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My neighbour, Sean Dawson is a cyclist. He is also the owner of an incredible body. So often it seems as though we have to work so hard and so long to get a great body. But he has a secret. He calls it the Nine Minute Abs. He shared his routine with me and I do it at commercials.

I don’t look like Sean. But I look like a nicer version of me now that I’ve put in the effort. And when it’s nine minutes a day it doesn’t really feel like effort. (Except when you’re in it!) I am the queen of simple, easy, fast. So this works beautifully for me.

9-Minute Abs

• Kneeling Arm Circles – On knees, arms straight out to sides with thumbs pointing forward, pinch shoulder blades together and rock arms forward then turn palms toward sky and rock arms backward.  Perform 25 times in each direction.
• Kneeling Elbow Curls – On knees, place knuckles on temples with thumbs pointing down, bring elbows together and apart.  Perform 10 times.
• Hero Squats – On knees, sit back as far as is comfortable with hands behind head, come all the way up. Perform 20 times.
• Hero Leans – On knees, palms on lower back with fingers pointing down, keeping stomach and back tight, lean back as far as possible and back up.  Perform 5 times.
• Cats and Dogs – On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips, arch back up and push chin to chest, then lower back toward floor and raise head up.  Perform 5 times.
• Wishbone Crunches – On back with hips and knees at 90 degrees with knees together and feet apart, place hands behind head, look back behind you and crunch up keeping elbows back.  Perform 50 times.
• Frog Abs – In frog position, hands behind head and elbows back, look back behind you and do crunches in this position.  Perform 50 times.
• Frog Bridge – In the frog position (see above), lift butt and back off the floor and hold while squeezing glutes.  Hold for 30 seconds.
• Flutter Kicks – On back with hands under glutes, lift legs off the floor about 6” and alternate kicking legs up and down while keeping thighs tight and head up.  Perform 25 times with toes pointed and 25 with toes flexed back.
• Shoulder Bridge – On back with knees bent and feet on the floor, lift glutes and back off the floor and hold, while concentrating on squeezing glutes.  Hold for 1 minute.
• Pelvic Tilts – On back, knees bent, arch back off the floor, then press lower back into the floor.  Perform 10 times.
• Toe Touches – On your back, straighten legs toward the sky, keeping thighs tight, feet spread two inches apart and toes flexed back, then reach up and crunch towards toes and back down without bringing toes to your hands. Perform 2 sets of 20 reps.
• Airbench – Sit back against a wall at just above 90 degrees, keep feet in front of you so that knees do not go out past ankles, keep weight in heels and press lower back into wall.  Hold for 30 seconds, perform twice.

Two words: bathing suit.