I never go for a run without doing an ab workout first. Why? It warms up my body, gets me in the mood to work out, and — most importantly — engages my core, which is key before any workout. (It’s also fine to do abs after a run when your body is all warmed up; I just prefer to get it out of the way!)
Over the years, I’ve tried a ton of prerun ab workouts and narrowed it down to my top three: two 10-minute Youtube videos and one three-minute plank workout right here on POPSUGAR. That supershort option is perfect for my rushed weekday morning runs. Before a longer weekend route, I’ll pull up one of the longer, more challenging videos. Switching off between the three options ensures that my abs get a new challenge every time.
Keep reading for my three favorite prerun core workouts and try one for yourself next time you want to work your abs before the rest of your body, or any time you just want a quick, effective core challenge.