Sometimes the only thing standing between you and a stronger, more defined midsection is the discipline to stick with an abdominal exercise routine. Let’s face it: Although we want washboard abs, many of us skimp on the exercises needed to produce them.
Realizing we needed a push, we decided to try the “Middle Management” class at Cherry Creek Athletic Club and found it anything but middling.
Incorporating floor exercises and equipment – body bars, exercise slides, steps and ramps – the class is a 15-minute power workout designed to strengthen the core.
“It’s intense,” says Daren Parks, who leads a room packed with 15 to 20 students twice a week. But he tries to make it manageable by keeping the class short and upbeat.
Who’s it for: Six-pack seekers who need to be muscled into a routine, and have already engaged in a warm-up. It helps to be familiar with basic abdominal exercises because the instructor does not have the time to give individual attention.
The average person will see results within six to eight weeks, if the class is combined with a decent diet, Parks says.
How hard is it: Even the fit will find their midsection trembling at times. However, with each exercise lasting about 45 seconds with two to three repetitions, a moderately active person should be able to do it.
What it’s like: Parks puts on upbeat music covering several genres and starts with a few warm-ups, moving side to side and engaging the lower abdominals with leg lifts. From there, it is nonstop movement between exercises.
Because the routine differs week to week, getting acclimated may take several sessions.
How long before you break a sweat: If you aren’t fumbling for equipment throughout the class, you will be sweating by the end of the session.
The Day After: You will be able to lift yourself out of bed, but you might find certain muscles a little sore .
Fun Factor: Anybody can do anything for 15 minutes, and this class gets the dreaded part of working the midsection over with quickly. The instructor is full of energy throughout the class (think Billy Banks style), which boosts exerciser morale.
Advice: Plan to arrive a few minutes early to gather all of the materials needed for class. It is important to have everything within arm’s reach because it saves time when moving from exercise to exercise.
You also might want to bring your own exercise mat because the ones used in the class, although cushiony, aren’t long enough for an average person.
Details: The class is 4:30 to 4:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Cherry Creek Athletic Club. A membership is required to attend, unless you have a guest pass.
For information call 303-399-3050 or visit .
Staff writer Desiree Belmarez can be reached at 303-954-1211 or at dbelmarez@denverpost.com.
This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to a reporting error, Cherry Creek Athletic Club abs-class instructor Daren Parks’ name was spelled incorrectly.
