The 30 Day Abs Challenge – Hot Or Not?

30 day abs challenge
30 day abs challenge – as seen on Facebook

A new fitness challenge has recently swept through social media. It is called the 30 day AB challenge and it sets out a 30 day calendar of core exercises. You do not exercise every day though, instead you workout for three days in a row and then have one day rest. Of course, this is only your abs – you can still go running, do other workouts or play sports during the challenge.

The challenge has been around for a while but it went viral on Facebook when Robyn Mendenhall Gardner from Montana, USA, posted the challenge to her page and invited friends to join in.

Within no time her post, which she called “30 Day Ab Challenge for those who need some motivation”, had been shared and viewed by almost one million people. There is no denying that people all over the world want solid abs!


Ironically, Robyn lost interest initially, but her initial interest was shared many times over and was soon all the rage.

Robyn said that the whole experience was “overwhelming, but very exciting”. She set out with the aim to motivate a few others who would in turn motivate her. This is a proven way to get fit – encourage your friends to get involved and you are more likely to work together as a team, even if you are not actually doing it in the same room at the same time.

What it is

This challenge is a great way to tone your abdominal muscles and increase core strength. Abdominal training is a key part of athletic training and a stronger core improves stability and agility.

What it is not

It is not a way to reduce stomach fat. Exercising muscles does not directly reduce fat; this is the old exercise myth known as “spot reduction“.

Performing sit ups and crunches all day does not hep you to lose stomach fat.


Not also, the abs on the calendar above are from a model, not from the person who made the program popular.

The Workout

The popular plan on Facebook was for June 2014 but you can of course start it any time – preferably today! So here it is in an easier to read format:

Day 1

  • 15 sit ups
  • 5 crunches
  • 5 leg raises
  • 10 second plank

Day 2

  • 20 sit ups
  • 8 crunches
  • 8 leg raises
  • 12 second plank

Day 3

  • 25 sit ups
  • 10 crunches
  • 10 leg raises
  • 15 second plank

Day 4

Rest day. Put your feet up – on a foot stool!

Day 5

  • 30 sit ups
  • 12 crunches
  • 12 leg raises
  • 20 second plank

Day 6

  • 35 sit ups
  • 15 crunches
  • 15 leg raises
  • 25 second plank

Day 7

  • 40 sit ups
  • 20 crunches
  • 20 leg raises
  • 30 second plank

Day 8

Rest day.

Day 9

  • 45 sit ups
  • 30 crunches
  • 30 leg raises
  • 35 second plank

Day 10

  • 50 sit ups
  • 50 crunches
  • 30 leg raises
  • 38 second plank

Day 11

  • 55 sit ups
  • 65 crunches
  • 33 leg raises
  • 42 second plank

Day 12

Rest day

Day 13

  • 60 sit ups
  • 75 crunches
  • 40 leg raises
  • 50 second plank

Day 14

  • 65 sit ups
  • 85 crunches
  • 42 leg raises
  • 55 second plank

Day 15

  • 70 sit ups
  • 90 crunches
  • 42 leg raises
  • 60 second plank

Day 16

Rest day

Day 17

  • 75 sit ups
  • 100 crunches
  • 45 leg raises
  • 65 second plank

Day 18

  • 80 sit ups
  • 110 crunches
  • 48 leg raises
  • 70 second plank

Day 19

  • 85 sit ups
  • 120 crunches
  • 50 leg raises
  • 75 second plank

Day 20


Rest day

Day 21

  • 90 sit ups
  • 130 crunches
  • 52 leg raises
  • 80 second plank

Day 22

  • 95 sit ups
  • 140 crunches
  • 55 leg raises
  • 85 second plank

Day 23

  • 100 sit ups
  • 150 crunches
  • 58 leg raises
  • 90 second plank

Day 24

Rest day

Day 25

  • 105 sit ups
  • 160 crunches
  • 60 leg raises
  • 95 second plank

Day 26

  • 110 sit ups
  • 170 crunches
  • 60 leg raises
  • 100 second plank

Day 27

  • 115 sit ups
  • 180 crunches
  • 62 leg raises
  • 110 second plank

Day 28

Rest day

Day 29

  • 120 sit ups
  • 190 crunches
  • 62 leg raises
  • 115 second plank

Day 30

  • 125 sit ups
  • 200 crunches
  • 65 leg raises
  • 120 second plank

Attempt to perform each group of exercises without rest, but if you need to stop for a breather that is perfectly OK. The real challenge is getting all the way to day 30 without missing any workout.

Working your abs is vital to developing a total body approach to fitness. You cannot fit by only working your abs though, you need to do regular cardio, weight training and flexibility training. But do constantly challenge yourself.


Hot or not? It is hot! Why? Because it is always good to challenge yourself. This is as much a mental feat as a physical one. To complete each workout, even when your body is aching and you are exhausted takes willpower and determination.

If you can get through this month you will not only develop a stronger set of abdominal muscles, you will also be stronger in the mind, more focused and more likely to successfully complete your next challenge.

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