Routine
First things first: Let’s talk about training. Kohn gave me a two-round bodyweight circuit with six ab moves. Why body weight? Kohn says those kinds of moves have had the biggest impact on his body. And, with no equipment required, he can do them anywhere.
Brianna Joye Kohn’s TikTok Ab Workout
Instructions: Complete each exercise for one minute before moving on to the next. You can take a short break between exercises, but try to do all three plank movements in a row without stopping. Repeat the entire circuit twice.
1. ABS
two. toe tapping
3. Griddle ranges
Four. Plank hold
5. Plank Hip Dips
6. bikes
FYI, you can also see the star behind the routine Brianna Joye Kohn demonstrating these moves:
My plan to balance training TikTok Abs
I took Kohn’s advice to heart before rolling out my mat to begin with. First, he recommends slowing down and focusing on form. This was a good reminder for me as I tend to speed up my movements when I’m working hard.
He then challenged me to do the full set of plank movements without rest. He also warned me that the ranges on the boards would be difficult. (By the way, she has a great form tip for that move: “You want to imagine that you have a bottle of water on your back,” she says. Pretending that you can’t spill the water helps keep your hips straight.)
Real talk: As if an ab challenge wasn’t hard enough, this test overlapped with some of the busiest days I’ve had in a long time. I was moving to a new state, working full time and, you know, dealing with life. I knew that time was going to be a *very* limited resource, and some days, I could only do this abs workout. (Fortunately, Kohn let me know that the grind would definitely burn itself out!) I figured it would be a nice mental break for a series of unpredictable days, and gave myself permission in advance to struggle, both physically and mentally.
Trip
Erin Warwood
Day 1: I started with fresh muscles and confidence.
For the first day of my test, I decided to do the ab workout after an hour of gardening. I didn’t want to do also lots of other exercise before my first session, because I wanted to see how hard the regimen felt without exhausting myself beforehand.
I’ll admit, I was a bit cocky at first: I thought crunches would be a doddle, but I actually found myself getting tired within 30 seconds. she did all three plank exercises. And believe me, they were painful. He was hoping the hold would feel like a nice rest after the scopes, but he was sorely mistaken. My shoulders and abs were on fire, which didn’t help at all going into the hip dips.
Erin Warwood
Once I got to the bikes, the last exercise, I reminded myself to slow down and think about my form. It was easy to forget in the middle of a series of planks that stretched my limits. As expected, I had to rest for about a minute between rounds, but knowing what to expect in round two made the exercises a little easier.
Days 5-9: I found renewed motivation with a mini goal.
Erin Warwood
This middle block of my test felt like a series of peaks and valleys. Days five and six were small advances: sit-ups, toe strikes, and even plank positions were much easier in the first round. Plank hip dips, on the other hand, still felt like my nemesis.
Confession: I missed a day of ab training. Why? Day seven, a travel day, turned into a travel day Y night. So by the time I got anywhere I could get an ab workout, it was already day eight. *Palm of the face.*
After my unplanned “rest” day (although 20 hours of driving was anything but relaxing), I anticipated that the eighth day would feel pretty good. Once again, I was so wrong. I could feel my form suffering big time. I had to take tons of breaks (even during moves that had gotten easier, like plank). TBH, I was a little bummed out. I felt that I had regressed instead of progressing.
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When I came back for more on day nine, after a real break and with a better attitude, things were much better. I really slowed down and watched my form. I even set myself a mini goal: by day 14, I wanted to nail the entire series of planks (at least for the first round) with no breaks. At this point, I was already doing sit-ups, toe taps, and bikes, so I felt like I was the next mountain to climb.
Days 12 and 13: I found my flow and the energy to complete the challenge.
Erin Warwood
As soon as I set my plank set goal, I inched closer to achieving it. On day 10, all exercises except the plank hip dips felt pretty solid. By day 11, I was only 30 seconds away from crushing the entire first set of boards.
Heading into day 12, I tried to stay relaxed and stop looking at the clock. In fact, I ended up closing my eyes, listening to music, and concentrating on how my body felt. For the first time, I nailed the first set of planks without interruption. The next day, I almost crushed both rounds of planks; I only had to break about 10 seconds before the finish line during the second round of hip hops on planks.
Food to go
Erin Warwood
1. Spending 12 minutes on crunches can feel long, but it’s definitely manageable.
Were there times when I looked at the clock and couldn’t believe I was only 20 seconds into a workout? Absolutely. In other words, when my abs were screaming at me, sometimes those 12 minutes just dragged on.
On the other hand, I am so grateful for this quick regimen, because it was easy to adjust to days when I might have otherwise succumbed to my ultra-busy schedule and said “forget it” to work out. (I wish I could tell you that most days I combined it with another activity, but this time it wasn’t realistic for me.) And, ICYMI, there are some benefits of shorter workouts.
2. Planks are more challenging and rewarding than I thought.
I wasn’t exactly a stranger to planks before this test (I used to do them all the time in my competitive gymnastics days). So TBH, I never expected to be challenged this much, but it turned out that they were the hardest part of this training for me. Bottom line? As much as I dreaded doing them every day, I’ll admit I’m intrigued to work more plank variations in my usual routine to keep challenging myself and my abs.
3. A goal gave me a sense of purpose.
When I started the TikTok abs routine, I was practically doing my abs workout and waiting for progress. And I can’t stress this enough: I don’t recommend that mindset. Once I set out to nail down that series of planks, I found renewed motivation and focus. Instead of waiting for progress to find me, I was looking for it, and I have to believe that I progressed much faster as a result. Obviously, I can’t say that my method of setting a mini goal works for everyone. But for me, it was a major turning point.
Bottom line: I don’t regret agreeing to this two-week experiment. In fact, I think I’ll keep this ab workout in my back pocket going forward (and keep working those planks). Shout out to Brianna Joye!
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