Energetic fitness personality Shaun T of the intense Insanity workouts created the Hip Hop Abs series, another offering of the popular BeachBody fitness brand. If you like hip hop music and you're looking for a cardio workout that will target your core muscles, led by an enthusiastic instructor, this workout is a good option.
Dancing Your Way to Tighter Abs
While it's not possible to spot reduce fat anywhere on your body - abs included - it is possible to target specific muscles to make them stronger. Building muscle can result in a tighter appearance. This workout targets the abs while the cardio aspect of the workout helps burn calories to prompt weight loss overall. This workout can help you lose weight, especially when dietary changes are made in conjunction with starting the Hip Hop Abs program - note that BeachBody offers a nutrition program that can be purchased along with access to their vast library of on-demand workouts.
The Workout
Set to catchy hip hop music, Shaun T leads viewers through dance moves designed to target the abs and get the heart rate elevated. Exercisers will recognize some classic hip hop moves infused with classic exercise moves. For example, a lunge combined with a knee lift and transverse twist to target the obliques becomes what's called "Flo-bliques." All moves are set to the beat of current, recognizable hip hop songs.
Routine Effectiveness
Like most other workouts, the Hip Hop Abs program is only as effective as the exerciser makes it with effort and frequency. The lure of this workout beyond the exercises themselves, is that most people find the workout fun. When a workout is fun, you're more likely to do it consistently and with greater intensity. The workout is accompanied by a suggested workout schedule and nutritional advice; for best results, follow the suggested protocol. If you want a schedule other than the included one, or if you lose the original, you can find other schedule options online.
Calories Burned
The number of calories you burn doing Hip Hop Abs depends largely on your effort and your body composition. On average, a 145-pound individual can burn up to around 500 calories an hour completing the entire workout while an individual of 185 pounds will burn closer to 600 calories, but this all depends on the intensity of the effort and the individual's body muscle versus fat.
Getting the Workout
Purchasing a BeachBody subscription gains you access to their library of workouts. Pricing varies depending on seasonal promotions, but expect to pay at least $100 annually for access to the workouts. Hip Hop Abs makes an excellent addition to a weekly workout regimen as a cardio option. Partner it with strength work and some mind/body workouts for a good week of workouts that will help you increase your fitness levels and perhaps even lose some weight. Three sessions a week is a great start. You can also buy the Hip Hops Abs workout DVD on Amazon for around $20 or from an infomercial, which will cost around $60 and include:
- 13-minute Secrets to Flat Abs
- 30-minute Fat Burning Cardio
- 45-minute Ab Sculpt
- 40-minute Total Body Burn
- 50-minute Hips, Buns, and Thighs
- 5-minute Last Minute Abs
- 17-minute Take it to the Dance Floor
- 25-minute Hip Hop Groove
- 10-minute Last Minute Dance
- A nutrition and diet guide
- Measurement card
- Tape measure
Reviews of Hip Hop Abs
There is no shortage of people praising this workout. Diet Spotlight states that the benefit of the workout - beyond the aerobic benefits - is that it's fun to do, compelling people to do the workout consistently. A Lifestyle Updated reviewer claims to have lost weight, inches, and found the workout fun and challenging. Amazon reviewers have similar things to say, making claims of weight loss, toning, and a fun workout.
A Fun and Demanding Workout
While this program still requires hard work in order for you to see results, it does provide a fun way to hip hop dance your way to great looking abs. Luckily, for the average exerciser, there is no dance experience necessary since Shaun T demonstrates all the moves and makes them understandable for people new to hip hop.
