TECHNIQUE SCHOOL
Ab goals? Have you considered going under the knife? Non-surgical, of course
Nail the straight-leg jackknife
Beloved of the home-workout brigade, the straight-leg jackknife, or V-up, is a fail-safe way to tighten your abs. In fact, it’s Kayla Itsines’ self-professed washboard ab ‘secret’. But beware: it’s one you’re going to want to work up to. Simultaneously raising your arms and legs to meet in the middle isn’t exactly easy if you lack the requisite strength. ‘The full V-up is a very difficult move for beginners,’ says Crossfit trainer Casper van Heerden. ‘First, aim to master the hollow hold – a go-to move for gymnasts – where you lie on your back with your arms and legs raised off the ground, arms stretched out past your head. It’s the optimal beginning and end position you want to achieve if you’re executing the straightleg jackknife correctly. If your core isn’t quite there yet, the jackknife motion is likely to divert strain elsewhere, such as your back and neck.’ Hello, injury. Once you’ve planked and hollow-held your way to a V-up-ready middle, it’s open season. ‘I incorporate this move into my routine every other day, combined with crunches and different plank variations,’ says boxing trainer Sanchia du Preez. And this move ain’t no one-hit wonder either: in addition to being a banging ab-definer, it’ll also work your bum, thighs and back. When it comes to reps, less is more, as trainer Simone Jacobs explains, ‘You can tire these muscles quickly and you don’t want to end up doing your last set incorrectly due to fatigue.’ Start with five reps and build up steadily until you can do sets of 10. Kayla’s got nothing on you.