'I Tried A TikTok-Famous Trainer’s Abs Circuit For 2 Weeks—Here's Why I'll Keep Doing It'
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Hello, it's me—back after trying a 5-minute abs workout for 31 days straight and ready for more. This time, I'm tackling a TikTok famous abs routine.
ICYMI, I wasn’t big on abs exercises before that last experiment. But coming out of it, I vowed to try and fit them into my fitness routine more consistently. As for how that was going…let’s just say I had the best of intentions, but old habits die hard. I'm grateful for this assignment as another boost of motivation to follow through on core work.
This (approximately) 12-minute bodyweight abs workout came from TikTok star and BOLD by Brianna Joye app founder Brianna Joye Kohn, who programmed exclusively for WH. It was actually my first foray into the world of TikTok fitness (probably because my page is littered with cat videos—no pun intended).
TBH, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. All of the exercises were familiar to me, and 12 minutes didn’t sound like much, so I felt confident going in. But I’ve def been overconfident heading into new regimens before (See: the time I tried Torch'd with five-pound ankle weights ouch!).
Luckily, I connected with Kohn to get pointers so I’d be as prepared as possible. Just remember: I did this two-week trial as a fun experiment, so I’m not suggesting you follow in my exact footsteps. But, if you need some help crafting your own fitness regimen, WH has plenty of info on how often you should do abs exercises and how to properly combine cardio and strength training—and you can always consult a pro like Kohn for more individualized advice, too!
Now, read on for everything you need to know about my first “FitTok” journey, my exact TikTok abs routine, and every milestone I hit along the way.
The TikTok Abs Routine
First things first: Let’s talk about the workout. Kohn gave me a two-round bodyweight circuit with six abs moves. Why bodyweight? Kohn says those kinds of moves have had the most impact on her body. And, with no equipment required, you can do them anywhere.
Brianna Joye Kohn's TikTok Abs Workout
Instructions: Complete each exercise for one minute before moving on to the next. You can take a brief rest between exercises, but try to do all three plank moves in a row without stopping. Repeat the entire circuit twice.
1. Sit-ups
2. Toe taps
3. Plank reaches
4. Plank hold
5. Plank hip dips
6. Bicycles
FYI, you can also catch the star behind the routine Brianna Joye Kohn demoing these moves:
My Plan For Rocking The TikTok Abs Workout
I took Kohn’s pointers to heart before I rolled out my mat to begin. First, she recommends slowing down and focusing on form. This was a good reminder for me, as I tend to rush through movements when I’m working hard.
Next, she challenged me to do the entire series of plank movements without a break. She also warned me that the plank reaches would be tough. (BTW, she has a great form tip for that move: “You want to imagine you have a water bottle on your back,” she says. Imagining that you can’t spill that water helps you keep your hips square.)
Real talk: As if an abs challenge isn’t difficult enough, this trial overlapped with some of the busiest days I’ve had in a while. I was moving to a new state, working full time, and, ya know, just dealing with life. I knew time was going to be a *very* limited resource, and on some days, I would only be able to fit in this abs workout. (Luckily, Kohn let me know the routine would def burn on its own!) I figured it would make for a good mental break during a series of unpredictable days, and I gave myself permission upfront to struggle—both physically and mentally.
The Journey
Day 1: I started with fresh muscles and confidence.
For the first day of my trial, I decided to do the abs workout after about an hour of gardening. I didn’t want to do too much other exercise before my first sesh, because I wanted to see how difficult the regimen felt without exhausting myself beforehand.
I’ll admit, I was a bit cocky to start: I thought sit-ups would be a breeze, but I actually found myself getting tired 30 seconds in. Then, after a minute of toe taps that felt challenging but not terrible, I did the three plank exercises. And believe me, they were painful. I expected the hold to feel like a nice rest after the reaches, but I was so wrong. My shoulders and abs were on fire, which didn’t help me at all going into the hip dips.
Once I got to bicycles, the last exercise, I reminded myself to slow down and think about my form. It was easy to forget in the midst of a plank series pushing my limits. Unsurprisingly, I had to rest for about a minute between rounds, but knowing what to expect in round two made the exercises a bit easier.
Days 5 Through 9: I found renewed motivation with a mini goal.
This middle block of my trial felt like a series of peaks and valleys. Days five and six were mini breakthroughs—sit-ups, toe taps, and even plank holds were much easier in the first round. Plank hip dips, on the other hand, still felt like my nemesis.
Confession: I did miss one day of the abs workout. Why? Day seven, a travel day, turned into a travel day and night. So, by the time I arrived anywhere that I could do an abs workout, it was already day eight. *Facepalm.*
Coming off my unplanned “rest” day (although 20 hours of car travel was anything but restful), I anticipated day eight 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 movements that had been getting easier, like the plank hold). TBH, I was a little bummed. I felt like I’d gone backwards instead of making progress.
When I came back for more on day nine—after actual rest and with a better attitude—things were much better. I really slowed down and watched my form. I even set a mini goal for myself: By day 14, I wanted to nail the whole plank series (at least for the first round) without breaks. At this point, I was already cruising through sit-ups, toe taps, and bicycles, so it felt like the next mountain to climb.
Days 12 and 13: I found my flow, and the energy to complete the challenge.
As soon as I set my plank series goal, I inched closer to achieving it. On day 10, every exercise but plank hip dips felt pretty solid. By day 11, I was only 30 seconds shy of crushing that whole first plank series.
Heading into day 12, I tried to stay relaxed and stop watching the clock. I actually ended up closing my eyes, listening to music, and focusing on how my body felt. For the first time, I nailed the first plank series without a break. The next day, I just about crushed both rounds of planks—I just had to break about 10 seconds shy of the finish line during the second round of plank hip dips.
The Takeaways
1. Dedicating 12 minutes to abs can feel long—but it’s def manageable.
Were there times that I glanced at the clock and couldn’t believe I was only 20 seconds into an exercise? Absolutely. In other words, when my abs were screaming at me, sometimes those 12 minutes just dragged.
On the other hand, I’m super grateful for this quick regimen, because it was easy to fit in on days where I might have otherwise succumbed to my ultra-busy schedule and said “forget it” to working out at all. (I wish I could tell you that on most days I paired it up with another activity, but that just wasn’t realistic for me this time.) And, ICYMI, there are some benefits to shorter workouts.
2. Planks are more challenging, and rewarding, than I thought.
I wasn’t exactly a stranger to planks heading into this trial (I used to do them all the time back in my competitive gymnastics days). So TBH, I never expected them to challenge me so much—but as it turned out, they were the toughest part of this workout for me. Bottom line? As much as I dreaded doing them every day, I’ll admit that I’m intrigued about working more plank variations into my regular routine to continue challenging myself and my abs.
3. A goal gave me a sense of purpose.
When I first started the TikTok abs routine, I was pretty much doing my abs workout and waiting for progress. And I can’t emphasize this enough: I do not recommend that mindset. Once I set my mind to nailing that plank series, I found renewed motivation and focus. Instead of waiting for progress to find me, I was seeking it out—and I have to believe I made strides much faster as a result. Obviously, I can’t say my method of setting a mini goal will work for everyone. But for me, it was a major turning point.
Bottom line: I have no regrets about taking on this two-week experiment. In fact, I think I’ll keep this abs workout in my back pocket going forward (and keep working on those planks). Shoutout to Brianna Joye!
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