One of my favorite ways to stay motivated during the cold, dark months of the year is to download a fitness challenge to keep myself accountable. Winter is without a doubt one of the most challenging seasons to maintain fitness and stay active, and as the season nears I am focusing on finding at home workouts with a lot of benefits in the least amount of time.

>>Download the 30 Day Plank Challenge for FREE here<<

The running off season provides us with a great deal of extra time to focus on strengthening those areas that were neglected during training. A great way to do so is by completing some specifically designed core workouts for runners.

Related: How to Stay Fit During the Running Off Season

This year, I’m dedicating an entire month to core strength.

I’ve created a 30 day core workout challenge to hit my goals.

This core workout challenge contains a different ab workout sequence every day for 30 days. These ab exercises strengthen all areas of the core: the lower, upper, middle and sides. Each core workout takes 15 minutes to complete, helping you gain strength in just a few minutes each day.

Every day of the 30 day workout calendar contains 5 different core exercises to be completed for a minute each. Complete as many repetitions of the exercise for one full minute before moving on to the next. For the complete workout, repeat the exercise sequence 3 times for a total of 15 minutes.

In this 30 day core workout challenge, you’ll have no excuses to skip a workout.

Since you’re able to shorten or lengthen each daily workout if need be, you’ll always have time to fit in your daily core exercises. The exercises themselves take 5 minutes to complete, so you can repeat them twice for a 10 minute workout, three times for a 15 minute workout, etc.

15 minutes a day of focused core work will pay off in so many ways. Your running efficiency will improve, you’ll tone and tighten one of the most bothersome areas, and feel good about yourself even as the seasons change.

In the 30 day core workout challenge, you’ll find a combination of each of the following exercises.

30 Day Core Workout Challenge Exercises

Crunches

Mountain Climbers

Side Plank (with taps)

Straight Leg Raises

Ab Bikes

Raised Leg Situps

Legs Down Crisscross

Plank (with taps)

Russian Twists

Straight Leg Situps

Leg Raises + Hip Lifts

Toe Touches

Windshield Wipers

Straight Leg Jackknifes

Bent Leg Hip Lifts

Pulse Ups

Scissor Kicks

>>Download the 30 Day Core Workout Challenge PDF for FREE!<<

30 Day Core Workout Challenge Calendar

Day 1

• Crunches x 1 minute
• Mountain Climbers x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds each
• Straight Leg Raises x 1 minute
• Ab Bikes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 2

• Raised Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Legs Down Crisscross x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Side Situps x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 3

• Straight Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Side Plank + Taps x 30 sec each
• Leg Raises + Hip Lift x 1 minute
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 4

• Straight Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Hip Lifts x 1 minute
• Plank with Taps x 1 minute
• Crunches x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 5

• Mountain Climbers x 1 minute
• Legs Down Crisscross x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds each
• Ab Bikes x 1 minute
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 6

• Side Situps x 1 minute
• Straight Leg Raises x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 7

• Straight Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Leg Raises + Hip Lift x 1 minute
• Side Plank + Taps x 30 sec each
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Hip Lifts x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 8

• Scissor Kicks x 1 minute
• Straight Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute
• Plank with Taps x 1 minute
• Raised Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 9

• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Crunches x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds each
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 10

• Seated Knee Tuck x 1 minute
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Straight Leg Raises x 1 minute
• Ab Bikes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 11

• Side Jackknifes x 1 minute
• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Side Plank + Taps x 30 sec each
• Side Situps x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 12

• Crunches x 1 minute
• Straight Leg Raises x 1 minute
• Plank with Taps x 1 minute
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 13

• Mountain Climbers x 1 minute
• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds each
• Crunches x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 14

• Ab Bikes x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Seated Knee Tuck x 1 minute
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 15

• Straight Leg Raises x 1 minute
• Straight Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Side Plank + Taps x 30 sec each
• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 16

• Raised Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Leg Raises + Hip Lifts x 1 minute
• Plank with Taps x 1 minute
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Hip Lifts x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 17

• Legs Down Crisscross x 1 minute
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds each
• Raised Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 18

• Side Situps x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Hip Lifts x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 19

• Russian Twists x 1 minute
• Scissor Kicks x 1 minute
• Side Plank + Taps x 30 sec each
• Straight Leg Raises x 1 minute
• Ab Bikes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 20

• Straight Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Straight Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute
• Plank with Taps x 1 minute
• Side Situps x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 21

• Leg Raises + Hip Lift x 1 minute
• Raised Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 22

• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Crunches x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 23

• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute
• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Side Plank + Taps x 30 sec each
• Ab Bikes x 1 minute
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 24

• Straight Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute
• Crunches x 1 minute
• Plank with Taps x 1 minute
• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Jackknifes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 25

• Bent Leg Hip Lifts x 1 minute
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds each
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Bent Leg Hip Lifts x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 26

• Crunches x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Raised Leg Situps x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 27

• Russian Twists x 1 minute
• Seated Knee Tuck x 1 minute
• Side Plank + Taps x 30 sec each
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute
• Side Jackknifes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 28

• Mountain Climbers x 1 minute
• Ankle Reaches x 1 minute
• Plank with Taps x 1 minute
• Straight Leg Raises x 1 minute
• Ab Bikes x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 29

• Legs Down Crisscross x 1 minute
• Side Situps x 1 minute
• Side Plank x 30 seconds each
• Pulse Ups x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Day 30

• Ab Bikes x 1 minute
• Russian Twists x 1 minute
• Plank x 1 minute
• Toe Touches x 1 minute
• Windshield Wipers x 1 minute

Repeat all 3 times

Download the free 30 Day Core Workout Challenge PDF!

These ab workouts are easy to add on to your regular fitness routine by just including them at the beginning or end of your workout. And during those rest days or busy days, it’ll be easy to squeeze these core exercises. Complete them all at home while watching tv, waiting for dinner to cook, or first thing in the morning.

Setting yourself up with a realistic workout calendar makes maintaining fitness and conquering excuses so much easier. Try this 30 day core workout challenge during the winter to stay motivated and strengthen your core!

More core workouts:

• 15 Minute Complete Core Workout
• At Home Core Workout for a Flat Stomach
• The Ultimate 30 Day Plank Challenge
• Epic 30 Day Fall Fitness Challenge