I tried the 200 rep ab challenge – it left my midsection feeling five times stronger

Despite doing strength training four times a week, recently I feel my abdominal area has become somewhat neglected. Since last year I’ve been saying to my partner “I’ll add some ab exercises onto the end of my workouts”, but I never do. 

As a whole, my core does get attention, I do a lot of compound exercises, like back squats and conventional deadlifts. While these will work my abdominal muscles (as they make up part of your core), I haven’t factored in any isolation ab exercises which, aren't just essential if you want a sculpted stomach, but will also contribute towards my core strength too. (Note: for the former you will also need to have a low body fat percentage which often means eating in a calorie deficit.)

Luckily, one of my favourite personal trainers, Kayla Itsines, put out a new 200 ab rep challenge – talk about perfect timing! I know what you’re probably thinking, 200 reps sounds like a lot! But when I saw the breakdown of the workout, I didn’t think it looked too bad. Here’s what happened when I gave it a go…

What is the 200 rep ab challenge?

As you guessed, it’s an ab workout that’s made up of 200 reps in total. The workout itself consists of seven exercises, which are split into two parts, a superset (two exercises done back to back) and a circuit, made up of five exercises. This still may sound like a lot, but when you actually see it broken down below it can feel a lot more manageable (at least I think it does). Here’s a breakdown of the workout and a video:

Superset - complete five rounds

• Sit-ups - 10 reps
• Bent leg raise - 10 reps

Circuit - complete two rounds

• Commando - 10 reps
• Plank rotations  - 10 reps (5 each side)
• X plank - 10 reps
• Bent leg jackknife - 10 reps
• Toe taps - 10 reps

How I got on

The first couple of rounds, as I expected, were relatively easy. Although, if you are someone who struggles with full sit-ups, you could eithfer get someone to hold your feet down to make it easier. However, once round three came around, the burn kicked in and 10 easy-ish reps definitely began to feel a lot more taxing. I completed all the reps, but my sit-ups were significantly slower by round four and five. I was also very grateful I’d given myself that generous 40 seconds rest before starting the next round.00 reps would really take me. 

First up was the superset of sit ups and bent leg raises, the part of the workout I was actually most looking forward to, despite there being five rounds. Supersets are excellent for when you’re pushed for time, as you perform the exercises one after the other with no rest in between – they’re therefore a great option for someone like myself who struggles to fit ab exercises into my workout routine. Plus, according to Grenade, they also increase muscle activation, so if you enjoy that burning sensation after doing an ab exercise, these are the ones.

The first couple of rounds, as I expected, were relatively easy. Although, if you are someone who struggles with full sit-ups, you could get someone to hold your feet down to make it easier. However, once round three came around, the burn kicked in and 10 easy-ish reps definitely began to feel a lot more taxing. I completed all the reps, but my sit-ups were significantly slower by round four and five. I was also very grateful I’d given myself that generous 40 seconds rest before starting the next round.

Time for the circuit...

Circuits are similar to supersets and are when you perform several exercises one after the other, or with very short rest periods. While the first three exercises were fine doing back to back, the bent jackknife going into the toe taps were a pretty excruciating experience; my abs were on fire and I practically couldn’t even lift my body off the floor to even reach my toes. I also struggled with keeping my legs straight for this, so I decided to modify it by laying my legs up against the wall (so I could keep them straight) and then tried reaching for my toes. It was far easier than before, but I think I should’ve just substituted them with crunches instead.

My entire midsection had that burning numb sensation afterwards, and to say it felt stronger than before would be an understatement. I was shocked to see it only took me 15 minutes to complete the entire 200 reps (I finished at 12:33PM) and, to be honest, depending on the rest time you take it could be even quicker.

Final thoughts

 
I think the number ‘200’ can make this ab challenge sound a lot more intimidating than it actually is. That’s not me trying to sell it off as ‘easy’, because it’s not (otherwise what would be the point). But it is certainly a do-able challenge and ideal if you need an effective, speedy ab workout to do a couple of times a week. 

The exercises are mostly beginner-friendly but, as I explain above, you can modify them to make them work best for you. For beginners, I’d also recommend extending the 20 second break time I took to 40 seconds and then take a minute's rest before going into the first round of the circuit. 

It definitely exhausted my abs and left them feeling a lot stronger by the end of the 15 minutes, which is exactly what I wanted, so I’ll be keeping it in my routine for the foreseeable. I’d say give it a go, and don't let the big number put you off if you're looking for an ab challenge, because you’ll probably surprise yourself.